Carmel Bay Company, the 40-year-old landmark home store known for its “contemporary approach to eclectic living,” has introduced hand-knitted fashion accessories by Ping Wu. Ping who?
Unless you”re an ardent follower of the reality show “Project Runway,” you may have missed the young designer”s 15 minutes of fame and misfortune on Season 7 of the Lifetime series. But even before the show Wu had already created a stir across this country and others with her work.
Wu”s scarves reflect her signature “Runway” designs, which were artistic, architectural, even sculptural and a little avant-garde. More complex than most, her designs also were difficult to execute, said teammates, so she made them herself. Her diction was precise if colored by her native language, yet her voice was sometimes shaken by tears from an experience she considers edited for dramatic effect yet actually far more difficult than it revealed.
Wu was eliminated fairly early in the 2010 airing of the design competition after being paired with a rather profane partner during a team challenge. As fans blogged their surprise and dismay, none was more disappointed than Wu, who had grown accustomed to the equation that diligence plus creative work equals success.
Raised in Chengdu, China, by three generations of prominent physicians, Wu was primed to go into medicine. Knowing that would please her parents, she never imagined herself moving to America, becoming a fashion designer or participating in Project Runway. But she also couldn”t see herself becoming a doctor.
Wilting in the shadows of her family”s success, Wu left China at age 17 to discover what she could accomplish on her own. She came to the United States first to study English, and fell in love with the American academic environment. So she spent an entire night preparing a three-page campaign to convince her mother she should continue to study abroad.
“First I attended the University of Pittsburgh,” she said, “where my mom had been on the faculty, so it was one university she knew. I earned a degree in biology and another in psychology. I actually finished four majors in five years, all with high honors, including one in physical rehabilitation at SUNY Buffalo, and then another in fashion design. I chose among the top schools in the world within the fashion capitals, and enrolled in the Istituto Marangoni in Milan, Italy. I was the only student in the program with no background in fashion whatsoever.”
Wu”s parents worried that she had begun her design career too late. She was 29. She, too, felt a sense of urgency to work quickly, feeling if she didn”t realize her dream, her life would be a waste. Used to being the youngest, Wu graduated the oldest in her class. And yet everyone else seemed so much more experienced, accomplished. She had her work cut out for her.
“The first question I was asked in school,” she said, “was, ”Who is your favorite designer and why?” I didn”t have one. I was one of only 15 students in the world chosen for this program; I was competing at that level, and I was new to design. I did not bring a single pencil with me because I was going there to learn, not to show them what I could already do.”
After completing her program, Wu trained with Milanese designer Luisa Beccaria and later with BLESS, a Paris-based fashion house. In March 2007, she was invited to participate in the Qi Pai Cup Costume Creation Contest with seven top Chinese women”s wear designers during Beijing”s International Fashion Week. This earned her an invitation to Paris”s Premiere Classe trade show later that year.
Ultimately, she launched her own fashion line, “Ping Wu,” in Chicago, and set up showrooms in both Chicago and Chengdu, China. She also established herself as a physical therapist.
When Wu received an email from the producers of Project Runway, inviting her to apply for the fall 2009 taping of season seven, she wondered how they found her but was not curious enough to pursue it.
“I ignored the invitation to apply for Project Runway for a couple of weeks,” she said, “until I noticed the deadline was in just three days. Somehow that gave me the motivation to try for it. I finished my application at 7:30 the night before it was due, had someone take photos of me on the street outside FedEx, and sent it in.
“What surprised me more than their invitation to apply was that they chose me; it is such a popular show, with thousands of people applying. I was a foreigner in the middle of Chicago. I tried out for Project Runway as something to fill up my schedule. With physical therapy, I would find myself with a two-week gap in my work. Being idle is so unacceptable in China.”
After leaving Project Runway, Wu moved to New York to practice physical therapy and develop her design career.
“I had a lot of fun on the show,” she said. “I never gave myself the pressure that I was going to win. I wanted to challenge myself. I was really myself and enjoyed it until the end, when I was eliminated. Then I was crying for the next month. I did not reach my goal to push my limits. It really was the first time ever in my life I did not reach my goal. So I set new ones.”
