Designer Quick Hit: Victorya Hong0 comments

Remember when Project Runway was on Bravo and was full of talented designers with big personalities?  Seems like this season’s PR on Lifetime can’t compete with the former Project Runway alums.

Of course there are the obvious success stories like Christian Siriano, who just recently launched a book, a killer collection at Bryant Park, Payless deals, etc. etc.  Yet, other designers have gone on to have their own successes in the design world. I recently checked in with one of them, previous Project Runway alum Victorya Hong.

When she welcomed me into her Upper West Side home to see her collection, we spent more time gabbing about fashion and New York over a beautiful cheese and olive spread that she and her husband so kindly put together than actual business talk.

Victorya has been quietly working on her contemporary line called Na-be, the Korean word for butterfly, which is aptly named as she claims the design process is really like a transformative process for her.

Take her latest Spring collection for example:  Victorya felt Spring ‘10 needed to be lighter and easier so she focused solely on jersey pieces.  Victorya felt that jersey pieces are so wearable and really fills a void in women’s closets at the moment, but also comes with a low price point.

The color palette is fresh and light with lavenders, peaches, and cloudy blues and gives us a much needed break from some of the neon colors that have been stealing the spotlight lately.  On the body, the pieces fall in all of the right places.  The collection really feels like a fresh take on some new basics.

Not only is she a talented designer with a promising (and cute!) Spring collection, but she is also one of the nicest people I have come across in the industry.  It reminded me of exactly why Project Runway is a great TV show and not just a “reality show”.  The contestants really are looking to be respected designers, not just reality stars, and they stay manage to stay humble throughout the whole process.  Which like her collection, is very refreshing.

For more information on Victorya Hong, check out her website www.nabeny.com

Lindsey Calla is a fashion writer living in NYC.  Read more from Lindsey at her blog, Saucy Glossie

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