Wisdom Brings Couture To Corsair

The calm that couturier Neville Wisdom exudes standing in front of his Westville Village showroom while casually sipping his vegetable power smoothie is deceiving.

It is Sunday and his shop is officially closed, but it’s the final week in the lead-up to his spring-summer fashion extravaganza at Corsair this Friday, June 9, and there is not a day — or moment — to be wasted.

“I’ve been designing like a crazy man!” he says as the animated pitchman for a short fashion show promo by videographer Ian Applegate. It’s a side one rarely sees of this usually laid-back designer.

Inside the on-site manufacturing studio, there is ample evidence of the creative madness; boxes of fabric remnants spilling over…

… a bolt of bold-colored fabric stretched across a massive automated cutting table, soon to have precise, computer-directed patterns excised from it. Tables and shelves are piled with disparate combinations of pattern and texture, awaiting transformation. For Wisdom and brand director/stylist Lauren Sprague, it all starts with the fabric. A particular look may inspire designs, but equal priority is given to a fabric’s comfort, feel, functionality, and durability, according to Wisdom.

From the production room’s visual dissonance will emerge the final details of the thirty looks that will be revealed later in the week. The collection is built around 10 or so core designs, with variations on those themes filling out the collection’s pants, shirts, jackets, and dresses.

“They are like brothers and sisters in the same family, but with different personalities,” Wisdom explained. ​“I’m Jamaican… It’s summer there all year long. This show is about beautiful weather and has a resort feel to it. You’re going to want to take a vacation, to dress up and look beautiful.” To that end, the designer said runway guests will see plenty of bold colors, patterns and prints, and some florals.

Wisdom noted that he considers his brand (NW) to be everyday wear: ​“I never want to make things that are tucked away in a closet to only see the light of day on special occasions — every day of life is special,” he said. ​“Our collection is ready-to-wear classic shapes redefined. We are not here to set trends, we are here to set standards.”

Although the NW brand has come to be associated with a classic profile, Wisdom said that over the years, his design aesthetic has shifted and morphed from a strictly binary male or female look to something more androgynous. There is constant tension and a balance to be maintained between his creative impulses and the design considerations informed by customer needs — a balance he achieves through constant communication with his customer base.

One of the highlights and more popular aspects of NW runway shows has been the inclusion of some customers as models. Both Wisdom and Sprague have noted the increase in customer confidence resulting from being well dressed and participating in the runway shows. ​“We try not to be a brand that just sells clothes, but try to make people feel good about their experience. What better way than giving them a way to shine, to put them on a pedestal and to have fun?” said Wisdom.

If there is an overarching theme to Friday’s runway show and to Wisdom’s work in general, it is of community engagement and outreach. Wisdom keeps things interesting for the sartorially minded by changing venues for his shows and engaging different communities and businesses all over New Haven. To date, runway shows have taken place on Orange Street outside Wisdom’s 9th Square shop, at Chapel Street’s Breathing Room Yoga Center, at a former bank at 45 Church St., on the third floor of New Haven’s former City Hall, and at East Rock’s mActivity fitness center, Alexion Pharmaceuticals’ at 100 College St., the New Haven Lawn Club, and several other locales around the city.

At least one of the three shows Wisdom stages each year is done for charity. The other shows, while creating brand exposure, are not designed to be money-makers in and of themselves. The $30 ticket cost to attend the Corsair show helps cover show-related expenses.

This year, partners include Mecha Noodle Bar, Da Legna’s Pizza — which will be making fresh pizza on site — State Street’s Dashi Restaurant featuring sushi, The Wine Thief, pouring prosecco, deserts from Katalina’s bakery, and tap beer will be served at Corsair’s welcoming event bar. The party doesn’t start without New Haven’s DJ of record, Dooley‑O, who is also a visual artist.

The Corsair building, a residential complex at 1050 State St., has welcomed the arts with the commissioning of several of New Haven’s artists for permanent installations. No surprise that Corsair management quickly warmed to the notion of a fashion show. Assistant Property Manager Alysse Reynolds said that ​“Corsair is excited to continue to bring the community together, echoing what Neville Wisdom does on a regular basis.” The event also coincides with the first anniversary for Corsair tenants, who will be attending the event for free as part of event programming for residents and the greater community.

For more information or to purchase event tickets visit the website.