Dorothée Vogel's New Beginning
By Mari Davis
Photo below: From the Dorothée Vogel Fall 2005 collection
Photos courtesy of Dorothée Voge

DALLAS, Nov 15, 2004/ FW/ --- Way back in 1985, Swiss-born designer Dorothée Vogel launched her first label “Annex” that was available only in her home country until 1988.

Together with her business partner Urs Kunz, they expanded in Germany and Austria in 1989, and finally going to the U.S. in 1998 with their catwalk presentations during the New York Fashion Week Spring 1999 and Fall 1999 seasons.

And although the label is very successful (actually, it is still being sold at Barneys, Stanley Korshak and Bergdorf Goodman), Dorothée Vogel felt footloose and decided to pursue other career options in August 2000.

She found herself designing for the labels Akris and Calida, which are both based in Switzerland. And after the “year off” from running her own business, she decided to strike out on her own and launch her eponymous label.

Designing two collections a year since then, Dorothée Vogel’s creations under her own name have had tremendous success in her native Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France and Japan.

Her silhouettes are so cutting edge that Colette, the most avant-garde store in Paris, carries her line.

Meeting her in Paris last October during the womenswear Prêt-a-Porter Spring 2005 season wherein she held a static presentation, Dorothée Vogel explained her new line.

“It’s about choices and the different facets of the personality of a woman,” said Vogel. “Sometimes, women want to be formal, sometimes they want to be playful. Hence you see casual silhouettes for those carefree moments and the more formal looks for dinner or the office."

The Dorothée Vogel collection is a complete wardrobe for women with a target market from 20s to 50s. Yet, truly, it is ageless. So, if you’re a mother with teens, don’t be surprised if your young ones are “borrowing” from your closet.

And when asked if she had any regrets leaving Annex, which by the way has Euros 4 million in sales a year and produces at least 20,000 garments annually, Vogel says, “No regrets. This is what I want to do. A new adventure in a way.”

Taking into consideration that in 2 years time, she had gone international, with plans of expansion in the near future, Dorothée Vogel’s new beginning is worth it!

Spring 2005 Photos courtesy of Dorothée Voge

Fall 2005 Photos courtesy of Dorothée Voge

Website: www.dorotheevogel.com

Address:
DOROTHÉE VOGEL
Doldertal 17
CH-8032 Zurich
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 1 261 91 23
Fax: +41 1 261 91 25
Email: fashion@dorotheevogel.com

Press Contact:
Rados Protic
RADOS PROTIC COMMUNICATIONS rprotic@msn.com