Alex Vinash debuts resort collection in Greenport
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Greenport might be a summer getaway for many New Yorkers, however it isn't typically a go-to destination for a fashion show. Enter Alex Vinash: known for his designs published in Vogue Mexico and Taiwan, in addition to dressing celebrities for the red carpet, who held his resort show at Greenport American Legion. Titled "The Garden of Eden", the show drew inspiration from the obvious Garden of Eden, but Vinash was also inspired by metallics and the sunset.
Like many designers, Vinash was also inspired by his travels. A frequent traveler to Barcelona where people "dress chic, but not too chic" he aimed to create a collection that encapsulated this vibe. "It's an effortless kind of fun," he said.
This resulted in an ephemeral feeling presented with sheer, floral embroidered dresses, gold metallic pant suits, and the inclusion of some men's pieces that were very cohesive with the women's with the similar Garden of Eden inspiration for a total of 50 looks. Vinash is aiming to continue growing his men's business as he has been selling a lot of men's. He also used this collection to announce the launch of his sneakers as well.
There were pieces that were clearly very day wear, such as gold shorts and the sheer embroidered tops, while there were also more evening wear pieces such as floor length gowns and cocktail dresses that would be excellent for a summer night.
This season, Vinash also included a curvy model on the runway for the first time, New York-based Leslie Flores, who walked the runway in a dragonfly embroidered black dress. "My clients are curvy, and I was feeling like I didn't have enough clothes for them," Vinash said. "I wanted to show that they can wear dresses without it being oversized. So many curvy women have trouble shopping clothes, so I was trying to show them they can come here to shop."
With 2/3 of American women falling into the plus-size category and a movement for more size inclusion on the runways, Vinash couldn't have had more perfect timing. "It was an honor to be selected to represent real sized women, and I'm very much looking forward to working with him in the future. I'm eternally grateful to both him and his assistant Shanice Brown who reached out to me to do the show" Flores said. "It was amazing to see the reactions of everyone afterwards who were so grateful to finally see a woman who wasn't the traditional thin model represented in his collection."
His models were local talent selected from throughout New York and Long Island, with two of the models being sales associates he had pulled from his own boutique.
In addition to being a talented designer, Vinash is also a hotelier, being a co-owner of the American Beech hotel, restaurant and boutique where he sells his designs in Greenport, which he says has been an amazing boost to his business. "Next for my business, I want another hotel with a boutique in it," he said.
Silks, prints, embroidery and beading elevated the collection to high luxury. The handmade beading spoke to Vinash's strong attention to detail and desire to create something unique for his customers. While the collection might have been shown in one of the most East end's of Long Island, it had a truly universal feel and was approachable for everyone.