Althea Harper + FF = Fashion Fridays

Althea Harper in her own sweater.

Hello lovelies, I want to give more play to NYC based designers and others in the fashion industry. So every friday I'm going to do a short profile with someone new. I'm starting it off with Althea Harper who you might know from her stint on Project Runway. After PR she moved to NYC and gained more experience by working for Tory Burch while still working on her own label. She was listed as one of 6 designers to watch this past fashion week by Refinery29 which piqued my interest and then when I attended her showing during this past fashion week I fell in love with the cool simplicity of her designs.  I met up with her this past week again to take her photo and she couldn't be nicer. Talented and nice? A great combination!

If you could live in another era, when would it be and why?
I consider myself a modernist and I love the future so I can not think of another time period that I would prefer to live. I don't think I could handle living in an era that didn't have woman's rights!!

What is your favorite movie?
I love the movies Great Expectations, And God Created Woman, Repulsion, Azucar Amarga

What is a current obsession?
Military boots- where comfort and fashion meet!!

Do you read fashion magazines? If so what are your current favorites?
I love Elle, ID, Love, Purple

Describe your style as a friend would describe it. 
A juxtaposition between drape and tailoring, comfort and fit and chic and sexy.

What style/trend (current or past) do you hope is never recycled?
moon boots

What style/trend would you like to see come back?
Flare leg pants- they are great for curvy girls! I love my skinny jeans, but I would like to wear my boot cuts without feeling like a dork....

Has the internet changed the fashion industry? How? 
 It has made fashion more accessible to more people, it doesn't matter where you live. It also put people more in contact with the designer which is great!

Can we find you on twitter? @altheaharper

Finish this sentence:
1. I love New York because…
or
2. Momma always told me… if you can believe it you can achieve it!!!

Below a photo from Althea's Spring 2011 Collection- see more on her website


HARMONICS
I was inspired by sound waves- the shapes they make and how they symbolize our communication to one another.  I took the curves of the waves and then contoured them on the body to enhance the female form through both cut and print.  I wanted to create a statement for a woman, through the shapes of sound, to communicate to the world without even saying a word. –Althea Harper