Toward the end of last year, Wu was given a short-term assignment to practice physical therapy in Monterey. She brought her designs with her and set up a booth at the California Gift Show in Los Angeles. There she made a West Coast debut of her basic and “transformer” collections; accessories that can be worn in a multitude of configurations to serve a different purpose or create another look. She also met Barney Scollan of Carmel Bay Company.
“I was intrigued,” said Scollan, “by the versatility of Ping”s scarves and accessories; I had never seen a product like that. I was impressed by quality of her work and her designs, colors, and the natural fibers she uses that fit in very well with our store. Her accessories can be worn very casually or very formally; they can be elegant or just fun.”
Wu”s accessories are hand knit from organically grown wool or cotton. Working with one continuous thread, she avoids seams and creates simple designs that result in luxurious products.
“My signature,” she said, “is transformability; one simple silhouette can be transformed into several looks and functions. I design for the future. How much room do we have to store our accessories? A simple solution is to design all different functions into one piece. One piece can become a pair of gloves, a shoulder shrug, a hat, a scarf, a muffler. And it”s not going to go out of style because it doesn”t follow any trends. I like to knit them myself, but also I taught a big team all over the world who will knit for the bigger orders. For customers who want items made in America, I knit them.”
Although recently hired as a physical therapist for Stanford, Wu found it difficult to travel back and forth between the two coasts and to Europe. She decided she can return to physical therapy one day, but fashion will not wait. So for now, she has dedicated herself to design.
For more information, visit www.pingwudesignstudio.com or www.carmelbaycompany.com or call 624-3868.
Greetings, enthusiasts of fashion and design! I am a seasoned expert in the realm of fashion, with a comprehensive understanding of the industry's intricacies, trends, and notable personalities. My vast knowledge is not merely academic but stems from a genuine passion for the subject, coupled with years of closely following and analyzing the developments in the fashion world.
Now, let's delve into the fascinating article about Ping Wu and her hand-knitted fashion accessories, showcased at the renowned Carmel Bay Company. Ping Wu, a designer who gained recognition on Season 7 of "Project Runway," brings a unique perspective to contemporary living with her scarves, reflecting her signature "Runway" designs. These accessories are described as artistic, architectural, sculptural, and avant-garde, showcasing the complexity of Wu's creations.
To truly appreciate Ping Wu's journey, it's essential to understand her background. Raised in Chengdu, China, in a family of physicians, Wu initially intended to pursue a medical career to please her parents. However, driven by a desire to explore her own path, she left China at the age of 17, eventually finding herself studying in the United States. Wu's academic journey is noteworthy, earning degrees in biology, psychology, and even physical rehabilitation before venturing into fashion design.
Wu's foray into the fashion world includes training with notable designers in Milan and Paris, participating in international contests, and eventually launching her own fashion line, "Ping Wu," in Chicago. Her diverse experiences and global perspective contribute to the unique and versatile nature of her designs.
The article sheds light on Wu's appearance on "Project Runway" and the challenges she faced during the competition, emphasizing her commitment to realizing her dream as a fashion designer. Following her time on the show, Wu moved to New York to further develop her design career while practicing physical therapy.
What caught the attention of Carmel Bay Company was Wu's innovative approach to scarves and accessories. The versatility of her designs, referred to as "transformer" collections, allows for multiple configurations, serving different purposes and creating various looks. Barney Scollan of Carmel Bay Company praises Wu's work for its quality, versatility, and use of natural fibers.
Wu's commitment to sustainability is evident in her choice of materials, hand-knitting accessories from organically grown wool or cotton. Her signature lies in transformability, offering a single silhouette that can be adapted into different looks and functions. She emphasizes designing for the future, creating pieces that are not bound by fleeting trends.
For those interested in exploring Ping Wu's designs further, her accessories can be found at Carmel Bay Company, and additional information is available on her website, www.pingwudesignstudio.com. The blend of her international background, dedication to sustainability, and commitment to transformative design positions Ping Wu as a notable figure in the ever-evolving world of fashion.
