Thursday September 15, 2011 was my first official day as an intern at Urban Zen. I chose to work retail for the beginning and can say that I have never been so inspired design wise. My first assignment was to play dress-up. I tried on all the staples and the entire new collection, which had only been on the floor a few days. I had such enjoyment and realized that soon I too could be designing for such a brand.
Donna Karan became head designer of Anne Klein at the age of 25, so she has entrusted the design of her newest line, Urban Zen, to 23 year-old Parson’s graduate Bessey Efraim. Not only is Efraim’s drapery impeccable she truly uses inspirations to innovate. This collection is based on an artist that utilizes curves, thus all the seams wrap around the limbs, they spiral.
Most New Yorkers would describe Fashion Night Out as hectic, crowded, and immediately think of Soho. I spent time elsewhere and it was probably one of the easiest shopping experiences I have had in this city. I started at Urban Zen downtown as I will be interning there this fall. A majority of the design staff and the head of the foundation were all in attendance casually socializing. The few customers that wandered in munched on organic snacks and sipped champagne while they viewed an exhibit of Haitian Art. There was a video montage showing how the beads are made from Cereal boxes and the new collection was on display. I then made my way to Anthropologie on Fifth Avenue. I was unaware they were having a sale, as it seemed most of New York had no idea. Racks and Racks of marked down products filled up an area much larger than most locals living quarters and there were a whopping ten shoppers. There was no line for the dressing room and customers were rung up within 3 minutes of entering the line. I then walked uptown and was in awe, it was the first time in my life I had seen the H&M on Fifth Ave. have no line. I continued uptown as I wanted get to Lord & Taylor as they had each floor designed as a different neighborhood of New York. I got there about 9:30 pm the initial mass had vanished. I was disappointed. They had simply placed various DJ’s and bands on each floor. Such an amazing concept had gone to waste. I also felt the pain of the the Fashion Illustration Students from FIT who were doing fashion drawings all night.
Some dream of the day they will wake up to the crumbling of waves, I dream of waking up to untouched mountains. I love nature, fresh air, and space (not typical adjectives used to describe New York City.) My brother recently sent me this photograph of my family hiking, I instantly thought of home and looked outside yearning to see nature. For now, I wake up to tall buildings, smog, and the overcrowding of New York City
I didn’t know it was possible to feel so wrong doing what felt so right. Or to feel like your best just wasn’t going to cut it.
Welcome to foundation year! The most overwhelming and rewarding year of my life.
I now know the hours and location of every hardware and art store in NYC, my dreams are in simultaneous contrast, and I realize my hard drive crashing doesn’t mean the world as I know it is coming to an end.
Coming to Parsons was the best decision of my life.
My whole life I was a solid 89% never bad but never the best. Then I came to Parsons. 3000 miles from home and my life as I knew it changed forever. Everything felt wrong but for once school felt so right. Love isn’t a powerful enough word to describe my enjoyment. It was an obsession. I was obsessed with learning. I was obsessed with school.
For the first time in my life I was going above and beyond what teachers expected but at the same time it never felt like work.
I have a special connection with every piece as they all were a huge time investment and represent many Saturday nights in the lab or dance classes I skipped.
