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Paris – Cotton flourished despite the fruit spill Thursday night when US Ambassador Denise Campbell Bauer hosted a cocktail reception to celebrate emerging designers and their work with the American Supima fiber.
Guests were welcomed into the gilded halls of the official residence Hôtel de Pontalba to view the seventh annual Supima Design Lab fashion show.
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On display were the works of newly minted design graduates who were finalists of the US Supima Design Competition, finalists from the 39th International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Accessories — Hyères, and a slate of rising talents.
On the grand spiral staircase of the residence, Campbell Bauer recalled visiting cotton farms, including those of her ancestors, during her childhood in California.
“This industry is close to my heart and I know the hard work that goes into farming, especially as we face the challenges of climate change,” she said.
She highlighted the strategic importance of Supima, the organization dedicated to supporting the use of American Pima cotton worldwide, and its work with young designers to promote the US-grown fiber, which is less than 1 percent of global cotton production.
“[Supima] committed to US efforts to modernize and expand data-driven sustainability,” she said. Supima’s work with small farms can promote sustainability and traceability, she said.
“Designers can access information about social and economic responsibility, which helps promote the global fashion industry, from the farmers to the fashion designers,” she said. “Everyone involved is helping their sectors thrive while continuing to create sustainable art.”
She wore a bright royal blue dress with swirling shoulders and an added bodice drop by designer Bibhu Mohapatra, who was on hand during the reception.
Supima president and chief executive officer Marc Lewkowitz discussed his work with the OECD and focus on promoting the use of natural fibers in fashion, to help the clothing industry move away from oil-based synthetics.
“The opportunity is there for us to make a big impact using wool, cotton, linen, silk – all natural fibers – and emphasize the quality and benefits of those fibers which are biodegradable, durable, durable, comfortable , breathable,” he said. . “These are things that are often overlooked in fashion collections, and what we’ve been able to work with in recent years is working with our designers in New York and working with our European designers to understand what with him. it is possible.”
The collections on display made each designer “attractive and thoughtful”, he said.
Buxton Midyette, Supima’s vice president of marketing and promotions, highlighted the group’s partnerships to support and promote the next generation of young creatives.
“We value these partnerships,” he said. “What we’ve tried to do here is to get an insight into the designers who we think represent the future of fashion at all different stages.”
Guests walked through several rooms that looked like circular exhibits.
Charles de Vilmorin posted photos next to his design, which was seen on dancers during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. His work is part of an ongoing partnership with Supima. He chose the framework for the project because he knew how it would perform.
“It’s pretty clean, and you can really work with the fabric and create something new and unique. Within cotton, there are many different references, and you can really experiment with each one and create something special with each quality,” said de Vilmorin.
The various incarnations of Supima cotton included twill, denim, jersey and velveteen, as seen in the eclectic range of designs on display throughout the gilded salons.
“An event like this is proof that a cotton brand needs to help and work with young designers, because we are all here for Supima,” continued de Vilmorin.
“There are 14 different designs in the different pieces, and all the designs are very different, but they are all Supima, and this is very rich and very, very elevated for a brand like Supima. This is quite unique.”
The designer will show at Hong Kong Fashion Design Week in November, and then return to Paris for couture week in January. He is also working on new collaborations in China, which will be revealed soon.
A delighted Bianca Saunders pulled a retro camera out of her bag to take photos and display her design. The crisp white denim suit was based on the uniforms of workers at a Jamaican resort in the 1940s. Curved seams gave volume to the trousers, while rounded shoulders and neck tucking added a loose structure.
Other rising designers and talents in the Paris scene included Igor Dieryck, Torishéju Dumi, Victor Weinsanto, and Vincent Pressiat, who were among the guests, along with Niccolò Pasqualetti.
Supima partners with design schools across the US for its annual design competition. This year the winner was Emma Joan Foley from the New School’s Parsons School of Design with a pink cocoon of creation on display, while Henry Hawk from the Rhode Island School of Design showed how he created the subtle indigo shading on his multi-pocket creation.
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