TrimLab Trade Shows 2016

2016 has been a busy year so far for TrimLab.  We are so thrilled to be connected to fashion students from all over the country with visits from Kansas State University, University of Georgia, University of Minnesota and we even had a visit from the Fashion Law bootcamp from Fordham University where we got to see the future attorneys of our fashion industry!

The Garment District is almost fully trimmed with sequin and lace trims from our newest addition, Decorative Trimmings! We set up shop at the City Source trade show at The Fashion Institute of Technology last week where designers and start-ups from near and far could shop our trims and zippers. This week we brought ourselves over to the Pennsylvania Hotel for the DG Expo where we we set up a visual display of zippers and trims and fasteners and Decorative Trimmings took the other side of our display with laces and sequins and elastics; all beautiful additions to any designs.

We have a lot of changes coming our way for the rest of 2016 that we’re really excited about, so stay tuned.

Advertisement

Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

The end of 2015 at TrimLab felt like the grand finale on a wonderfully fashion packed year.

We kicked off 2016 with some visits from aspiring fashion students from all over the world! We gave them a tour of our showroom and a rundown of what we see happening right now in the industry. TrimLab is proud to be able to touch so many inspiring students who truly are the future of fashion.  It’s one of our resolutions to continue to share our history and experience with the incoming generations of the fashion industry!

 

We set up our booth at the DG Expo trim show at Hotel Pennsylvania and at FIT for City/Source’s trim show. Wefeatured Decorative Trimmings, TrimLab’s newest line of trims along with some new product lines from YKK! TrimLab is looking forward to being the go-to showroom for all YKK’s newest and trendiest zipper lines and innovations!

 

To close out January, we voted for the Rising Star finalists notably Sarah LaFleur of MM.LaFleur of whom we nominated for the FGI’s sponsored Rising Star competition in the womenswear category.  Another favorite was Michelle Vale’s line SOAK that was a finalist for the accessories category.  We were so impressed with the new emerging talent that were making such an impact on the industry. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners of the Rising Star Competition and kudos to FGI for hosting such an amazing event.

 

February kicked off with New York Fashion Week – Men’s, where we saw a lot of amazing collections, notably the Public School presentation that was complete with customized zipper pulls from yours truly. This article truly showcases the different ways zippers made their mark on the runway during men’s fashion week! Women’s fashion week was very exciting. We saw a lack of pants on the runway at Milly who made up for it with beautiful jackets and bright leafy prints. Tommy’s Fall 16 show was more of a theatrical performance than a fashion show. A giant ship, made to simulate a cruise, was called the T.H.Atlantic while the ladies of the runway walked on the deck complete in nautical and old Hollywood inspired looks. We were most impressed with the Carmen Marc Valvo runway show where zippers truly made a splash on the scene. The runway show featured gowns with belts at the waist made entirely of zippers, women’s trousers with a symmetrical functionless zipper down the seam and men’s blazers complete with zipper trimming. Needless to say we’re excited for what else is to come for the rest of Fall/Winter 2016!

 

TrimLab’s Halloween Trimtacular

October may be our favorite month of 2015. We started with a visit from Jocy from PynkChocolateBreak who has an AMAZING DIY video blog where she creates garments from local fabrics and materials that are easy enough for you to make at home!We’ll be working very closely with her in the first few weeks of November on some collaborations so stay tuned!

Pynk Chocolate Break                     x TrimLab

On Pugtober 15th (it was coincidentally also National Pug Day), we kicked off the Halloween season with our Halloween Trimtacular where we introduced our new Decorative Trimmings line to our local friends and clients! We trimmed our showroom with all sorts of laces and ribbons produced in our factory north of Mexico City. We had masks that featured our new trim line to costume our guests (Big Dave, our Threadman/bartender underwent two hours of makeup producing a truly “horrific” look. We also had a bracelet making table where you could choose your own trim! The beverages and cookies were orange and purple and there were more pumpkins than one could count! We can’t wait until next year!

