We heard that the BK Style Foundation was upset because their night had "turned into the Zulema Show". The rsvp list for Zulema was almost 500 people, her show was slated to start at 8:30pm. The event itself was supposed to start at 6:30 pm. At the time the event was supposed to start, there was not a soul in the seats. Once it got around time for Z's show, there was a packed house.
Oops! Well honestly, what did they expect? I mean, it was Zulema! Anyway, in prep for Zulema's show, tea light candles were being placed along the edges of the runway, and fragrant rose petals were sprinkled everywhere. Our excitement was palpable.
At last, the lights lowered and the show began. I apologize for the poor quality of my photos; it's hard to capture a moving target in a dark room. A few things of note: the hair was elaborate, gravity-defying, and gorgeous; Zulema's ultrashort dress lengths weren't just for Project Runway; the shoes were fabulous. There was one familiar face there: Danyelle, Andrae's model from the show (she was the sixth model to walk)! As you can see, she used bold, shimmery fabrics with fitted, beautiful lines. Bravo, Zulema!
After the show, we headed to the afterparty and managed to corner Zulema herself for a quick interview. Here is a paraphrased transcript.On her inspiration for the show, Zulema revealed that it all came out of a piece of fabric. She loves traveling, and inspiration hit when she saw a photo of a matador's blue jacket.
She described her style as "structured," and she is influenced by the tailoring of both military wear and sleek, interesting suiting. It's surprising to hear that her imaginative, sexy line was partially derived from the classic cut of a business jacket, but she mostly emphasized how she believes that the look of military uniforms is just "perfect."
Since appearing on Project Runway, Zulema has been involved with charities such as Living Beyond Belief and on June 12 she'll be teaching a class at the Learning Annex in New York on women's costuming.We asked about her history as a model, then a designer, and she said that she's "always" been a designer--modeling was a way into the industry. Hailing from East New York in Brooklyn, Zulema was willing to do anything to get into fashion at 17 years old. She made it to the semifinals of the Elite Look of the Year contest; ironically, one of the Elite Agency judges who brought her so far in the competition was the same one who had rejected Zulema earlier. She eventually signed with a tiny agency that launched careers for models such as Joy Bryant and Janine Green. When she started designing, she had a high end sensibility, but not the skills--she admitted to producing many expensive "duds." The lovely pink jacket that she wore that night was her very first jacket, made in 2000.
This fall, Zulema will be showing at another NYC fashion show, this time featuring evening and menswear. Though it will follow the same matador theme of her womenswear line, she was careful to break up her collection, as she didn't want to show everything she had at once.
As far as advice for new designers, Zulema recommends knowing your crowd, studying your peers, and looking at the past and the present as well as the future. Basically, you should gather as much knowledge as you can: "get to know everything!"
Thanks so much, Zulema! We had a fantastic time, and we can't wait to see your collection this fall!
(Click on the arrow below to watch the finale of the show.)
Thanks Dianne, for taking us along on such a special evening. Excellent reporting!
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