Cast
Nary Manivong
Born and raised in Ohio, Nary is a unique example of creative motivation and success. He arose from a tumultuous upbringing, as well as frequent homelessness to pursue his dream. As the designer to his self-named label, which began in 2005, Nary Manivong debuted his fall 2007 collection, after taking a hiatus for spring 2007 season. Though this was a short hiatus, Nary has resurfaced with a new vision. As a self-taught designer, Nary learned the fundamentals of fashion design through real world experience and determination. Such attributes are why Women’s Wear Daily named him as one of twelve designers to watch for in fall 2005. This acclaim was soon followed in short by media coverage, industry reviews, helping to create a promising horizon for Manivong’s future enterprise.
Mickey Boardman
Mickey Boardman is Deputy Editorial Director of Paper Magazine. His writing has appeared in GQ, New York Times, Out and German Vogue. He’s appeared as a cultural commentator on VH-1, Fox News, A&E, E!, Style Channel, WE and local New York channels. He is a graduate of Purdue University and an almost graduate of Parsons School of Design.
Simon Collins
Dean of Fashion, Parsons, The New School for Design
Simon Collins has spent the past 20 years as a designer, design director and creative director for some of the world’s most recognized brands including: Nike, Zegna, Ralph Lauren, Fila and Marks and Spencer. Working in London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, New York and Italy he has collaborated with some of the world’s most renowned designers including Junya Watanabe and Naoki Takazawa. His experience at all levels of the fashion industry from bespoke to runway designer to mass market and sportswear across 3 continents gives him a unique insight in his role as Dean of Fashion. He studied fashion at both Bournemouth and Epsom Schools of Art and Design in England.
Simon Doonan
Simon Doonan is a style commentator with over 30 years experience in the World of Fashion. He is a regular guest on Vh1, America’s Next Top Model, Full Frontal Fashion and Sirius Satellite Radio. As Creative Director of Barneys New York, he is responsible for all aspects of Barneys image. He is most known for his sometimes-controversial windows, which have been a Barneys trademark since 1985, and for his provocative “Simon Says” column in the New York Observer. Simon is author of “Confessions of a Window Dresser”; “Wacky Chicks: Life Lessons From Fearlessly Inappropriate and Fabulously Eccentric Women”; “Nasty: My family and other glamorous varmints”; and “Eccentric Glamour”. A comedy series entitled “Beautiful People,” based on “Nasty” is scheduled to air Fall 08 on BBC.
George Furlan
George Furlan is a highly respected fashion industry consultant. He has owned his own line, Kathryn Dianos and worked for top companies such as Hugo Boss and Versace. He presently consults for emerging and leading brands in the industry.
Mary Gehlhar
Mary Gehlhar, VP Brand Strategy Gen Art, and, author of ”The Fashion Designer Survival Guide: An Insider’s Look at Starting and Running Your Own Fashion Business“. Mary Gehlhar, directs strategic partnerships and oversees fashion programming in all Gen Art offices of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco, providing valuable opportunities for exposure to hundreds of designers each year. She scouts the market for promising designers and introduces them to the fashion industry through high-profile events and other opportunities. She lends her expertise to several fashion school juries and panels including the Pratt Institute, Savannah College of Art and Design, and Stephens College as well as the Rising Star Award committee at Fashion Group International. She also led the open call and selection process for the first and third seasons of the ”Bravo“ hit ”Project Runway“.
Nanette Lepore
New York fashion designer and FIT graduate, Nanette Lepore, is a native of Youngstown, Ohio who has garnered international acclaim for her whimsical approach to dressing the classic woman. The Nanette Lepore brand is comprised of ready-to-wear, fragrances and shoes with seven boutiques world wide and enjoys a celebrity following which includes America Ferrara, Eva Longoria and Mischa Barton.
Fern Mallis
Born in Brooklyn, New York, USA, Fern Mallis, is Executive Director of 7th on Sixth - which produces Olympus Fashion Week in New York and Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Los Angeles.
Lynn Yaeger
Lynn Yaeger is the Fashion writer for the Village Voice, and also writes for Vogue, Travel & Leisure, the NY Times T magazine. She resides in NYC.
Sink to See
Sink to See was set in motion when two students – Jason Napier and Dony West – met while attending art school in Columbus, Ohio and began their songwriting partnership. Their guitar driven, emotionally melodic indie rock tunes, along with a little hard work, helped them garner attention on the local college scene. In January of 2001, the band uprooted from the Midwest and made their way to California where to establish their rock n’ roll nest. It was there that Jason and Dony meet bass guitarist Shawn Bathe and it was an instant fit. Soon to follow was percussionist Tariq Mills a long time acquaintance of the band. The four have since been making quite a name for themselves getting spins on LA’s World Famous KROQ, music placements on MTV, and opening for such notable bands such as Black Rebel Motorcyle Club, The Breeders, Spacehog, The Violent Femmes and Sugarcult. Sink to See is a band of songwriters with old school rock n’ roll heart and soul with an indie-rock core. A very close group of musician friends bringing to life the music that has been stirring inside them since the bands infancy. Lushly melodic, sometimes dark and evocative of mood, their music is fueled by emotional vocals and lyrics that paint elaborate pictures. Sink to See makes music that shows the many faces, feelings and emotions of the band. They are true to their musicianship, and are always striving to better themselves and the world through music.
