Haute Secrets: Creative Director of Binzario Couture, Andre Yabin

Why the name Binzario? YaBIN NaZARIO

Being your second time at NYFW what did you take away from the first experience that helped you on the second? L​uis and I learned that we cannot play it safe the second time around, as we would in Dallas. We really had to take a risk and do something we’ve never done before. Something really uncomfortable for us, which is color! We’ve been in the bridal industry for years designing with natural color palettes like white, off white, ivory and champagne. The truth is we’ve had very little experience working with color. So, when I first got the inspiration, I expressed it to Luis and we both were reluctant to pursue it. Honestly, we were very nervous but as I started working with various bold colors I began to build on that inspiration. It then became clearer that this is the direction we needed to go in.

Showing in Paris is the pinnacle for most couture fashion designers. What was your most memorable experience/moment there? I​ would have to say my most memorable moment was when I was backstage and I caught a glimpse of the audience reflection in a nearby mirror. Seeing the their reaction to our colorful gowns as they gracefully floated down the runway, was almost like watching some sort of magic show. That moment was confirmation that we made the right decision.

Who is your mentor in design? M​y clients are my mentors. I’ve learned so much from them. They have taught me & continue to teach me what women like, and most certainly what she doesn’t like. They’ve taught me the importance of feeling beautiful in a garment that flatters her unique body.

If you were to do a collection in collaboration with another designer, who would it be? I​t would be a dream to collaborate with Elie Saab!

How has Binzario Couture evolved since 2007? L​uis and I had this mutual love for evening gown design. It was something about seeing a woman getting dressed up. We both had talked about building a future in the fashion industry, but we were not sure how or where to start. At the time, I was working in architecture and a co­worker heard we were starting a fashion business and asked us to design her wedding dress. That was a first & we gladly accepted. During her last fitting, we were surprised at how we both felt the same joy and excitement she and her family felt. It was a striking feeling. Luis and I decided that maybe this is something we can build a business on and we did just that. We started marketing our custom couture bridal gown services and it took off in a matter of a year. 5 star reviews about our amazing service and attention to detail started to populate online. We began to get request to dress Dallas socialites & high profile local women, which in turn gave us the idea to launch our first couture evening line. We’ve thrived even more so, ever since then. We are happy to say we’ve been fortunate to present our collections at New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week and recently won the Fashion Group International Dallas Rising Stars Award. A few local boutiques have picked up our bridal gown line.

Describe your Fall 2016 collection? O​ur “Sunset” was inspired by the ombre and gradient color contrast that radiates through the evening sky at sunset. To be able to capture the calming energy from the ever changing colors of a sunset and also its natural atmospheric beauty, and infuse it into this collection was quite astonishing. The construction of the collection is centered on the modern woman: spirited, ever‐changing with a desire to be different. We wanted to be attentive to diverse cultures. The collection injects versatility by creating separates that blend couture techniques into daywear and then, in turn, bring daywear comfort to an after­dark look. The collection consists of 20 interchangeable styles. Our goal this season is to give women power to make their own choices; to uniform a Binzario top with their favorite jeans, blend day into evening with a simple skirt, or dress to the max with a voluminous ballroom skirt. We interjected this formula without relinquishing the essential feminine point of view which is the hallmark of our couture designs.

What was the inspiration behind the collection? W​e both love boating and catching the evening sunset over the lake is a favorite part of our day.

Who is the perfect Binzario Couture woman? T​he Binzario Couture woman is ultimately elegant. She lives a lifestyle of grace and class. She is​s​pirited, ever‐changing with a desire to be different. She is a working woman. She’s powerful. She travels to events around the world.

What’s in the future for Binzario Couture? W​e are currently working on a bridal collection that we’ll offer to brides, in addition to our custom couture collection. We are excited to say the offerings will soon be available online, too. We are also working on our 2017 Spring/Summer collection that will debut “in season” 2017.

Will you expand into more of a lifestyle brand? I ​believe we will expand to a lifestyle brand eventually, but right now, however, we are focusing on fostering loyal relationships with our clientele and building the Binzario Couture brand.

How do you define fashion? F​rom a couturier perspective, fashion is art in a wearable form.

What has influenced your designs the most? I ​would have to say that women and nature have influenced my designs the most.

What advice would you give aspiring fashion designers? I ​would tell aspiring designers to find their nitch and work it tirelessly. There will be a lot a sleepless nights, tears and the urge to give up, but don’t stop. Take quick “Nature” breaks along the way; let nature rejuvenate and restore your mind. Get right back to working toward your goal.