Spring 2013 sketches: Concept Korea, Custo Barcelona, Zang Toi, 4 Corners of a Circle

(Ed. note, Nov. 16, 2022: This article was updated to include additional Custo Barcelona sketches and previously unseen drawings by 4 Corners of a Circle.)

Each season, a few designers send us sketches of what to expect on the runway during the chaotic crush that is New York Fashion Week.  These drawings provide a look into the heart of their respective creations before stylists and models bring them to life on the catwalk.

For Spring 2013, the Concept Korea collective will return to Lincoln Center for the sixth time.  Representing the steady rise of Korean fashion and increased presence in New York, this year’s presentation will feature a mixture of Fashion Week veterans and newcomers.  Son Jung Wan will once again pull double duty with a capsule showing at Concept Korea, followed by her full solo show on the runway the next day.  Lie Sang Bong, who typically shows his collections in Paris, also returns to New York.  The others will make their debuts: Kye by designer Kathleen Kye, which has shown in the Vauxhall Paris Showrooms; Choikoko; and Cres. E Dim., a label launched by Kim Hong-bum, a contestant on the very first “Project Runway Korea.”  Altogether, the five designers contribute to this season’s theme of “5 Directional Colors,” with each color representing one of the five elements in nature.

Showing his typical parade of flashy color, designer Custo Dalmau returns to New York with his latest offering for Custo Barcelona.  Expect his signature mix of fabrics and collision of bright tones for Spring 2013 for both his men’s and women’s wear.  Several sketches from the latter follow:

Through his Twitter account, Zang Toi has been dropping hints of what to expect at Fashion Week.  Three words for his latest destination of choice: the French Riviera.  Pearls, diamonds, lace and Birkenstock wedges figure into the collection.

Finally, for their New York Fashion Week debut, Japanese label 4 Corners of a Circle and designer Natsuko Kanno looked to the Tanabata, the Japanese star festival, for inspiration. For more information about the label, visit http://www.vvvv-o.com/.