Showroom International and the Bel Esprit Showroom provide independent and emerging fashion designers an online platform to display their lookbooks, media kits, and high resolution photographs to 24/7 to buyers and press around the world.  The showrooms offer designers cost effective marketing to retailers and live events where designers may present their collections and meet with buyers one on one.   The showrooms work with both retailers and designers to facilitate business.  Retailers may work directly with designers, or forward inquiries and orders for multiple collections to the showrooms and the showroom will contact individual fashion companies.  The showrooms also offer distribution services, and work to combine shipping whenever possible to reduce costs for retailers. 

The Pop Up Showroom:  New York will bring a select group of upscale designers from the US, Europe and Africa to the Strand Hotel during New York Market Week and present their collections to buyers and press.  New York Market Week attracts over 20,000 industry professionals to trade shows being held during the week.  

To enhance press opportunities for members, the showrooms have partnered with The Lane Style House, an online showroom providing studio services for professional stylists, editorial stylists and fashion editors to select apparel, accessories and shoes from emerging and innovative designers for their editorials, advertising and events.   Stylists benefit from a one-stop shop to find the latest fashion for their clients and styling projects, and designers are able to promote their designs to editors, advertisers, and celebrity stylists .

Designing with careful consideration of social and environmental impact, Carrie Parry is produced ethically and locally in the New York garment district, sourcing environmentally conscious materials and textiles supporting artisanal communities worldwide.  Carrie Parry is a winner of the INNOVATION USA award and debuted her collection at Nolcha Fashion Week in September.  Her Spring 2012 collection gives the “Mad Men” style a modern twist, with the latest print and silhouette trends.

Carrie Parry is an attitude shared by our designer, our suppliers, our partners and our consumers.  Carrie Parry is about the fashion, the fabrics, and feeling confident in the garments you wear and companies you support.

Soham creates designs that feel contemporary, yet are rooted in tradition without losing the essence of the original inspiration. Every piece is specially handmade using the finest craftmanship and design techniques, while remaining 100% eco-friendly. The Soham Dave line is also empowering local women artisans to create sustainable lives for themselves and their families. 

Soham Dave woman is very trendy with a great aesthetic sense. She looks for pieces that are stylish and special. Soham Dave is the recipient of the Innovation USA Award, awarded by Nolcha and Ethical Fashion Forum.  Soham Dave can be found in a number of boutiques in the US and is becoming a popular collection with consumers.

Congo in Harlem, a week-long film festival  of DR Congo films opens on October 16, 2011 with the screening of Blood in the Mobile at the Maysles Cinema in Harlem.  Congo in Harlem is an annual event produced by Friends of the Congo, an organization promoting worldwide awareness and education of the challenges facing the country and its people.

Bel Esprit is partnering with Friends of the Congo to support their important causes, and is organizing a silent auction during the weeklong film festival.  Items donated by designers will be available for auction or immediate purchase at the Maysles Cinema.

DRC ApeParel, a US fashion company with a Congolese soul, is offering a women’s hoodie made from Congolese fabric.  The Creative Director at DRC ApeParel, Eric Ndelo, has built a fashion business bringing the spirit and creativity of native fabrics to western style, creating  apparel he calls “The Cool & Conscious”.  DRC ApeParel speaks of the style and the mission the collection supports:

We combine Pan African style with social issues from countries of the African Diaspora to create a clothing line that speaks with a voice unique in the fashion world.  Our focus is on these times of great need for transformation and change in countries where people are being removed from their homes and land and where their livelihood is being stripped from them. We strive to reach the masses through bright colors, strong patterns, meaningful images, and apparel that makes you feel good when you wear it.

THE CAUSE: protect the Congo river and rainforest, guard the gorilla, promote clean minerals:

The Congo is the planet’s second largest river by volume – the Amazon is first – and second largest rainforest. It stretches across central Africa and two-thirds of the forest is found in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Millions of people across the region depend on the forest for food, medicine and shelter, and the cultures of many communities are founded on their relationship with the forest. No less than two-thirds of the DRC’s 60 million people rely on the forest in one way or another. The wealth of biodiversity is also immense. Forest elephants roam the area as do three species of great ape: gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos. Animals and birds such as okapi and the Congo peacock are found nowhere else. And, as with all large forest areas, the Congo plays a vital role in regulating climate, both locally and globally.  – www.greenpeace.org

To the world, as much CO2 as has been released by the UK in the past 60 years could be released by the deforestation of The Congo. To the people, their lives are directly connected to the welfare of the land. It is our global and social duty to be conscious of these threats and work towards change and protection of the land.  Logging, agriculture, illegal hunting are the main causes for destruction of the gorilla habitat in The Congo rainforest.  Threats to both the forest and the gorilla go hand in hand and their safety rely on the success of the government to enforce penalties.

