MyItThings.com Launches "It" Designer Contest Winner S/S 2009 Collection by Wakana Koike.

PRLog (Press Release) - Feb 02, 2009 -
MyItThings.com, a leading publisher of user-generated fashion content, today announced that it will be selling a limited edition of "It" Designer contest winner Wakana Koike's Spring/Summer 2009 collection exclusively through SmashingDarling.com, an online boutique featuring independent and emerging fashion designers.

   Koike was chosen as the winning designer of the inaugural "It" Designer (http://MyItThings.com/ItDesigner) competition in October. Over three hundred designers competed for the distinction and over 100,000 votes were cast during an American Idol style voting process online at http://MyItThings.com. The final 3 designers showed their collections in front of an all-star panel of judges during an exclusive runway show in New York City. The judges along with the MyItThings community made the final choice.  

  "This is the first ever crowd-sourced fashion line to be made available to the public," Yuli Ziv, MyItThings President explained.  "These economic times are especially hard on new designers looking to break into the fashion industry and I'm thrilled that we will be able to support emerging talent by making their work available to a global audience."

    The sophisticated, yet playful collection will include the ready to wear clothing and accessories seen on the October Runway. All fabrics are custom made by the Japanese ink-jet factory, Seiren, and were inspired by themes of ocean and sailing. The pieces will retail between $39 for the shopping tote and $549 for the signature silk and cotton cloud dress.  "We wanted to make the line accessible to a wide range of consumers so that everyone could own a piece of this unique collection," Ziv commented.

    NYC based Wakana is originally from Tokyo, Japan. She studied at Department of Crafts at Joshibi University of Art and Design. After graduating, she worked for Tsumori Chisato as a textile designer for five years. She managed the production of her own print fabrics, which are designed by hand yet also incorporate modern techniques with the use of Photoshop and Illustrator.

  MyItThings.com is a leading publisher of user-generated content and one of the most influential online fashion communities. It offers the fashion conscious crowd a chance to wield an Anna Wintour-like power by turning their opinions into tomorrow's trends. MyItThings.com was developed by New York City based 2 Brains Media.

    SmashingDarling.com is the online destination for independent minded fashion enthusiasts who seek one of a kind clothing, jewelry, and accessories from emerging designers. The site is both a community and online boutique. When you visit http://SmashingDarling.com you literally enter the virtual doors of over 400 designer boutiques from hot fashion meccas like LA, San Francisco, and New York—all in one place.