Alexandra is Polished In a High-Low Mix

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    Phillip Lim at Project Paz's Second Annual Project Art Benefit. Photo courtesy of Neil Rasmus/BFAnyc.com.

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    Thakoon Panichgul at Project Paz's Second Annual Project Art Benefit. Photo courtesy of Neil Rasmus/BFAnyc.com.

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    Michael Bastian on his design: "This may sound strange, but sometimes a piece of fabric tells you what it wants to be and how best to use it. In this case, the less we obscured or manipulated it the better, so we made a very simple but chic sheath dress that both featured the intricate embroidery on the fabric as well as the fringe."

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    Thakoon on his design: "The Textile Museum of Oaxaca generously donated a Mexican striped fabric made by the artisan Rufino Cristobal from the town of Tamazulapan Del Espiritu Santo. I incorporated this beautiful hand-made, artisan fabric with the Peplum Sleeveless Shell and Banded Full Shorts from my Spring 2012 collection. I enjoyed combining this traditional fabric with a modern sensibility."

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    Juan Carlos Obando on his design: "We created a jacket inspired by the traditional mix of folkloric textiles used in Mexico to develop a multi-layer patchwork tapestry. Then, we selected other textiles from the region and added metallic pieces of thread to the yarn, fusing all the textiles and giving the jacket an armor-like form. Working with the hand-woven cloth was extremely inspiring as we were able to see up close the technique used to create it."

Created by a group of young New Yorkers from the Ciudad Juarez area of Mexico after their close friend was kidnapped, Project Paz is a charitable organization dedicated to promoting peace and raising awareness about the violence in the Juarez region. Last night, the fashion and art worlds stepped out to support Project Paz’s second annual Project Art fundraiser. The event featured a live art auction as well as custom designs from fashion’s best and brightest including Eddie Borgo, Christian Cota, Phillip Lim, Wes Gordon, Thakoon, Yigal Azrouel, Rag and Bone, Juan Carlos Obando, Michael Bastian, Sara Beltran, Anndra Neen and Alejandro Ingelmo.

The designers were given traditional Mexican textiles donated by the Textile Museum of Oaxaca to create their pieces for the event. “I found the method of using traditional Mexican cloth well aligned with my values as a designer,” explains Juan Carlos Obando. “I believe in the power of tradition and craftsmanship as a launch pad for pieces that are unique and full of history.”
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