Interested in the business of fashion?
Seattle is full of successful entrepreneurs who have built their businesses on style and couture and Luly Yang is one of them.
On November 18, 2010, Yang will be one of 16 women honored as the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Women of Influence. Click here for more information or to attend this event.
Magna Sgaramella, one of our region’s wardrobe consultants and personal stylists, provided this guest article about two of Yang’s recent fashion shows. It gives an interesting perspective on what makes Yang so successful: innovative designs, quality products and exceptional client relationships.
Luly Yang is undeniably one of Seattle’s most creative couture designers and I had the opportunity to attend two of her fashion shows within one week. The first was Yang’s couture fashion show titled Ocean at the Seattle Aquarium on October 8th. The second was her bridal collection shown at Urban Unveiled, a wedding show at Benaroya Hall on October 14th. Both occasions were meticulously organized by event planners Travis and Jesse of True Color Events.
Luly Yang’s Ocean collection was inspired by attending a school trip to the Seattle Aquarium with her son. She was moved by the many colors, patterns, textures, and lighting found in the deep sea, and it was all evident in fabric and design of every dress that glided down the runway.
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Before the show, hearts were warmed when Josey Tomlinson, a 14-year-old Seattle Children’s patient, eloquently spoke about her struggle with juvenile arthritis and how she travels from Alaska for treatment. She walked down the runway in a slate blue silk chiffon gown designed by Yang.
Proceeds from the evening benefited Seattle Children’s Hospital, which highlighted two significant branches of their organization, uncompensated care and pediatric research. Tomlinson then introduced four other Children’s patients, all wearing Yang’s designs as they walked the runway full of pride. Nine-year-old Rishi Nair had just broken his wrist the night before the show practicing karate, but that didn’t stop him from modeling the sparkling black tuxedo jacket designed by Yang to showcase his talent as a musician. A keyboard was brought on stage for him to sing a poignant and tender song he wrote about peace, which brought tears to all.
The next set of models were Luly Yang’s clients who had dresses and suits custom made especially for them by Yang. Her clients ranged from young bridesmaids to mother-of-the-bride/groom, party hostess to destination bride, and men and women of different ages, body types, and coloring, all wearing very unique yet practical designs. For example, a gray sheath dress with silk satin front panel adorned a beautiful middle-aged woman, showing us that you don’t have to be a young size two to look and feel great.
Another client modeled her delicate lace tea-length bridal gown with lace capped sleeves and embellished waistline, perfectly accessorized with a silk flower cage veil. Yang’s brilliant display of client models proves that her designs are attainable and allows the audience to envision themselves in a custom made design. As her clients worked the runway for the finale, the audience caught a glimpse of the promenade reflection in the giant aquarium, which made a stunning backdrop for the evening.
After a brief intermission, the featured collection, Ocean, began with a beautiful backdrop of jellyfish displayed on screen and only the dark silhouettes of two models were strikingly visible. Exceptionally choreographed by Anthony Tippins, the first collection came to light with the graceful movements of jelly fish, transparent and ethereal, as models moved their arms and hands like sea sirens underwater.
Yang used ruffles and layers carefully placed so that they gave the illusion of fluttering wings and graceful movement. Later, when looking at the tentacles of an octopus inside a displayed aquarium, the Gismo dress immediately came to mind, thanks to great choreography and dress handling by the model. The second collection set a cool tone with staccato beats from the DJ and piercing eyes from the models, their bodies moving with quick, sharp side-to- side motions of a shark. The colors were cool and dark with fabrics resembling scales, smooth skin with dark metallic sequins or patterned hematite.
The third collection was refreshing as dancing models bounced to music by Michael Franti, resembling playful tropical fish under the sea. Yang used bold color blocking and variegated prints in blue, yellow, green aqua, chartreuse, black, and white.
Pulling together the look, hair was styled up, slicked on the sides with volume on top, resembling the long dorsal fin of a coral fish. The fourth collection, inspired by bioluminescent creatures, had electricity and pulsed down the runway as shiny beaded fringe bounced against a dark background of silk fabric.
For the finale, the coral reef inspired everything from orange feathers to red lace, full of warm saturated colors and textured fabrics. The models were styled with glittery coral headpieces and their hair was styled in knotted, twisted buns similar to soft and hard textures found in reefs.