Pugtober Pugkin

Big Dave’s Day of the Dead look

Festive trimmed masks

The following week, we attended FGI’s Night of Stars Gala cocktail party where we got to rub shoulders with the fashion industry – and Hollywood’s – biggest stars! We schmoozed with the beautiful Garance Dore, blogger and author of the new book “Love x Style x Life”, who joined us at our table for some “Fashionista Gazing”. We caught sight of the designers of Haus Alkire, Katie Holmes, Meryl Streep and Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake, while enjoying the musical stylings of the very talented Brian Newman on trumpet. It was an extremely beautiful and lavish evening and we are so grateful to have been a part of it. A big thank you to President Hayes!

TrimLab Selfie x Garance Dore

We’re very excited for everything November has in store for us!

NYTLFW: New York TrimLab Fashion Week

This fashion week was unlike any other for TrimLab this season. With no official location designated, designers were left to find their own venues and spaces throughout Manhattan and in some cases, all of New York City, to host their Spring/Summer’16 fashion shows and runway presentations. This ended up working in our favor because for the first time in the history of TrimLab, fashion week came to us.

Minnoji Finale Walk

We kicked off our fashion week with model castings and fashion show prep work for the events we’d be hosting later in the week. Our social media manager ran around the city attending shows and presentations and reported back with not only the trim trends, but many major celeb sightings. Gigi Hadid opened and closed the Tommy Hilfiger show along with her sister Bella Hadid and friend Hailey Baldwin, who debuted her talents for first time on a NYFW runway. The girls walked the most glamorous plank, surrounded by water and palm trees, in crochet bikinis and bold, colorful paradise inspired stripes. Rachel Zoe, Nina Garcia, and Joe Jonas were among the A-listers whereas at Carmen Marc Valvo, Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg and Iris Apfel sat front row. Valvo featured looks that were classy as always and some gowns that will most definitely be making an appearance on the red carpet.   Alec’s wife Hilaria was snapping pictures of a gorgeous black and red style!

Samantha Black Model Casting

Back at TrimLab, we worked with, Milena Encheva, the genius designer behind Minnoji (@minnoji) to transform our showroom into a fashion week destination. We hosted their Spring/Summer’16 runway show featuring 32 looks in different mesh and sheer fabrics of black, white and blue. The DJ’s mix contributed to the flow on the runway, most of the styles being dresses, skirts to the knee and jumpsuits. It was a beautiful show and we were astounded by the turnout! Our first TrimLab fashion show was a success!

As fashion week came to a close, we had another first for TrimLab: we hosted our very first formal dinner party. With the help of Omars Kitchen (omars_kitchen) and Pynk Magazine (@pynkmagazine), we celebrated the end of New York Fashion Week with a candlelit “After the Runway” dinner honoring Samantha Black (@samanthablacknyc) and her collection Sammy B (@sammybdesignsny) along with the fashion brand RichGirlCandy (@richgirlcandy)! The Project Runway designer had shown her collection the night before at the packed Apostles Theatre and had invited her closest friends, major buyers, magazine editors and even some Atlanta housewives to celebrate! There was even a performance from singer V Bozeman (@vbozeman), who actually debuted her single with Timbaland on iTunes today! It was extremely lavish and beautifully executed and we couldn’t have had a better time.

NYCEDC Round Table Discussions

JOIN US for round table sessions with NYCEDC and fashion manufacturers, designers, suppliers and showrooms here locally in the Garment District
at TrimLab!

TUES 9/29 9-11am (showroom/suppliers)
TUES 9/29 130-330pm (designers)
WED 9/30 11am-1pm (advocacy groups)
WED 9/30 4-6pm (showroom/suppliers)
FRI 10/2 9-11am (advocacy groups)
FRI 10/2 1130am-130pm (manufacturers)

The Hot Days of 2015

With summer almost at an end, we at TrimLab have been reflecting on all the good times we had these past two months. Starting in July, we were very proud to be involved with many brands that walked the runway and made the first ever New York Men’s Fashion Week a success. Public School shined with their line-up presentation, Unusual Suspects, where they debuted their customized zipper pulls and clean aesthetic for the upcoming season. Their line-up featured models and designer Waris Ahluwalia.

