When 25 emerging talents duke it out on the catwalk at tonight's STYLES 2008 competition in New York, knitwear virtuoso and Academy of Art University graduate Marie Potesta will be representing the Bay Area. Known for quirky designs inspired by the Japanese art forms of origami and noshi (good luck charms made from woven paper), her immensely wearable pieces feature loose cuts, but pack a dramatic punch thanks to a monochromatic palette and bold Op Art patterns. In short, this is an urban girl's dream collection for toss 'n go dressing with a downtown, street edge—and you don't even have to worry about making sure things match!

"Like many designers before me, I was interested in fashion from a young age," Potesta, who was granted a CFDA scholarship for emerging student designers, says. "I was most influenced by my very colorful Italian grandparents. My grandmother trained in Milan and was a master dressmaker and tailor, and my grandfather was an inventor and shoemaker. It was during my most formative years that I spent time with them, learning to sew, knit, craft, create and cultivate my love of invention."

But far from screaming Old World, this young designer's collection feels more like falling into one of M.C. Escher's paintings—with a dash of '90s ragamuffin chic thrown in for good measure. "I love to look for innovative ideas, textiles, techniques, technologies, and new ways of dress to suit each season," she explains. "Fashion is constantly evolving and I believe I have only begun to scratch the surface of what may be accomplished!"

For more information please contact Potesta via email here.

- Caroline Stanley

Similar Topics:fall 2008, fashion, knitwear, shopping, Styles 2008

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