TIME FOR A SECOND ACT: After a four-year hiatus, Nary Manivong is back on the scene with a direct-to-consumer signature collection.
The designer decided to hit the reset button, even leaving New York for the better part of 2014, before returning. Interestingly, Manivong said he didn’t jump at the opportunity to start his own label when Handa Fashion’s Jack Shi presented the idea. The duo have known each other professionally for 10 years, but their partnership evolved over time. Not wanting to rush back into fashion full time, the conversation played out over 18 months during which Shi offered to provide all the production services for his signature label at no cost.
Manivong now occupies a floor that serves as a factory, sample room and showroom in a West 35th Street building. His capsule collection — three dresses, a skirt and six tops — will be sold online direct-to-consumer starting Thursday. Aiming to be strategic with his growth plan, he wants to find the right retail partner initially rather than multiple ones. Retail prices will range from $400 to $900 with the higher-end of the spectrum made from Laotian textiles. The Ohio-born designer took the 19-hour flight there earlier this year to meet many relatives for the
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