We hosted a number of events in July, but the greatest turnout was at the Fashion Group International’s Just Work It activewear panel: “Out of the Gym and into the Boardroom”. Our showroom was filled with interested FGI members and with good reason. The panel consisted of representatives from Levis, Macys, Under Armour and was moderated by Marshal Cohen of NPD Group, one of the sponsors of the event. Marshal summarized the key points discussed by the panel by stating – “so if you’re an activewear company who isn’t focusing on the lifestyle, comfort, technology, social media, fit, motivation or innovation, you need to catch up”.


With the end of July came the start of trade shows. We attended the City Source Manufacturer’s Showcase at FIT where we displayed our “Elements of Design” and mingled with new and emerging designers searching for new products and concepts. We kicked off August at the Pennslyvania Hotel for the DG Expo, a fabric and trim trade show. It was at that show that we proudly debuted our new line of Decorative Trimming. We will have the full product grouping installed in our showroom by mid September.

Just this past week, we hosted the second annual DENYC cocktail reunion. It’s a gathering where the current and past students of FIT’s Design Entrepreneurs Masters Class are able to reconnect, network and establish new relationships with their peers. A great time was had by all! We’ve been working on a schedule of new events and surprises for September. Stay tuned to see how TrimLab turns into a fashion haven for this seasons NYFW!

HSFI’s 29th Annual Student Style Celebration

We had the honor of attending The High School of Fashion Industries 29th Annual Student Style Celebration on June 3rd, 2015. Ken Downing, Senior Vice President and Fashion Director of Neiman Marcus, was honored at the event and made a beautiful speech with advice for the graduating class on entering the industry and truly becoming the future of fashion. Ken received the Fashion Visionary Award, which is presented to industry professionals for their support of the emerging youth inspired by and in pursuit of the fashion industry. His kind words were followed by the student fashion show, where the looks were divided by different themes and inspirations that served as the motivation for each student designer.

The finale featured the garments created by the seven finalists from the “100 Years of Staying on Track” competition sponsored by TrimLab. As the zipper-centric garments traveled the runway, the stage screens lit up with the TrimLab logo. We were so pleased at being able to watch the competition garments brought to life and to have TrimLab recognized in such an dramatic manner. Since the beginning of HSFI in 1926, the high school has prided itself on their ability to create important and meaningful relationships with industry professionals. We are extremely pleased and honored to be a part of it.

Flashback Friday: National Zipper Day 2015

Exactly one month ago today on April 29th, 2015, TrimLab hosted their very first National Zipper Day extravaganza. Already committed zipper enthusiasts, we had been celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the zipper for quite some time, but the day
the Nation recognized to commemorate the zipper was an extra special occasion for us.
the usual suspects along with some additional zipper lovers that we knew would enjoy a reason to celebrate such an amazing fastener.

We trimmed our showroom with zipper decorations big and small, including educational posters that described the history and importance of the zipper as well as an installation of zipper jewelry by Kate Cusack. We had zipper bracelets, zipper tattoos and zipper nail decals made for our guests to enjoy at the party as well as various contests (like our Most Creative Zipper Ensemble contest) and raffles where our invitees could win exclusive zipper necklaces, gift cards and even tickets to a Yankee game.

Our guests didn’t know it at the time, but our NZD party would also serve as the unveiling of our newest venture: The Zipperati Society. The elite Zipperati Society is a “tongue- in-cheek” online community of zipper enthusiasts brought together to appreciate and share their mutual love for the zipper. The society has a website (www.zipperatisociety.com) as well as the important social media channels (@ZipperatiSociety on Instagram, @ZipSoc on Twitter, and http://www.facebook.com/ZipperatiSociety on Facebook). The unveiling took place during the middle of the party with an announcement from Roy Katz, the President of the Zipperati Society. The Zipperati Society scroll was revealed where “charter members”, all present at the gathering, could sign their names and receive their membership cards!

Overall, the event was a total success. Those who may not have had a love for the zipper when they walked in to TrimLab, most definitely left with one along with zipper tattoos and membership card to prove it.

