Ever wanted to learn more about the backstory behind designers and their collections? Today’s post will be part 2 of highlighting designers from New York Fashion Week!

HAKAN AKKAYA

Hakan Akkaya is a Turkish designer who started participating in shows for New York Fashion Week in 2012. Not much is known about his early life or personal life, but he studied fashion design at İstasyon Art Academy. After he graduated, he became a design department manager for leading brands in the Turkish textile industry.

Akkaya opened his own atelier in 2010. He has also participated in exhibitions and in Istanbul’s international fabric design contests.

I personally really enjoyed the men’s outfits in this show. Akkaya focused on emphasizing the shoulders and used metallic materials to bring glam rock back to the runway. The collection was mainly made up of black and silver pieces. Dark eyeshadows and punk rock hair completed the looks. See the whole collection here.

CONG TRI

Nguyen Cong Tri graduated in Fine Arts from Ho Chi Minh University of the Arts. In 2000, he won first place in the “New Idea” category at Vietnam’s Grand Prix and this got him exposure to start styling Vietnamese celebrities for photoshoots and other projects.

In 2009, Cong Tri released a ready-to-wear brand called Kin by Cong Tri and a menswear line called KinConcept.

In 2013, Cong Tri became the first Vietnamese designer to have a design house dedicated to haute couture. As his brand has developed over the years, his designs have become avant-garde and very detailed. Cong Tri uses techniques such as laser-cutting, hand painting, and hand-ironed pleating. He also focuses heavily on embellishments, using jewels and sequins to combine contemporary and traditional elements into his pieces.

See the whole gorgeous collection here!

NAEEM KHAN

Naeem Khan is an Indian-American designer; he was born in Mumbai and used to watch his father and grandfather design detailed ensembles for royal Indian families. Khan was sure of his passion for design since he felt like it was part of his DNA and since it played a large role in his life from an early age.

In 1978, Khan moved to the United States and became an apprentice for Halston. Because of Halston, he was able to learn the art of draping and how to transform fabric into classic, timeless silhouettes. Even to this day, his fashion is influenced by Halston, as seen by his most recent collection.

In this collection, he created somewhat of a time capsule, bringing the past, present, and the future into his pieces. He incorporated parts of his heritage with colorful floral embroidery that could be tied back to his childhood in India. Many of the pieces were separates, such as sequin blouses and velvet blazers, that could be dressed down with a t-shirt or jeans to match current everyday luxury fashion trends.

In 2003, Khan launched his eponymous label and it was well-received by celebrities and high-profile women such as Beyonce, Kate Middleton, and Michelle Obama as they wore his designs on several occasions. He also launched a bridal collection in 2013. You can see his Fall 2019 collection here.

BEVZA

Svitlana Bevza is a Ukranian designer who designs womenswear. Bevza graduated from the Ukrainian National University of Trade and Economics and the Ukrainian National University of Technologies and Design.

Bevza’s designs are known for their simplicity and minimalism. This collection was no different; many of the pieces were black and white with other neutral colors such as navy and dark lavender.

The show itself was nostalgic with a narrator dramatically announcing each style. In addition, Bevza used a floral print for two of the pieces inspired by her hometown, Kiev. See the entire collection here.

And that wraps it up for New York Fashion Week; you can find part one here! Let me know what your favorite designs were in the comments and I’ll see you lovelies soon!