Gen Art

Once known for her bold power suiting that was a mainstay at department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdale's in the 90s, Gemma Kahng had the unfortunate luck to disappear from the limelight after a slew of financially unsound business decisions. While the fashion industry may have moved on, Gemma stayed in the background until a recent encounter with Joe Zee in his All On the Line (a reality TV series that helps designers get their ailing fashion businesses back on their feet) gave her the focus to channel her energy into rebuilding her fashion line.

At our New Garde fashion show, Gemma garnered tremendous attention—and not just because of this model's unfortunate nip slip—for her incredible collection that has once again put her back into the fashion spotlight.

Check out this video to get a behind-the-scenes look at the talented Gemma Kahng.

GEMMA KHANG from Photo Pow on Vimeo.

So tell me about the inspiration behind this collection.

Gemma Kahng: The inspiration always starts with history, some type of history. I like to continue what's been going on, you know, in the past. So sometimes, I go way back to [the] primitive period, sometimes Victorian, which is not that long ago, but for this one, I focused on Renaissance portraits. The women [in that] period had so many different ornaments. Their hair and the jewelry, and the clothes are very light, and very airy and beautiful. So, that was one inspiration and then on top of that, I also looked into armor from [the] Medieval period and they are just the opposite. So, I'm just trying to combine them together and make them beautiful.

What is the inspiration behind the makeup?

GK: Makeup, oh, it's a fashion show! I think, [the] fashion show does not have to be realistic. I think we have to give some, some fantasy and some dream. So [the] makeup is kind of strong, yes. [Laughs]

What have you done to prepare for this fashion show?

GK: [The] last few weeks were just getting things made. Just making sure things get made right and I get very involved in making the garments. Actually, I make all the patterns myself and I work with the sewing ladies and watch every step they take and if something's wrong, I can tell them right away to fix it. So I've been doing that for last few weeks, nonstop. [Laughs] Thank God it's over.

What has been some of the big changes in the fashion industry from when you first started out to now?

GK: First of all, there are a lot of designers and, [I] don't mean to insult anyone, but a lot of them are not really designers. They have somehow become a designer, but I mean there are people like us, you know, we love to make clothes and we really actually, really love the art of making clothes. So, there are two different types of designers, I would say, these days.

What designers are you looking forward to see what they create this season?

GK: I love European designers mostly, especially French designers, so let's see. I mean it used to be Alexander McQueen, but he's no longer there, but still his collection looks beautiful. I'd like to see that. Also Chanel, you know, it's always interesting to see because it's, like, always something new. And the rest...Balenciaga, you know, it goes on. [Laughs] I just love fashion! [Laughs]

So other than your own after party, what after parties are you going to?

GK: Oh I don't know, I'm going to try to go to, I mean I AM going to my after party. It's my party, but normally, I don't go out that much unless it's work-related. I mean, you know, I'm really boring. I just like to work. I just like to make clothes. [Laughs]

What are you going to do right after the show is over?

GK: Oh, so I have a house in Millbrook which is two hours away. I'm going there and play with my cats and maybe do some cooking, you know, clean.

You seem to be really relaxed, while everybody else is kind of frazzled and doing last-minute changes.

GK: Yeah, I don't know, for the first time, I mean, I've been in this business for a long time. But the first time I went home at 11, like normal, you know, and I didn't have to stay up all night. Yeah, it's very unusual. I have a great team, I have to say, Dustin, who does my PR and Marketing. I have Gen Art who does PR, and my ex-husband—I dragged him out of retirement to help me—and my stylist, Jenny, who's been with me for the last 3 years. We have these amazing people who believe in me and support me, it makes it very easy.

Keep tabs on Gemma and follow her on Twitter.

If his role as the drug-loving Paul in Sundance Grand Prize winner, Keep the Lights On is anything to go by, Zachary Booth is on the verge of becoming the next breakout star. It's not just his good looking mug that captured our attention, but his talent both on screen and off of it. We firmly believe that Zachary Booth is one to watch, which is why we have chosen him as one of this year's "7 For All Mankind's 7 Fresh Faces in Film."

Who is your fashion inspiration and why?