Every dress had movement, which, if you ask any designer, can only be achieved with the highest quality fabrics and construction. For example, the finale dress Queen Coral was composed of 3 different layers of fabric, a silk organza overlay with a coral pattern woven into the fabric, subtly visible when the light hit it just right. All of the anemone appliqu閟 were hand sewn and many crystals were individually adhered to the dress. To ensure success at runway show of this caliber it takes a team of very skilled and well trained people, from lighting and music to choreography, hair and makeup. Each model is appointed a dresser, sometimes two, in order to carefully and efficiently complete each look from head to toe before they walk out on the runway. Most dressers are volunteers from local design schools and are responsible for getting the models in and out of each garment and styling them according to Yang’s vision.
The evening ended with a wonderful after party in the main hall of the Aquarium with delicious seafood and drinks, models displaying gowns, and Yang on hand to answer questions about the collection. She celebrated the evening by dancing to the DJ’s beats with her staff and guests. Seattle Aquarium employees were on hand to educate guests on sea life and answer questions throughout the night, providing fascinating facts about the creatures that inspired Yang’s gowns–a nice touch to an already magical evening.
With contributions from that evening, plus gown sales from the following week, Luly Yang helped raise over $30,000 for Children’s Hospital. But she still had a lot of work to do. In the week following Ocean, her and her staff immediately began preparing for the Urban Unveiled wedding show on October 14th.
Urban Unveiled is a celebrated wedding show featuring some of Seattle’s finest artists in the wedding industry, and gives us an intimate look at each vendor’s creativity and style.
Luly Yang was among 10 major sponsors of this event, as well as the featured designer showing her bridal collection on the runway. Many of Yang’s bridal gowns were inspired by her Ocean collection and had a sense of playfulness and fluidity. With full skirted tulle gowns or delicate lace layered under sheer fabrics, this collection was elegant and intricate. As in Ocean, many different textures were used like cashmere, shimmering sequins, ruffles and draping.
The hand beading alone the bottom of a silk satin mermaid gown with matching cape takes hours, even days, to sew. Arranging clear crystals and white beads in perfect circular rings in various sizes, creates a textured delicate trim and adds playfulness to a classic silhouette. Hair was adorned with headpieces similar to those shown in Ocean, but instead of coral Yang used the Woodland Glamour theme of the event to create a softer color palette in golds and greens, giving a moss-like feel to the glittery foliage.
The finale gown showed Yang’s love of layers with a hand painted leaf pattern resembling peacock feathers peeping through layers of pleated tulle over a fitted bodice. On the top layer of the full skirt, the pattern was vibrant and colorful cascading down one side. The look was completed with a two-tier veil and a soft aqua blue feather headpiece. The was a cooler, softer version of the Queen Coral fiery gown.
Luly has been famously quoted for her philosophy of dresses being like people: they should be as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside.
This kind of quality comes with a higher price tag, but one that many brides or socialites are willing to invest in for a memorable occasion. The quality, uniqueness and value for their money justify the cost. If $1500 is the average price a bride spends on her wedding gown, why not have one custom made and designed for you by one of Seattle’s most talented designers if it is within your budget? If you simply want a dress or suit custom made, any design can be fit to your proportions. Two of Yang’s associates, Katherine and Lisa, agree that “when something is made just for you, you’re going to love wearing it and want to wear it again and again.” Luly’s couture cocktail gowns start at $2800 and evening gowns start at about $4500 and can go up from there depending on fabric and design. A dress will take about 14 weeks to complete, including all alterations. However, generous sample sales take place about a week before each show in the Fall and Spring, including bridal gowns by different designers.
If you’ve never attended one of Luly Yang’s couture fashion shows, I highly recommend you experience it at least once in your lifetime. You don’t have to be among the rich and famous to appreciate and celebrate this art form; you just have to want to fill the need for beauty in your life. And fill that need Yang does. Luly Yang was inspired by nature’s underwater sea life to give us an unforgettable show creating a total experience for the senses when she presented Ocean, and her bridal collection playfully and elegantly echoes this inspiration.
To experience Yang’s designs first-hand, you can visit her boutique for unique accessories like jewelry, handbags, head pieces, and a fabulous collection of shoes. Visit her online store to shop her knitwear collection and accessories, including her ballet flats inspired by women who walk the cobblestone streets of Europe in practical, stylish city flats.
