by MIKE CHAIKEN
CTFashionMag.com
Nike and Athleta better watch out.
Sisters Kat and Ilyana Reichenbach are on the move.
Kat, 13, and Ilyana, 9, both of Westchester County, N.Y., presented their clothing line Spring Cheetah at Society Fashion Week during the February shows of New York Fashion Week. Fifteen looks walked down the runway at the Harlem Parish venue in Harlem on a Sunday afternoon.
“It’s an activewear, cheer, dance clothing line for girls,” said Kat, who called Spring Cheetah “fun.”
The two sisters work in tandem on the clothes but sometimes sibling rivalry will be stirred up. But it often is for a good cause.
“Sometimes, we’ll argue if one of us wants a certain detail or different fabric or if one of us has something envisioned and the other one doesn’t like it,” said Kat.
“But, for the most part, we work well together figuring out designs and stuff like that,” said Kat.
Ilyana said the collection at Society Fashion Week took about a month to pull together.
“Once we got the models, sizing… and the designs figured out [it moved pretty quickly],” said Kat.
Of the fabrics selected for Spring Cheetah, Ilyana said her favorite color was the burgundy. “It’s really pretty.”
Kat also liked the burgundy as well. “It’s really cool. It’s like a velvet and it’s comfy.”
Of the items that walked the runway, Ilyana said her favorite piece was a pair of shorts with a train attached, paired with a sports bra.
Although she has started in the world of fashion before she is a teenager, Ilyana said she doesn’t want to be a fashion designer when she gets older. For Ilyana, whose favorite brand of clothing is Zara, fashion is just something fun to do now.
Kat, however, said she would like to be a designer.
“This is really fun,” said Kat, who shares her sibling’s affection for Zara, “and working with my sister is really awesome.”
For more information, add Spring Cheetah on Facebook or email springcheetah@yahoo.com
PHOTOS by MIKE CHAIKEN
