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Ivette Urbaez has turned her Thayer Street apartment into a studio where she hosts fashion parties of her work.
text and photos by Gloria Pazmiño
In an apartment-turned fashion workshop and studio on Thayer Street, Ivette Urbaez, a local designer, holds “fashion parties” in what appears to be a creative, private space that welcomes the imagination and color of anyone with an idea to share.
Think Tupperware, Mary Kay, or Pampered Chef soirees, except with clothes, accessories, a little background music and – yes – a little vino.
The one-bedroom apartment located in a pre-war walkup building in Inwood has the look of the ultimate artist studio. There are paint cans, brushes, blank and halfway worked on canvasses, drawings, and a camera. It’s all a coordinated mess of artistry. Combine that with the obligatory heat and hot water issues of an old building, and it makes for a nice bohemian, starving artist package.
It’s like a smaller version of the musical “RENT,” sans drugs and unpaid rent. The space is welcoming; it strikes my painter chord which is perpetually out of tune.
Controlling my urge to grab a paintbrush and whip up my own abstract creation to hang on Urbaez’s wall, I’m distracted by a gargantuan silk screening machine that sits in the middle of Urbaez’s living room. It can’t be ignored, but somehow blends in with the rest of the workspace.
“I make t-shirts with it,” says Urbaez. In the opposite end of the room, two sewing machines sit under one of the apartment’s windows. “I make everything; it starts out with a sketch, then the muslin pattern, to the part where I put it together myself,” says Urbaez.
“This is my apartment, it’s my home, so I’m a bit reserved about who I invite. I want to share my work, and for people to enjoy it,” she added.
A visitor to Urbaez’ fashion party in December browses a rack of clothing.
The atmosphere is simple and relaxed. Samples of Urbaez’s work line a clothing rack, and accessories are set up for the viewing and trying-on pleasure of her guests. Urbaez is a painter and photographer and her work adorns the walls of her apartment, almost mirroring the images printed on her designs.
Urbaez’s designs embrace the urban landscape of New York, by including industrial elements in her graphics and designs. The women’s fashions include screen printed tops, pants, and accessories that have city motifs such as fire escapes, subway escalators, and intertwined messes of cables and wires, creating interesting graphics.
The fashion parties, says Urbaez, are sporadic. Depending on the time of the year, the sales vary. The space is also important. At Urbaez’s apartment the tone is more social than “retail-y.” Although party-goers willingly try on her work, they don’t seem too purchase-driven. This doesn’t appear to bother Urbaez. After all, it seems like more of an exchange of art, design, and conversation than an aggressive sales pitch.
Many of Urbaez’ fashion accessories are printed with designs inspired by the urban environment.
Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Urbaez comes from a long lineage of artisans and craftspeople where she picked up her love for design. She learned basic skills from a grandmother who taught her how to sew from an early age. After moving to the United States in 1992, she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and studied surface design and accessories.
“I have these parties hoping that guests can get original stuff for reasonable prices,” said Urbaez. In addition to hosting the parties, she also often does shows in public showrooms where people also have the opportunity to buy her clothes. Most recently, she participated at the “Off the Map” Holiday Market held through December. “I want to be able to live off of what I do, and this is a start,” she added.
Urbaez has lived in Inwood for 18 years and is working towards establishing her brand and eventually selling her designs at small stores throughout the city. “I want to make women look good and make a living at it,” said Urbaez.
Pictures of Urbaez’s work and her contact information are available at www.ivetteurbaez.com.
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