CREW
David Swajeski
Producer / Director
David is a director and editor of documentary, commercials, video, TV and online content. He is co- founder, partner and creative director of the Advertising/Design firm location 8.
David has worked on projects ranging from advertising campaigns, broadcast television projects, film, live events and online projects. He has directed films, commercials and videos for clients such as BMW, Fila Sports USA, Dupont, J.P. Morgan Chase, The Presidents’ Students Service Awards, GORE-TEX, The Nemours Foundation and Mercedes Benz. He directed the first two seasons of the first online daytime drama, 4 O’clock 4 Play. For the past several years David has directed Change the World, the intimate portraits of everyday heroes, the stories are chosen from winners of the national Jefferson Awards, the highest award for public service in America.
During his professional career David has directed and produced over 300 productions and his work has been shown at the New York Film Festivals and the Chicago International Film Festival. Additionally he has won numerous CINDY, Telly and ADDE awards.
Maryanne Grisz
Maryanne Grisz is a producer specializing in art, film, music and fashion projects. She is an educated attorney and directs ventures from concept to completion, which have global reach.
They include private events in New York city for up to 3500 guests, press events in Milan and Paris during fashion week, fashion shows in the casino industry (including Donald Trump’s birthday parties) with designers such as Versace, Nicole Miller, St. John Knits; retailers Macy’s, Lord and Taylor and Bloomingdales and others. She has also worked with publications such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Esquire, and Vanity Fair.
Other projects that Maryanne has been involved with include The Jefferson Awards Television Specials; Gregory Colbert’s “Ashes and Snow” at the Nomadic Museum; launch of the international design contest “Design Against Fur” for The Humane Society of the United States and Bellerive-Aga Khan Foundation in Switzerland and The Ghetto Film School in The Bronx, New York.
Maryanne served as CFO and advisor to Ana Martins Public Relations and Showroom in New York City, a company specializing in the luxury market and holding global distribution for jewelry brands.
Maryanne has taught “Fashion Show Production” at Moore College of Art and Design; on the Fashion Department Advisory Board for The Art Institute of Philadelphia and Drexel University; Guest speaker for the Drexel University Marketing Department and Temple University Fashion Journalism Department.
She teaches “Fashion Industry Marketing” at Parsons, The New School for Design, AAS Fashion Marketing Program.
Laura Baciu
Laura Baciu, owner of Baciu Style Productions, is an international wardrobe consultant, fashion buyer, stylist, writer and producer. She brings to her individual, corporate and production team clients a broad and extensive background in fashion.
She has been a freelance fashion stylist for twelve years at the Columbus Dispatch and writer of the weekly fashion column “Window Shopping” as well as other fashion related articles for regional magazines. As a sought-after fashion show and commercial producer and stylist, she covers all areas of production from choreography, music and casting to commentary and script writing.
Laura is a long-time member of FGI (Fashion Group International) and served as Regional Director in Columbus, Ohio from 1999-2001. She has fostered the growth of fashion as a mentor to numerous design students and met Nary in 2000 when she produced his first fashion show.
Floyd M. Dean
Camerman, Photography, Digital Effects
Floyd Dean is an award winning photographer and cinematographer. A pioneer in digital photography and digital effects, he has created images for the screen and for print. He has produced ground breaking work for such clients as Samuel Adams, Swiss Army, Urban Outfitters, DuPont, Dansko, Jefferson Awards, Comcast, Remington Arms, BMW and Mercedes Benz. During his professional career he has been the recepient of over 100 national awards for his photography and digital effects.
Christopher Orazi
Music Composer and Sound Design
Composer, conductor, arranger, producer, sound designer. Owner of C.A.S. Music Productions, a custom music and audio production facility. Has produced original scores and sound design for national ad campaigns, TV and film include: BMW, Mercedes Benz, Party City, Volkswagen, Comcast Sportsnet, AT&T, Polygram Records, Columbia Records, PBS. TV shows include: Joan Cusak’s Local Flavor, Diner’s Drive-ins and Dives, Prisoners Among Us, The Turtlestone, Music City. Awards include Emmys, Tellys, Addys and many advertising awards. His latest release is Dream Taxi by Avenue C.
Pascal Dieckmann
Cameraman
Pascal is a talented cameraman, who has filmed all over the world for TV, Film and Documentary programs. Pascal worked in Germany until 1996 when he relocated to the USA.
In Germany, Pascal attended the National Academy for Cinematography, Berlin Germany and Gutenberg University, School of Journalism, Mainz, Germany. His working career in Germany included productions for
ZDF, RTL, Arte, SAT1, PRO7, ARD.
He relocated to the USA in 1996. Since then he has worked with, ABC (20/20, GMA); NBC (Dateline, Nightly News, Today); HBO-Sports, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, FOX (America’s Most Wanted); ESPN, PBS, Discovery, CNN, HGTV, TLC MBNA, SGK and Pfizer.
Pascal has earned many awards including Emmys, Cindy and Telly award and a Gold Eagle.