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NY1 News covers Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week from Lincoln Center, where the world's top designers showcase their newest collections.

02/09/2012 01:44 PM

Fashion Week 2012: Innovative Designers Are Found Far Beyond Lincoln Center

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As Fashion Week takes over Lincoln Center on Thursday, there are some new fashion trends that won't be seen on the runway. NY1's Cheryl Wills filed the following report.

The industry's hottest fashion designers are unveiling their latest fall collections at Lincoln Center. Attendees are such to see lots of glam and glitz, but not all fashion is born on seventh avenue.

In a tiny bedroom closet, on the fifth floor of a Harlem building, Aaron Henry is toying with fashion in a completely different way. Henry, who just happens to work for The New York Times, has recreated the doo-rag and calls his design a "tsu-rag," without the tail which causes problems for some.

"The deep imprint left by the string of the traditional rag, not only does it leave an imprint, that string can cause headaches," says Henry.

The tsu-rag doesn't leave a headache because it has a velcro closure.

Designer Edwing D'Angelo also started his fashion line out of his Harlem apartment 10 years ago.

"I didn't know what I was doing. All I know is that I have this passion for this industry," says D'Angelo.

Now he is the subject of a new fashion documentary and he is showing his latest at the Waldorf Astoria.

Designers all over the city are making the transition from their living room to the runway, thanks in large part to the Internet. Ella Gorgla, the founder and chief executive of www.I-Ella.com, describes her new online venture as “the fashion insider’s eBay," where members can buy, sell, swap and borrow designer clothing. Tens of thousands of people around the world have signed up.

"Last year people spent about $188 billion online. Even with that, it only makes up 10 percent of overall commerce space so there's definitely room for growth," says Gorgla.

As for Henry and his tsu-rag wearing family, they have seen exponential growth and believe that one day models will be sporting tsu-rags on the runway.