NINH Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection

NINH Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection

Diving into the vast sea of fashion-thirsty sharks, FIT alum Ninh Nguyen (NIN-WIN) presented his first Autumn/Winter collection for New York Fashion Week in Feb/2011. The strict, invite-only extravaganza was held at Michelson Studios in the West Village. Although many designers are venturing into more “drapery and feminine clothing,” 26 year old Nguyen used strong, masculine looks inspired by militaristic uniforms in sleek design but with a touch of femininity.

“The whole theme of androgyny is coming alive,” says Nguyen, “I admire that.” Born to Vietnamese parents in France, Nguyen was immersed in Parisian culture which he credits, along with being Asian, in helping him to develop an individualized sense of style from a very early age.  “By the age of four I already popped out my collars, wore a dress shirt underneath a v-neck sweater, and I wore bow ties,” adds Nguyen.
-Kristen Irby

About the event: The venue was a sprawling 10,000-square-foot photography studio which accommodated about 350 to 400 guests located in the notorious meatpacking district with ceiling height windows overlooking the Hudson River. Ninh also hosted an art auction 100% of the proceeds going towards two charities, Child Education and Hope for Silent Voices. Ninh worked with 25 artists from all over the world and asked them to create a painting or drawing based on his collection. The artwork was displayed on walls around the room and the auction took place after the show.

Behind the scenes: Make-up artists applied natural cosmetics to models 3 hours before the show from makeup kits provided by Emani Minerals. The look of dark smoky eyes corresponded with the key colors in the collection which were navy, burgandy, black and gray. They focused on highlighting the eyes while keeping the skin looking dewy and hydrated with the Emani liquid foundations.
 
 “Emani’s creative philosophies for natural cosmetics truly coincide with Ninh Nguyen and his vision for menswear,” says Michelle Doan, CEO for Emani Minerals. “His reputation is impeccable in the fashion world and Emani was ecstatic to be a part of such a prestigious event.”