DESIGNER'S DOORWAY

Luly Yang

IN THIS FEATURE: Meet Luly Yang Fashion Focus Biography

uly Yang uses her talent as a designer as a gateway to help others live a more beautiful life.

For her 20/20 debut, she focused on creating beauty for seriously ill children using couture. The kids chosen as couture models were from Camp Korey in Carnation, Washington, a place co-founded by the late Paul Newman to help seriously ill children find bliss and to help families create memories despite hospital treatments and procedures. Proceeds from the event (as well as a percentage of sales and orders) were donated to Camp Korey.

Your designs for Camp Korey’s kids were spectacular. What’s the key to creating couture for children that’s glamorous, yet youthful and fresh?

I DESIGN FOR ALL AGES THE SAME WAY. I LIKE TO GET TO KNOW MY CLIENTS... YOUNG AND MATURE, BOTH...MEN AND WOMEN. I HOPE TO EXPRESS THEIR PERSONALITIES AND CREATE THEIR DREAM COME TRUE ENSEMBLE.

What kinds of fabrics did you use for the kids – and why?

THE CHILDREN IN THIS YEAR’S SHOW WERE WONDERFUL. THEY ARE ALL FULL OF PERSONALITY AND THEIR OWN STYLE. IT WAS EASY TO PUT THIS INTO REALITY FOR THEM. WE USED SOFT CHIFFON AND SILK SATIN FOR THE GIRLS WITH ROUND SEQUINS TO REFLECT LIGHT AND EXPRESS THEIR BEAUTIFUL SOULS.

What’s it like to watch these kids, who have been through so much, walk down the runway in your designs?

I AM INSPIRED BY THEM TO ALWAYS BE THANKFUL AND LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST. THEY ARE HAPPY AND POSITIVE THINKERS...THEIR PERSPETIVE AND ATTITUDE TOUCHED ME VERY MUCH.

Your brother’s work with vision inspired 20/20. What does he think of the creations?

HE WAS NOT AT MY SHOW DO TO HIS WORK, BUT HE WAS VERY HAPPY TO KNOW THAT HE WAS INSPIRING. HE LOVED THE PHOTOS AND THE STORIES I SHARED WITH HIM. HE WILL BE ATTENDING MY SHOW IN BEIJING SO HE WILL BE SEEING SOME OF THE DESIGNS HE HELPED CREATE IN NOVEMBER.

Which piece in 20/20 was the most fun to work on? Most labor-intensive? Closest to your heart?

THE FINALE PIECE.. OF COURSE. WE CREATED THE GRAPHIC FABRIC IN BLACK AND WHITE ON TAFFETA...14 YARDS OF IT FROM SCRATCH. THEN, I PERSONALLY DRAPED IT AND WORKED WITH THREE OTHER MASTER SEAMSTRESSES FOR MANY DAYS AND HOURS TO COMPLETE IT. IT EVOLVED INTO SOMETHING I AM VERY HAPPY WITH…EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE IMAGINED IT COULD BE.

Was there a runway moment during 20/20 that was special to you?

A FEW OF COURSE.... THE KIDS SHOW... LOOKING AT HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY FEEL AND HOW MUCH FUN THEY ARE HAVING .. KNOWING THAT THIS WILL CREATE A SPECIAL MEMORY FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES THAT WILL LAST FOREVER.

Is this how you feel about most of your clients?

I LOVE MY CLIENTS. THEY EXUDE SO MUCH CONFIDENCE AND ELEGANCE... FEELING GREAT AND PROUD TO BE THEMSELVES. I LOVE MY JOB, ESPECIALLY HELPING TO MAKE THE PEOPLE AROUND ME FEEL WONDERFUL IN THEIR OWN BODIES.

How does it feel to open your first International Boutique in Beijing?

EXCITED AND JETLAGGED. EVERY TWO WEEKS I GO THERE AND LEARN SOMETHING NEW. OPENING A BUSINESS THERE IS NOT EASY WITHOUT MUCH SUPPORT... PROCESSES ARE DIFFERENT...PRETTY MUCH I AM RELEARNING EVERYTHING AS A BEGINNER HERE. MORE ON THIS LATER. I CAN TALK FOR HOURS ON THIS SUBJECT. IT HAS BEEN A VERY REWARDING 4 MONTHS.