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Meet Anya Ayoung-Chee, "Project Runway" Season 9 designer. See a portfolio of past work, as well as videos, photos and more.
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Tim Critiques Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 1410/28/11 -
Anya Ayoung-Chee Highlights10/21/11 -
Extended Judging of Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 1310/21/11 -
Extended Judging of Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 1210/14/11 -
Tim Critiques Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 1210/14/11 -
Anya Ayoung-Chee Teams Up with Bert Keeter10/14/11 -
Tim Critiques Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 1110/07/11 -
Challenge Winner Interview: Episode 1110/07/11 -
Extended Judging of Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 1110/07/11 -
Extended Judging of Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 1009/30/11 -
Tim Critiques Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 1310/21/11 -
Tim Critiques Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 1009/30/11 -
Anya Ayoung-Chee's Lost Money09/30/113min -
Extended Judging of Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 909/23/11 -
Anya And Menswear09/23/112min -
Tim Critiques Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 909/23/11 -
Extended Judging of Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 809/16/11 -
Tim Critiques Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 809/16/11 -
Challenge Winner Interview: Episode 709/09/11 -
Extended Judging of Team Chaos: Episode 709/09/11 -
Tim Critiques Team Chaos: Episode 709/09/11 -
Designers Dish: Team Chaos, Episode 709/09/113min -
Designers Dish: Team Anthony Ryan and Team Joshua, Episode 508/26/113min -
Extended Judging of Team Joshua McKinley: Episode 508/26/11 -
Tim Critiques Team Joshua McKinley: Episode 508/26/11 -
Extended Judging of Anya Ayoung-Chee, Episode 408/19/11 -
Tim Critiques Anya Ayoung-Chee and Olivier Green: Episode 308/12/11 -
Tim Critiques Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 208/05/11 -
Tim Critiques Anya Ayoung-Chee: Episode 107/29/11 -
Extended Judging of Anya Ayoung-Chee, Episode 107/29/11 -
Anya Ayoung-Chee's Home Visit07/11/112min -
Anya Ayoung-Chee's Closet Tour07/11/112min -
Anya Ayoung-Chee's Casting Session07/11/112min -
A Look at Anya Ayoung-Chee's Works10/21/11
Q&A : Anya Ayoung's TAKE
QWhat was the first garment you ever made?
AA slouchy gray jumpsuit that I wore to Miss Universe.
QWhat's playing on your iPod when you're designing?
AReggae, soca, jazz, hip-hop, pop.
QWhen did you realize you had designer potential?
AWhen I had the opportunity to consult on my wardrobe for the Miss Universe pageant in 2008.
QFavorite designer(s)?
AHaider Ackermann, Stella McCartney, Gareth Pugh, Dries Van Noten, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, Alexander McQueen.
QCurrent occupation?
AFashion designer.
QCan you describe past jobs you've had?
AGraphic designer, stylist, merchandiser, beauty queen.
QWhat is a fashion must?
AEarrings.
QWhat is your design training?
AI have a fine arts bachelor's degree in communications design from Parsons School of Design.
QHave you won any awards related to design?
AI won a Cacique Award for excellence in styling for a theater production in Trinidad.
QWhat are your strengths as a designer?
ASpotting prints that create dynamic garments, bringing my graphic design training into my fashion design work.
QWhat are your weaknesses as a designer?
AI am on my way to improving my sewing and construction skills.
QWhat's influenced your designs over the years?
AMy work is heavily influenced by the diverse cultures that comprise Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean as a whole.
QWhat's your favorite material or fabric to work with?
AJersey.
QWhat's the item you're most proud of designing?
AA long silk chiffon dress worn on the BET Awards red carpet.
QDo you prefer sketching or draping?
ADraping.
QDo you prefer patterns or solids?
APatterns.
QWhat are your favorite colors?
AToo many to list.
QWhat's your biggest fear as a designer?
ATo lose creative control of my work.
QWhat fashion faux pas drives you crazy?
