Designer Bios

Gregory Paul Hugill for Gregory Paul
Gregory is a womenswear designer who graduated from Lasell College with a degree in Fashion Design. Since then, his work – defined by elegant silhouettes, razor-sharp tailoring, and luxurious fabrics – has garnered critical praise and a loyal following. Under the label Gregory Paul, his Boston atelier produces two prêt-à-porter collections a year, in addition to countless demicouture designs for his ever-growing private clientele.

Robert F. Merton for Alistair Archer
Robert, the designer of Alistair Archer, is a painter who has exhibited artwork in Boston, Miami, New York and Washington, D.C. He specializes in creating complex, colorful prints for scarves, womenswear, and men’s dress shirts and accessories. Merton’s artwork incorporates luminous and textured rich jewel tones that serve as the basis for all of the Alistair Archer textile patterns. The “wearable art” of Alistair Archer – named after Robert’s two sons – celebrates the joy and unexpected wonders of life.

Jonathan Joseph Peters
Jonathan is a womenswear designer who marries ready-to-wear with avant-garde. Educated at the University of Rhode Island, he’s designed for more than two decades and was cast on season 7 of Project Runway. In addition to StyleWeek, he has showcased in national and regional fashion shows, including New York Fashion Week and Portland Fashion Week. Having formerly worked with MD Productions as runway Show Director, Jonathan has produced and conceptualized fashion productions throughout the world.

Jillian Banta
Jillian is a recent graduate of the University of Rhode Island’s Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design program where she concentrated on apparel design and construction. She draws much inspiration from European architecture and street style. In a 2011 trip to London and Paris, Jillian participated in workshops with designers such as the lead designer for Zandra rhodes and a milliner for Vivienne Westwood. Jillian also designed fashion jewelry under the T Tahari label for Elie Tahari.

Stephanie Kolanko
A recent graduate from the Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design department at the University of Rhode Island, Stephanie has always loved the arts and fashion design. Her studies at URI ranged from the construction of garments and art classes to photography and floral design. Stephanie has studied fashion in Europe, and won Audience Favorite at the Fashion Merchandising Society’s EcoChic fashion show and Spring Splash for her line Professional Flirt.

Evan Michael for Evan Michael Industry
Evan Michael, a Maine-based designer, creates wearable pieces of art, bringing his artistic visions to life through fashion design. He received his BFA in Fashion Design from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in May. As a conceptual artist, he meticulously hand-crafts his garments while offering a deeper meaning and connection between designer and wearer. Psychology, human emotion, and artistic vulnerability are common threads stitched through his work.

Nick Pini for PINI
A graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art, Nick spent his entire life creating different kinds of art, especially illustration, computer arts, textile design and fashion. He applies that creativity to PINI, his womenswear brand, which has a tongue-in-cheek sensibility. Nick describes his clothing as being inspired by “driving with the top down, palm trees in the sun, feeling like you’re famous and living while you’re young. I design for fresh and audacious girls who aren’t afraid to look different.”

Sarah Prost for Yellow Clover
In 2007, armed with a diploma in fashion design from Helen Lefeaux, Sarah dove straight into designing for her company, Yellow Clover by sarah elizabeth. She believes beauty includes playfulness and thus creates garments that are lively, whimsical, and carry a feminine, vintage feel. Known for her true quality craftsmanship,Sarah mixes exquisite hand detailing with playfulness and innovation. Yellow Clover by sarah elizabeth has been featured in numerous publications ranging from newspapers to fashion magazines.

Naomi Sauro
Naomi has a passion for plus-size women’s clothing and helping all women look and feel their best. Naomi has the ability to be honest in a way that supports the client while encouraging them to try new things. Many times, what looks great on the hanger doesn’t look good on everyone; she has a way of truly finding what works on the client. She’s currently working towards her Bachelors in Fashion Design and retail management at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division.

Toni Lyn Spaziano for Chances R Designs
A self-taught designer who has loved fashion since she was 13, Toni launched Chances R Designs just over a year ago at StyleWeek Northeast. Her work channels vintage fashion, drawing from the ‘50s and ‘60s, while incorporating contemporary elements. Toni describes her aesthetic as “Upper East Side chic meets Mad Men.” Toni’s work benefits Team chance, named after a disabled boy who has been powerfully inspirational to her, which supports special needs children in RI and beyond.

Susan Troy
Susan began sewing when she was a young girl under the tutelage of her mother, a talented seamstress. It became apparent to her early on that she loved cutting fabric, piecing it together and integrating her innate sense of color. She studied at the School of Fashion Design in Boston and holds a degree in Textiles and Fiber Arts from UMass Dartmouth. Susan’s inspiration lies mostly in natural and architectural textures and shapes. She creates sophisticated, feminine garments that are modern, thoughtful and sustainable.

Karla Marie Quiroz for Gorgeous Khaos
Karla marie Quiroz, an aspiring designer from the Dominican republic, is currently a fashion design and art student at the University of Rhode Island. She was raised as an only child by an amazing single mother and was drawn to sewing and nature of art. Karla also runs a fashion design program at her church in Providence to inspire young girls in the community. She breathes, sleeps and eats fashion, hoping to one day open up a boutique to sell her line Gorgeous Khaos.

Phil Shaw
Phil is a multi-disiplinary artist interested in pushing the ideas of pop culture. After graduating from Roger Williams Univeristy with a BFA in Visual Arts, Phil moved to New York City to work for famed fashion photographer Steven Klein, whose clients include Lady Gaga, Madonna and Alexander McQueen. Inspired by experiencing the fame and life of a gay photographer, Phil makes neo-pop art, creating visuals that represent pop culture and the LGBT community with a splash of fantasy and glitter.

Amy Stetkiewicz for stetkiewicz
Educated at Parsons School of Design NYC in the early 1990s and inspired by all things modern, Amy has created her eponymous line as a reflection of the designer’s own personal style. Her aesthetic blends edgy minimalism with technical perfection and unexpected fabrics, construction and styling. For her Spring 2014 Collection, which debuts this August at StyleWeek Northeast, expect clean lines, luxe fabrics and a chic downtown vibe.

Kelly Zogheb
Based in New York, Kelly recently graduated with a degree in Apparel Design from the Rhode Island School of Design. Kelly attributes her creativity and endless imagination to the video games she has played throughout her life, which serve as one of her greatest sources of inspiration. She strives to create clothing that is classic and wearable but with a magical, nerdy twist. Kelly believes that fashion shouldn’t be taken too seriously and that it should be a means of fun and beautiful artistic expression.