Grauer’s Gorilla is the largest of the four types of gorilla and lives only live the DRC.  The Cross River Gorilla habitat is being carved into isolated blocks and can only be found on the Nigeria-Cameroon border.  The Mountain Gorilla live in the heights of the forest and exist in just two spots today.  The Western Lowland Gorilla is threatened by the demand for bushmeat and the Ebola disease, but recently a secluded crowd of 125,000 were discovered in the DRC!  Organizations like the Wildlife Conservatory Society do tremendous work to discover vital information to help save these gorillas and their fellow forest mates.

DRC ApeParel also partners with Enough, a project to end genocide and crimes against humanity, to bring transparency to the on-going, highly profitable business of extracting conflict minerals and processing them into electronics such as cell phones and laptops.  Communities are exposed to a risky process where lives are lost and families are disconnected, for a simple but very real reason – to put food on the table.  The goal is to turn these “conflict minerals” into “clean minerals” by bringing awareness of the problems caused by this business to the global community and change governmental policies that allow abuse to continue.

DRC ApeParel supports an ambitious agenda, but its partnership with organizations working on the ground to effect change in this vast, beautiful and important country will transform a region vital to our planet’s health.  Help DRC ApeParel and Friends of the Congo in their campaign, and buy a fabulous hoodie from a great fashion collection!  For more information about DRC ApeParel, visit their website.  Find out more about Congo in Harlem and attend a screening, and learn more about the work of the Friends of the Congo and get involved in Congo Week events.

The DR Congo is a country rich in natural resources, culture and creativity. Bel Esprit is proud to support the future of this region by assisting the creation and development of business, art and culture.  Bel Esprit is supporting Congo Week – Breaking the Silence by promoting the cause of the DR Congo through outreach to the fashion community. 

Bel Esprit’s Donate Design design contest to benefit HEAL Africa will open in October, and we hope that the fashion community will embrace the cause and use its creativity to effect change in this region.  Designers are given the challenge to create a small accessory or jewelry collection from the cotton fabric of the DR Congo.  The winning designer will receive a prize package to support their own collection.   To find out more about the design contest, visit the DONATE DESIGN WEBSITE.

For more information about Congo Week, visit the CONGO WEEK WEBSITE.

Considered since its inception to be the most recognized fabric brand on the American fashion scene, Jasco has steadily evolved to serve a wide range of customers from top designer and contemporary lines to a growing list of emerging talents.  Jasco’s signature fabrics consist of enduring styles that have defined the brand over the years. 

Jasco has been synonymous with fabrics showcasing only the best in natural fibers.  Consistent with its mission, Jasco Eco was introduced in 2005.  The Jasco Eco collection is a rapidly expanding line of environmentally sensitive fabrics featuring certified organic yarns.  Embarking on such a collection demonstrates Jasco’s ongoing efforts to provide the market with a selection of styles that meet the ever-growing interest in sustainable fashion.   Jasco Eco’s influence on eco-relevant fashion is apparent in countless collections worldwide   All fabrics by Jasco are completely sustainable and are processed using eco-friendly procedures.   Jasco has continued to add to this collection and thus enhance its position as a leading resource for high end “green” fabrics.  Jasco is a member of the Organic Trade Association.

It’s not just the quality, consistency, variety and exclusivity of our fabrics that has differentiated Jasco, it’s also the ability to provide small minimums, in-stock availability and custom colors.  Considered an icon for fabrics “Made in the USA”, Jasco remains in the forefront of an ever changing world of fashion. 

Jasco has always recognized the need to support and nurture future generations of design talent.  As such, the company has taken an active role in encouraging that growth through projects with a host of fashion departments here and abroad.  These have come in the form of scholarship or award opportunities and donations of fabric.   Access to and donations of Jasco jerseys for students’ “critic projects” for use in collections and runways shows allows them to work with high-end fabrications early in their design careers.  Jasco’s direct involvement with students was acknowledged with a coveted honorary Gold Thimble Award from New York’s Parsons Department of Fashion Design.  

We’re proud of our place within the fabric of the industry we serve, and proud to expand our journey.  See the longstanding history of Jasco by visiting the Jasco Timeline and Scrapbook on our website www.jascofabrics.com

Maida and Howard Silver own and operate Jasco New York LLC.  Representing Jasco’s second generation, Howard has been a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) since 2002.

Showroom International will feature a special two month long post-show exhibit of Portland Fashion Week designers in the online showroom, offering the designers’ look books, media kits and press photos to  buyers, press and fashion professionals around the world, 24/7, and enhancing  business opportunities.  To further support emerging designers, Showroom International will give the winning designer of the Catapult, PFW’s Emerging Designer Award, a one-year membership in the showroom. The Catapult prize package includes a free, full-collection runway show in the regular designer lineup at Portland Fashion Week 2012, lookbook models, photo shoot and design, and marketing consultations.

