Washington, DC-based designer Laura Williams will make a return appearance at Couture Fashion Week in New York City at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 17, 2012 with the presentation of her latest womenswear collection. The runway show will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the world-famous Waldorf-Astoria on Park Avenue.
Entitled “Dreams”, the latest collection by Laura Williams features simple yet elegant designs with a wide appeal to women of discriminating tastes. Ms. Williams' creations are characterized by an original sense of style and exceptional craftsmanship, and are known for their versatility and wearability. Accessories at the upcoming fashion show will be provided by the creative and talented Melody Burns of Kiini Ibura Jewelry, Brooklyn, NY.
Born into a tight-knit family, Ms. Williams' mother taught her the art of sewing at the young age of 7, and she was soon making clothes for herself, family and friends. Since then, she has pursued her dream of becoming a renowned fashion designer, earning a BS degree from the University of the District of Columbia, and attending the Ardis School of Fashion and Design. She is currently a Clothing and Textile teacher at Woodrow Wilson Senior High School in Washington, DC.
Ms. Williams was recognized as “2009 International Designer of the Year”, by an award sponsored by prominent publisher John Blassingame (Today's Black Woman, Black Men and Hype Hair). Her designs are carried by a number of boutiques in the Washington, DC and Maryland area including Gallery Africa, Trade Secrets, Just One, The Mya Gallery, Dale of Ida's and African Eye. She has collaborated with celebrities including musician Jeff Majors, music director Vince Evans and Dick Gregory, and has worked with the Congressional Black Caucus Fashion shows. Her work has been included in the Multicolor Workshop Catalog, based in Illinois, and she and her children have appeared in the text book I Want to be a Fashion Designer published by Maze.
In addition to Couture Fashion Week, Ms. Williams has shown her distinctive collections on the runway at various other events during New York Fashion Week, including 7 on Seventh Productions, Rogue Gallery Productions, and Fashion on the Hudson Productions, and she has also shown in Memphis, Tennessee.