petitePARADE: Parsons-ification: The New Generation

This article, written by Bryan Armando, originally appeared on the petitePARADE website on June 3, 2014. For the original article and slideshow, please visit petitePARADE.

In the past six seasons, petitePARADE has provided a platform for the new generation of children’s wear designers to showcase their collections, vision, and dreams. This year, a very accomplished group stems from the graduating class of Parsons: The New School for Design— a petitePARADE participating partner.

In May, nine graduate students in the BFA program presented their thesis (collections)—petitePARADE sat on the panel of judges alongside industry influencers to critique and judge the collections.  Three design students were selected to showcase their pieces on the runway inside Parsons new 14th Street building in downtown Manhattan.  Ashley Chang, Erica Kim, and Grace Kang debuted their children’s collections to an auditorium seated with buyers, editors, and peers.

Ashley Chang produced an all boy collection composed of outerwear jackets and knitted pairings. A worker pant-suit in deep oxford with oversized pockets was followed by 4-piece look which included a pair of neon-threaded tapered sweatpants and denim jacket.

Batting up next, designer Erica Kim, showed a girls collection that brought the playing field straight to the runway. Models walked in looks accessorized in braided headbands and sports-boy caps. Looks were layered with varsity jackets, multi-pocketed vests, and tubular knitted socks.

Inspired by fictional monsters, rich colors and graphical patterns, Grace Kang kept her collection on the youthful side. Boys rocked the runway in two-piece pairings which included a multi-color panel sweatshirt, and oversized vest layered on top of a monogram tee.

Parsons is known to assist in the “upbringing” of renown designers like Donna Karan, Alexander Wang & Chris Benz (to name a few) and there’s certainly an open eye on the graduating class of 2014. The childrenswear designers not only produced trend-setting looks; but visionary collections representative of what consumers and retailers will be shopping for in the upcoming fall/winter season.

petitePARADE is honored to partner with Parsons: The New Schooland play a role in the development of emerging talent holding true to the statement that “it all begins in the classroom.”