Big Things Come in Capsules

According to their website, the (capsule) trade show “delivers the perfect dose of progressive style and borrows inspiration from today’s mash-up culture.” In reality, it brings together one of the biggest and most eclectic groups of brands, and it’s also a great excuse to throw a party. From established CFDA winning labels like Billy Reid to young upstart lines such as the Utah-chic line Highland, each brand was ready to stop selling and kick back for a good old fashioned swill session on the roof. After being a shuttled up in an industrial elevator roughly the size and character of a Meat-Packing District studio (350 sq. ft and trendy), designers, wholesale reps, and the rest of the fashion community’s foot soldiers breathed a collective sigh of relief as the first day came to a close. Visual artist Hisham Bharoocha, charged with designing the show’s badges (left) led a merry band of friends into a free-form musical performance,  and no one seemed more pleased with the day’s events than (capsule) director Chris Corrado. “When we started these shows three years ago,” he explains, “we were unhappy with the other venues that were out there, so we just decided to start working with our best friends everyday.” It’s true; their events have the reputation of being more like family reunions than one of the most influential trade shows in the world, but if the fashion industry can teach us one thing, it’s how to mix business with pleasure.