Born in 1978, Mary Ping knew from the age of six that she wanted to design her own clothes. On the way to that dream, she earned a degree in fine art from Vassar College, though she did spend all of her college vacations in the design studios of Han Feng and Anna Sui and the halls of the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute. After graduation, she studied design in London and worked with Robert Cary-Williams.
In 2001 Ping launched her own label, and to date, she has shown eight collections, all during New York Fashion Week. Her eighth collection, entitled "Javelin," was presented at Lincoln Center in February of 2005.
Ping is obsessed with detail and fine craftsmanship. Her training in sculpture is obvious in the overall design of the garments, especially the three-dimensional realm.
Mary Ping spoke with Queens.About.com over email about her career and gave a few tips about buying clothes and eating out in Queens.
Your clothes have been called "impeccable" and are known for their exceptional tailoring. What has inspired that? And your style in general?
I have always been completely enthralled by construction and the tradition of couture tailoring. I grew up following the grandiose work of the French Haute Couture houses. Another style influence is my grandmother. She always focused on well made clothes and carried them with a feminine/masculine edge. She also taught me how to hand-sew and the trappings of a quality garment.
On your website SlowAndSteadyWinsTheRace.com you're a copy-cat, but an original one. You take the designs of classic Chanel and Gucci bags and recreate them using rougher canvas material. What's up with that?
I didn't study fashion formally, which allowed me to think about it from a different perspective. I studied fine art at a liberal arts college, so I always tend to think of fashion in a sociological context. The thing that caught my attention, which is part of the Slow and Steady Wins the Race manifesto, is how fashion lives in contemporary society. I wanted to make work commenting on how obsessed people have become with accessories and turning them into iconic status symbols.
Is the website an art site, or a fashion site?
The website is just a site. It's purely for the retrieval of information.
You had a big Fall Fashion Week this year (February 2005) with a show at Avery Fisher Hall, funded by a grant from the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation. How did you feel it went?
I think it was a successful show from the audience feedback. I never have the chance to watch it live from their perspective, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to present a show at such a grand scale.
What are your plans for the future?
I want to grow the business into something more solid, something sustainable which would continuously allow me to produce the work I believe in.
Not everyone can afford haute couture. What advice would you give for someone shopping, say, at the Queens Center Mall? What should they look for that marks good quality clothing -- in both style and tailoring?
They should look for fit, fabric, and basic construction. It should fit your body well and make you feel comfortable and not wearing a costume or object. That is key. If subconsciously you feel uncomfortable, it will manifest itself in your behavior.
I'm a big fan of H&M. They tend to always have a few design gems amongst the trendy clothing. The quality isn't terrible.
Also look for good fabric. 100% cotton is always better than 100% polyester. Use the same common sense when looking at the construction of the garment. Chances are higher for the seam to be uneven or coming apart if it is cheaply made.
You just moved to Manhattan from Woodside. You've turned on us. How could you?!
It was not an easy decision to make, believe me! The studio I was working out of was the house I grew up in, so it was very difficult to leave that with all of its fond memories behind in order to be closer to resources.
What's your favorite place in Queens?
Ping's Restaurant on Queens Boulevard (no relation at all). They serve a good dim sum.
Where do you shop in Queens?
I feel like such an office nerd. When my studio was based there, I was at Staples almost every day buying supplies.
What else do you want folks to know about you?
If they want to hear new music, they should check out www.thedoublethedouble.com.
Mary Ping's fashions are available in New York at Opening Ceremony (35 Howard Street, 212-219-2688). And in Los Angeles at South Willard and Ooga Booga.
Ping's Chinese Restaurant is at 83-02 Queens Boulevard, Elmhurst , NY 11373 (718-396-1238).