TrimLab x HSFI 100 Years of Staying on Track

 Yesterday evening concluded our TrimLab / HSFI Design Competition when the winners, runner-ups and honorable mentions were announced! The contest itself had begun at the beginning of March. At that time, we choose 7 sketches from those submitted by 25-30 senior students who’s designs, unique and creative, all featured the importance and functionality of the zipper. On May 26, 2015 we, along with an esteemed panel of judges, saw the garments brought to life for the very first time. Each design showcased their use of the zipper in a different and original way. Some zippers were added to the garment as hardware or for design purposes and others were included for functionality. Some of the pieces were so versatile that they actually went from a jacket to a short-sleeved blazer!

Our panel of judges consisted of different fashion industry professionals who are close friends to either TrimLab or the contest administrator, and one of the founding fathers, Robert Di Mauro. Nikki Martinkovic is the owner of Nikki Martinkovic Textile Design Studio as well as an associate designer for the brand Milly by Michelle Smith. Jan Klier is a close friend of TrimLab’s and is a NYC-based fashion photographer and videographer. He is an active member of both the Fashion Group International and the American Society for Media Photographers. Jerry Kaye, was for 12 years, the Design Director of Perry Ellis. In addition to directing his own menswear line he is preparing the launch of a womenswear line! All of our judges agreed that they were completely blown away by the talent of the students and execution of each garment they created!

Truth be told, all the designs were amazing. It was a hard decision to choose just one, so although we did have only one grand prize winner, each designer left with a consolation prize of their hard work and effort. Models walked the runway as the each designer was questioned by the judges on their expectations, designs and construction problems. It was a true Project Runway-esque fashion show. TrimLab is so proud to be a sponsor of this contest and couldn’t be happier with the results!

TrimLab / HSFI Design Competition

TrimLab’s longtime friend Rob DiMauro, was instrumental in forging a relationship with the High School of Fashion Industries (HSFI). Robert created the Industry Partnership Program (IPP) which strengthens the bridge between the fashion industry and the HSFI students. Robert has dedicated the program to his father, Thomas Gaetano Di Mauro, who attended the High School of Fashion Industries. The HSFI’s Fashion Design Program is a comprehensive course of study where students:

• Gain skills and knowledge of fashion industry standards through hands on instruction.
• Prepare for internships, entry-level jobs in the fashion industry, and post secondary educational opportunities in various fashion programs.
• Learn Computer Fashion Art, Garment Construction and the art of three different types of pattern making which are: computerized, draping (three- dimensional), and manual. Also included in this program: Textile Science and Fashion Design Illustration.
• Produce sample garments for our Annual Fashion Show utilizing fashion industry standards; at the end of the four year sequence in the fashion department.

These essential skills equip students with the tools necessary to excel in the fashion industry showcasing a high level of competency in this field.  Originally built as the Central Needle Trades High School, it had its origins in a garment loft on West 26th Street in 1926. Its original purpose was to provide a trained work force for the many trades in fashion related industries. Most of its students were immigrants or the children of immigrants who were trying to make new lives for themselves in a new country.

As part of a Works Projects Administration (WPA) project, construction of a new school was begun in 1938. Its design called for it to be the ultimate vocational school. It’s Visitor’s Guide referred to the new school as “The Fulfillment of an Ideal in the Field of Vocational Education.”  HSFI continues to provide students with applicable hands-on learning experiences, encouraging the development of skills needed to succeed in the fashion industries and/or post-secondary educational experiences.  Over 95% of HSFI seniors go off to college.  This is an incredible accomplishment for one of the largest high schools in Manhattan.  The administration, staff and advisers continue to devise programs that create applied learning experiences that merge academic and career skills, helping students see unity within the diversity of learning.  

TrimLab thought it a worthwhile exercise to offer a design competition to all senior classes for which scholarships would be awarded to the top five designs.  The concept was to submit a design using creativity in the application and use of zippers.  With the assistance of Lisa Barnett, Fashion Consultant and Sandra Manning, HSFI Fashion Design Coordinator, over thirty-five designs were submitted.  The seven finalists visited TrimLab to gather samples for their final design prototypes  The winning designs will be chosen by the end of April with the awarding of the scholarships.