Decked Out In Art Deco

Despite the rain and cold, the castle-like Chateau Veronique in Brookline was ablaze with color as Lewis Albert Remele ’06 unveiled his line of women’s fashion on Friday night.

The show was the first wide-scale production of the Lewis Albert Corporation, which is not affiliated with the College.

According to Remele, the styles were inspired by motifs from art deco skyscrapers, and he and his Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth R. Whitman ’06 began work on the design process of the show in May. The corporation’s Chief Operating Officer Alissa M. Gordon ’06 jumped on board mid-summer.

The show displayed 24 pieces on nine different models, who were chosen from modeling agencies in Boston and had to audition in front of Gordon, Remele, and Whitman to prove they had what it takes to walk down a runway.

“We’ve spent a lot of time talking about what Lewis Albert should mean,” Whitman said.

According to Gordon, professionalism has been a goal through the entire process.

“This is a legitimate business,” she said.

The first line of the Lewis Albert collection was specifically tailored to Harvard women in response to the many social and formal events, which are organized throughout the year.

“There is nothing worse than a girl walking into a party and not feeling that she’s looking her best,” said Remele.

The line is organic in style and the colors are very bold, he said. Many styles stem from the Russian constructionist style of the architecture in New York.

“I loved the art-deco feel in the lines of the dresses and the fabric textures,” said Megan C. Dempsey ’09.

The invitation-only event included an open bar and drew a crowd of 467 and was followed by a launch party.

Many of the attendees, such as Olivia T. Brown ’08, said they were impressed by the show.

“That someone in our school could put that together is amazing,” she said.

Nicholas A. Noyer ’09 agreed.

“The presentation was incredibly professional, and it was apparent that diligent efforts from the show’s leadership were behind its undeniable success,” Noyer said.

A trunk show began Saturday and will continue throughout the week in the Presidential Suite of The Inn at Harvard.

A trunk show is an opportunity for a prospective client to come in and browse through the pieces, said Remele. There is a wider selection than one would find in a retail setting, as the selection includes each style in various colors and sizes.

While the pieces at the trunk show are priced around $400 for a dress and $250 for separates, Remele said this is much cheaper than the dresses would be in a retail situation.

“Our most expensive piece retails for about $1,400,” said Remele.

According to Whitman, the venue had to be changed just three weeks ago, but the change seems to have been a positive one.

Gordon, Remele, and Whitman agree that the location added to the show’s success and that held in the original venue, certain aspects of the show would not have been as successful.

Tara L. Moross ’09 appreciated the Chateau Veronique as well.

“I thought the place they held it at was really beautiful,” she said. “[The show] was very well presented and very well done.”

After choosing 24 designs from more than 300 sketches, Remele had to find a pattern maker and production team.

Having had an interest in designing fashion since childhood, Remele said he feels lucky that he knows at this stage in his life what he wants to do. He admits that it was Whitman who encouraged him to stop talking and start moving.

“This is really what I love to do,” he said.

Remele said the fate of his next line depends on the response to his first one, but he hopes to have one last opportunity to do something here before he graduates, possibly for the Fall 2006 season.

Gordon would not comment on the total price of the event or how the corporation raised its funds.

The line will be released in Remele’s hometown in Minneapolis later this year.