APeople looking generic or the same as everyone else and having no concern about it.
QWhat's the ugliest thing you've ever worn?
AA silk curtain tieback on my head as a bandeau for a New Year's Eve party.
QWho are your favorite style icons?
AKate Moss, Coco Chanel, Frida, Tom Ford, Rachel Roy.
QIf you designed for the first lady, what would you design for her?
AA Caribbean holiday resort look
QWhat celebrity would you like to design for?
ARihanna. I'd like to design a whole wardrobe for her!
QWho's your supermodel muse?
AKate Moss.
QWhat do you look for in a model?
AAn athletic build (fit and slim but not overly skinny), exotic looks, very high cheekbones.
QIf you had to name your label, you'd call it . . .
AIt is already called Pilar.
QIf you weren't designing, you'd be . . .
ADesign consulting.
QDream place to set up your design business?
ABetween New York, London and Trinidad (or somewhere else in the Caribbean).
QWebsites that feature your work, including your own site(s)?
APilarbyanya.com, anyaderogue.com, facebook.com/pilarbyanya, trinidadlookbook.com
QAny other cultures or places you wish you could design for?
AI'd like to design luxury resort wear in the Middle East, using the traditional graphic tiling patterns and historical architecture as inspiration.
QHow were you described as a kid?
ASweet, creative, girly, obedient, hardworking, driven, competitive, focused.
QHow are you described now?
APassionate, ambitious, somewhat rebellious, creative, hardworking, driven, fun-loving, very social, intense at times, dedicated to my family.
QCan you describe your family?
AClose-knit, large, lively (sometimes dramatic) and full of love.
QMarriage or kids?
ASingle, no kids.
QDo you have any nicknames?
AAnz.
QWhy are you (or aren't you) easy to live with?
AEasy because I keep common areas neat and am quiet when others are around. Not so easy when I am designing a collection and there is fabric everywhere. Also, I do not cook.
QWhat's your favorite hangout back home?
AAt the sea, an area called Down-the-Islands off the coast of Trinidad.
QWhat are your hobbies besides designing?
ADancing, blogging, hanging out with friends or my brothers.
QWhat are your favorite movies and TV shows?
AMovies: Wasteland, Frida, City of God, The Pianist. TV: Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, The Daily Show, Project Runway.
QWhat are your favorite websites?
AThe Sartorialist, Tumblr, Refinery 29, International Herald Tribune.
QYour Twitter handle?
AAnyadeRogue
QFavorite Twitter accounts?
AShareawakening, RevRunWisdom, TheDailyLove, CAFD, Refinery29, NiallRoyal
QWhat are your favorite books and authors?
AThe Alchemist, The Diary of Anne Frank.
QiPhone, Android or BlackBerry?
ABlackBerry.
QFast food or gourmet?
AGourmet.
QCooking or takeout?
ATakeout.
QFavorite food?
AFrom Trinidad, curry, a delicacy called Doubles and a dish called Pelau; Caprese salad; almost anything Italian; sushi.
QBeer or wine?
AWine.
QGuiltiest pleasure?
ASleeping in.
QBiggest pet peeve?
AWhen people are doing something in life -- a job or career -- that does not make them happy and they don't show any desire to change that.
QFavorite designer from past seasons of Project Runway?
AMondo.
QProject Runway challenge you hope they bring back for your season?
ADesigning resort wear.
QProject Runway challenge you hope they don't bring back for your season?
ADesigning with burlap.
QYour take on team challenges ... love them or hate them?
ALooking forward to them! I really love collaboration and think that team challenges can be extremely creative and dynamic.
QHow did you end up auditioning for Project Runway?
AI saw a tweet mentioning the deadline for PR applications and decided to apply on a whim.
QWhy do you think you will win Project Runway?
AI am highly competitive, I have many of the elements that comprise a winner on this show, and I have a deep passion for representing not just me but also where I am from, on an international scale.
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