I recently attended the trunk show of fashion designer Tony Wang, a San Francisco native who is studying at the University of Pennsylvania. The show, held at Matthew Izzo on N. 3rd Street in Old City Philadelphia, reminded me that all great designers must start somewhere. They must be bold, they must take risks, and they must all take the scary step of finally showcasing their work for the world to see.
Wang's 2010 spring and summer collection includes women's polos in a handful of colors ($29.99 each), a women's sweatshirt ($64.99), a men's jacket ($89.99), and several handpainted skinny ties ($60.00 each). His styles focus on contrasting colors and simple lines. What impressed me most was his creative energy and an optimism so strong it was nearly palpable.
This optimism shows through in his work: "My logo is a metaphor for life," he said, showing me the design. "It's a linear journey, but the circular part is how we get through life." Wang has high hopes for his work--he plans on pitching it to Bloomingdale's, and looks forward to seeing it on the pages of GQ, Elle, Nylon and Vanity Fair one day.
Wang began his work in fashion design as a junior in high school. This "self-study" in design began shaping his career before he was aware that a career in fashion was even possible. When I asked him how the current economic climate presented challenges to a budding designer, he didn't falter: "No matter what happens," he said, "this is what I'll be doing."
Check out the 2010 Tony Wang collection at www.welovetonywang.com.
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