STYLEWEEK Providence

Jessica Abernethy is Providence, Rhode Island based designer focused on clean, forward, and wearable apparel. Rather than being trend oriented, Abernethy's designs reference a sharp, effortless sophistication informed by her German education and the New England upper crust. Born in Connecticut in 1979, Abernethy expatriated in 1995 to a small town outside Nuremberg at the age of 16. After completing high school, Jessica was accepted to the prestigious ESMOD University in Munich where she obtained degrees in both design and pattern making, and was awarded an internship with Marco Polo. Abernethy returned to the United States in 2001 to work for acclaimed American designer Liz Collins, assisting in the creation of Collins's 2002 White Collection. She has since been working independently, and has appeared in numerous locally curated group collections such as Exposed, Queen of Hearts, Recycled Fashion, Catwalk to Campground, and Craftland.

In addition to the 3 solo shows of independent work Abernethy has exhibited since 2005, she has become noted for her custom designs, collaborating with individual clients to create multiple seasonal wardrobes and four wedding gowns. Her work can be found at Queen of Hearts and Craftland in Providence.

Infusing tradition and class, with contemporary concepts, Lucille clothing is making an indelible mark on the modern fashion aesthetic. Handmade and conceived by designer Karen Beebe, Lucille clothing gracefully pushes the limits of casual fashion. Adding a chic and creative edge to familiar styles Lucille is bridging the gap between formal and functional.

Based in Providence, RI and started in 2001 Lucille clothing has rapidly expanded into one of the most notable native fashion labels in the Rhode Island area. Having displayed and shown in Boston, Providence, and New York City, Beebe's elegant and comfortable designs have rapidly become in demand and the frequent exposé of seasonal lines have become a gala event for the local fashion community.

From summer swimwear to winter outerwear and women's eveningwear to casual men's wear all with an unmistakable sense of style that says 'Lucille', this contemporary classic label is steadily making a mark in the world of fashion.

Daniela Corte laughs easily and lives without reservation. She wakes at the crack of dawn, and is fueled through the day by adrenaline, new ideas, good coffee, and the mad swirl of creativity around her. She loves big, thinks big, and dreams big.

That very same spirit is found in the clothes she creates. When the indefatigable designer founded her eponymous women's line in 2000, she gained an instant following among busy, discerning lovers of fashion. Corte both designs and lives by the mantra Timeless elegance in your everyday life. She is steadfast in her commitment to putting women in elegant, gutsy clothes that meet the day's challenges with flying colors everywhere from the boardroom and soccer practice to red-carpet soirees. Her beautiful creations embody fashion-meets-function bravado−that all-too-rare balance of practicality and panache.

That's been her way since she was born−in Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America's fashion capital. Her father, a men's designer there, introduced her to her first bolt of silk when she was six, and she was hooked for life. First came training in the family business, then graduation from The Boston Fashion School, followed by work with several well-known Boston designers before opening her own studio in Back Bay, the high-end retail nexus of Boston. There she established a cutting-edge manufacturing process, using the newest, most inspiring fabrics from all over the globe.

Since then, the awards have kept coming: Best Local Fashion Designer from Boston Magazine; Distinguished Alumni Award from The Boston Fashion School, among others. With her 2011 collection, Corte dives into the realms of swimwear and resort after years of custom designing such pieces for her clients.

Sarah aspires to create unique garments that people look at and love but are not quite sure why. She has a fascination with fashion history and loves to incorporate age old techniques and hand detailing that are not commonly used into each new creation. In 2007, armed with a diploma in fashion design from Helen Lefeaux, Sarah dove straight into designing for her company, Yellow Clover. From there she focused on designing clothing for ladies who do crossword puzzles in ink and live each day one at a time; ladies who search for clothing that will not only express their unique personalities, but are also functional and comfortable.

In her newest venture "Cologne", she focused on re-vamping vintage men's business attire. Her weakness for exquisite hand detailing, true quality craftsmanship and her love of garments that tell stories lead her to rescue the most unlikely of cast-offs only to reincarnate them as one of a kind statement pieces. Suits, shirts and ties, were re-worked into flowing spring dresses, skirts, blouses and playful rompers. She allowed details of the previous garments to inspire her - bringing new life into each piece all the while never straying far from her trademark retro feel.

"Wear your life brilliantly." - Pamela Ptak™

Pamela Ptak dresses modern women in intriguing garments designed to evoke emotion and thrill the intellect. Her dresses, skirts and tops describe the female form in lines, folds & textures which are at once sculptural and wildly flattering. During Pamela's casting for Project Runway, Tim Gunn called her work "...among the most beautifully constructed clothes I've ever seen" and said "I think you are on the cusp of something big."

From '03-'06 she freelanced on the Paris Haute Couture and NY RTW collections for Chado Ralph Rucci. She showed her PAMELA PTAK 2010 RTW collections in NYC during fashion week and her S/S 2011 in Philadelphia.

Her fashion drawings were exhibited at Le Musée des Arts Asiatiques in Nice, France, & the Puck Gallery in NYC and her garments received a Rodale gallery exhibit entitled "Line, Texture, Fold: The Art of Pamela Ptak".

Providence, Rhode Island based custom clothier knew she wanted to design clothing early in life. Graduating in 2002 from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Textiles, Fashion Merchandising, and Design her dream has become a reality. Kara has continued to fine tune her tailoring skills through the Master Seamstress Certification Program also offered through the University as well as a 5 year member of The Rhode Island Sewing Network.

Influenced by Parisenne chic and fine hand tailoring Kara is creating her first collection named Oui' debuting in January. She is incorporating boned bodices which define the body's curves with fine fabrics that drape and flow with the body. Kara feels a woman's body should be celebrated and she is the woman to do it with every garment.