The Independent Future of Fashion:

Promoting female Indie designers.

A group of young designers and business professionals in New York City have come together to form an alliance that will produce seasonal fashion shows. SEAM COLLECTIVE will offer women the opportunity for exposure and provide them with resources to advance in the fashion industry. They coordinate all aspects of the show for designers including securing space, handing PR and publicity, hiring and managing staff, and providing models.

SEAM COLLECTIVE was formed in 2005 when three friends in the fashion industry, Elizabeth Rynish, Minyoung Shin, and K.D. Isaacs, were inspired by "The Gates" in Central Park, a temporary art installation featuring thousands of pieces of saffron-colored fabric. When this unique display sparked so much interest from the community, it motivated them to create something on their own.

Joined by Shari Rueckl and Vicky Ferraro, two friends with strong business backgrounds, the group collaborated on ways to produce their own event where they could showcase work that offers innovative options for boutique shoppers. Following months of strategizing to create their vision, they set the wheels in motion for SEAM's debut fashion show featuring Rynish, Shin, and Isaacs.

Staffed with more than 50 people, SEAM hosted their first show in Soho on March 4, 2006 with 2 screenings: one exclusively for press and one for the general public. Their debut show was well received by both the press and over 300 attendees. In addition to inquiries from magazines, their clothes were picked up in various boutiques in the NYC area.

SEAM COLLECTIVE'S main objective is to showcase women designers and help each other achieve their goals while still maintaining their individual style. By enlisting a group of dedicated volunteers and utilizing various resources, they employed guerrilla-marketing techniques to generate their own press kits, scout boutiques in NYC, and gain access to high profile members of the fashion industry.

SEAM continues to work on planning fashion shows and is implementing an interactive blog to their website. This new feature offers information on events in the fashion community along with helpful tips and ideas for Indie fashion designers.

Through grassroots efforts, they are able to provide low entrance fees to participating designers and develop events that are accessible to all women, regardless of their financial resources. By opening doors and promoting the growth and development of fresh talent, they have created a dynamic support system for female entrepreneurs in the fashion industry.