Joey and T: Women of Their Own
By Lucy Oblena
Photos by: Steve Wood
More photos --->> | 1 | 2
LOS ANGELES, Nov 5, 2003 / FW/ --- There was so much buzz going on about Joey and T, that the excitement could not be contained as people lined up for the show scheduled at 7PM last Friday.
Behind Joey and T are two women designers --- Joey Tierney and Tanya Tamburin, who used to be the stylists for Britney Spears when she was on tour from fall 1999 to spring 2002.
The show promised to be different. For starters, the invitations said that you could bring a guest, a departure from normal one person per invitation.
And everyone is invited at the after-party, another departure from the norm, where after-parties are just for VIPs and special guests.
The party atmosphere was so prevalent in the crowd that people are already ‘mixing.’
So, when a nicely dressed lady with a very pretty young woman, who was obviously her daughter, sat with me, I cannot help myself but say hello.
As conversations go, I found out that she is a teacher in Beverly Hills, (a good indication, I told myself because I used to be a teacher, too) and as expected, we talked about the upcoming show.
“I don’t know what to expect,” I told my newly found friend. “This is my first season as a fashion reviewer, and the first time that FashionWindows is covering Joey and T.”
“Oh, you were not here last April?” she said. “I don’t watch fashion shows much either. I’m here for Joey. She’s a personal friend.”
“I don’t know much about them,” I confessed. “The invitation came too late, I did not have any time to do any research.
“The clothes are for the young people, like my daughter here,” she said matter of factly as she pointed to the beautiful blond girl who did not look a day older than 16. And without missing a bit, she continued.
“Joey is a remarkable kid, who was given bad breaks early in life, but never gave up. Look at her now,” she said proudly about Joey Tierney.
“I remember when she was just starting. She can make something out of nothing. One time, we had a house party and she came in wearing something made out of a tablecloth! All of us just looked at her. But then, she looked good in it, and the outfit looked cute. Different, yes, but cute,” she added.
I would have loved to ask her questions, but the door opened and all of us were allowed inside the venue. I lost track of my new friend. It was not until the show was already going on that I would see her. She was sitting at the front row, something that I expected.
The show was high energy – the music was fast and the models walked faster than usual. The first several garments were leather, with lots of detachable zippers. First, they were ankle length, and when the models unzip one part, it became a mini-skirt.
Micro-minis in leather, denim and lace followed. Shirts which were intentionally torn with a specific designs and cuts in mind sported words like ‘Rebel, Rebel.’
Red leather jackets with U.S., British and Italian flags were the worn with both pants and skirts.
The most memorable piece was the finale, a white leather ensemble with a bustier top with tails paired with an ankle length skirt. Steel rivets regularly attached on the edges and the hem, were used as adornments.
As Joey Tierney and Tanya Tamburin told 7th on Sixth, “Our line is very indicative of who we are as women. Our clothes always make a statement: they are edgy, sexy, unique and strong.”
When the two designers came out to take their bow, the clothes they showed on the runway was definitely them!
|