To encourage the development of ethical fashion, Bel Esprit is debuting the Ethical Excellence Award at Portland Fashion Week, known for its ecological commitment.  Participating designers may apply for consideration, and collections will be judged on their contemporary style and adherence to ethical principles, from development and production of the label, including ecological and recycled material and fair labor production.   The winning designer will receive a one-year membership in the Bel Esprit showroom and Showroom International, and a fabric credit from a high-end fabric supplier.

“Facilitating business for the designers showing on our high-end runway is one of the core goals of Portland Fashion Week”, says Prasenjit Tito Chowdhury, Executive Producer of Portland Fashion Week, “Our relationship with Bel Esprit and Showroom International will take those extra-ordinary lines in front of so many more buyers all over the world through their network, which, I expect, will lead to more accounts being written for the designers”.

Designers interested in participating in Portland Fashion Week may contact designers@portlandfashionweek.net to apply.   Designers interested in the Ethical Excellence Award may contact belesprit@ureach.com for a complete application package.

Contributors to the campaign will be listed as supporters on the Donate Design website, and those pledging $50 or more will receive a t-shirt in the design of their choice.

Find out more about Donate Design.

Thanks to the Internet, there are a wealth of media outlets looking to cover the latest trends and newest designers on the scene.  Showroom International is a one-stop outlet for bloggers, online and print magazines and media outlets looking for cutting edge design to spotlight.  For emerging designers, Showroom International gives the opportunity to be seen by editors and press looking to shoot editorials, report on the latest trends, or feature articles on up and coming designers.  The designer’s profile and high resolution photographs are readily available for download to make it easy for fashion writers to cover your collection.  Designers adhering to ethical principles have additional support and promotion from the Bel Esprit Showroom and ethical fashion events and campaigns.  Bel Esprit members have their Bel Esprit displays connected to their Showroom International presentation.

Press leads to sales!  Showroom International makes designers’ look books, profile, media kits, video presentation and high resolution press photos available in a password protected showroom.  Buyers can peruse look books to find new designers and resources for their stores 24/7 and plan their buying and trade show trips ahead of time to place their orders efficiently during the hectic market weeks.  Designers can list the trade shows and events you participate in and buyers can request appointments through Showroom International for one or multiple designers.   Cost effective “pop-up” showrooms and trade events will be created so buyers and designers can connect in person in both major and regional markets.  Special programs and rewards will give buyers financial benefits to doing business with showroom members.

Look books can be downloaded by industry professionals worldwide, and Showroom International will send look books by direct email to a mailing list designers provide, eliminating printing and postage costs.  Buyers can use designer order forms to write orders, or use the Showroom International order form to order one or multiple collections.  Showroom International will send out press links designers provide via social media and regular newsletters and updates to a continuously growing email mailing list of over 2000 contacts (as of 2010).  Each month Showroom International will spotlight a group of designers in the showroom, creating a more in-depth presentation of the collection.  The showroom will be promoted by print mailings to a list of over 6000 buyers worldwide (and growing), and can include designers’ lists. 

The annual cost for the showroom is less than the cost of printing a look book, and membership extension is included in event packages.  Showroom International will be a sponsor of Nolcha Fashion Week, and is partnering with Nolcha, the award-winning fashion business platform to create additional, cost-effective opportunities for independent designers to promote and market their collections.  For more information about the showroom, contact showroominternational [at] gmail.com.

House of Tammam's Zipora Dress

House of Tammam is an internationally acclaimed bridal and designer line offering both ready-to-wear and couture.  The collection is known for its precision tailoring and vintage touches bringing an Old Hollywood look to contemporary gowns.  House of Tammam has been featured in publications such as  Brides Magazine, Elle France and Marie Claire, and designer Lucy Tammam was recently interviewed by the Daily Mail in an article about the choice of bridal gown for the royal wedding.  House of Tammam made its debut at Nolcha Fashion Week in September, participating in a collective runway show, and is returning to Nolcha Fashion Lounge by request.

The German collection room to roam also returns to Nolcha Fashion Lounge by

room to roam Scarlett Jacket

 request, debuting in New York in September 2009.  The collection is the opposite end of the spectrum from House of Tammam, offering contemporary streetwear for the fashion minded.  Manufactured in Germany, the collection adheres to the strictest and highest quality standards.  Returning to the Fall/Winter 2011 collection is the very popular Scarlett jacket, dubbed the “perfect boyfriend jacket.”  Many of the pieces in the room to roam collection are reversible – skirts, tops, hoodies, and dresses – giving a “two for one”

room to roam sumi dress

to the consumer. 

To reserve an appointment to review the collections, please contact Bel Esprit at belesprit@ureach.com, or feel free to come at any time during the showroom hours:  rsvp at www.guestcode.com and enter code 533.

Join us at the Empire Hotel for pampering and to see the latest in contemporary, independent fashion!