Zachary Booth: My Mother. Her closet was the number one hiding place in our house when I was growing up. You could nestle behind the piles of boots and shoes and be lost for hours. She was the kind of woman who would wear almost anything. She taught me to take risks, have fun, and always look good.

If you were an animal, what would you be?

ZB: In the words of Marisa Tomei, "it's a trick question. I am an animal." But, if I could be another animal, I would be a monkey. Flying through the trees, eating bananas, and slinging poo—yes, please!

If nominated, what designer would you wear to the Oscars?

ZB: Prada. John Varvatos to the after party.

How did you find out you got the role in your Sundance film and how did you react?

ZB: I was standing outside Yankee Stadium waiting to go in to the game (I have season tickets). I got a call and my reaction was "what?" not only because I was surprised, but also because I couldn't hear what Ira was saying.

Three of your favorite films of all time?

ZB: Shawshank Redemption, Casablanca, The Disorderlies (starring Ralph Bellamy and the Fat Boys).

Biggest pet peeve?

ZB: Power-washing side walks, plastic bags at grocery stores, like...um...ya know?

What are you most looking forward to at Sundance aside from your premiere?

ZB: Snowball fight with Ari Graynor, Chris Abbott, Lena Dunham, Todd Louiso, Ira Sachs, and anyone else who is down.

Keep tabs on this hunky alum by following him on Twitter.

Wen Shi, the winner of the Crest 3D White Design Competition, stunned everyone (and proved that we were right by choosing her) with a capsule collection of sleek white outfits—that she completed in less than ten days! Check out this pre-New Garde fashion show video to learn about this budding fashion designer.

WEN SHI from Photo Pow

We sat down with Wen Shi just after the show to get the scoop on how she felt about the whole experience:

So you just showed your collection—what are you thinking?

Wen Shi: I think I'm on cloud nine. I'm still, like, floating..I'm hoping it's like the first collection of many, and I'm really, really excited.

How did you prepare for the show?

WS: I literally put everything together, like, in the last ten days. Being that it's Fashion Week, factories I've have had relationships with for five years that sew for some big names on 7th Avenue couldn't even sew one thing for me, and I really, really had to get in touch with a lot of people that I know just to get references. And once I received the grant, basically, what I did was make sure all the details are done, buy my fabric and then make sure that I get the execution out and get the patterning help and the sewing help and, um, really have the manpower to just execute everything. I literally picked up my last piece today, like 3pm. (laughs)

Obviously Crest was an inspiration, but tell us what else really inspired you for this collection?

WS: I was kind of thinking Fall and thinking [about] just changing into a new shape a little bit. Everything was becoming a little bit oversized over really slim column shapes. And I started to look into the early 1900s a little bit, which might be a little bit odd at first. But, I was thinking about white and then I remembered that if you look at tailoring, you go back to actually a lot of riding wardrobes that people wore back in the early 1900s and one of the things people don't know is that the most expensive color that you could wear it in is actually in white, because to do sports in white back then was considered very, very luxurious. And so I kind of took some of those elements like the double vent in the front of the dress and taking those utilitarian kind of elements and mixing that with pure, but a dark kind of glam, really inspired me.

Is the dress you are wearing one of your own designs?

WS: This is one of my pieces, actually, from before, yeah. This is one of my previous collections.

What can we expect from you this year?

WS: I think this show really helped me to establish the kind of woman and the kind of look that I really want to go with and I really, really want to kind create a Fall collection to follow. I am kind of looking into possibly starting a luxury jersey line.

The sounds awesome!

WS: Yeah, I love the idea of building a woman's closet—kind of just elevated pieces that you absolutely have to have. I sometimes think, like who needs another v-neck? So, I really want to create only those standout pieces.

Who would you say is the woman that you design for?

WS: I think that she's a strong woman, and I think she's very intellectual, but in, you know, an understated way. And she is somebody who is very, very aware of herself. And at the end of the day, I want to design for a real woman. I don't really want to design for, you know, kind of an unrealistic body figures. I just want things that a girl can just throw on, but add them to her closet and mix into everything. And just create something that is glamorous but really, really understated and easy [in an] effortless way.

Keep tabs on Wen Shi, follow her on Twitter.