Young designer making a splash in evening wear

By Farnoosh Torabi | Special to amNew York

March 17, 2008

Twenty-five-year-old Vaughn Jereaux, the creative mastermind behind a fresh line of ladies' evening wear in New York, has been climbing the fashion ranks ever since he could pick up a grown-up pair of scissors.

The ghost costume he made from white linens won the blue ribbon in the third-grade Halloween contest in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Two years later, he turned heads wearing a shirt made from his father's beat-up black duffle bag.

"Because of the straps, it added nice dimensions to the sleeves," Jereaux says, speaking with the intensity of a rising fashion designer.

Jereaux transformed his childhood passion into a full-fledged career. He graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and completed the Allan Houston/Citibank Business Education and Development Program, where he earned a first-place distinction.

He and his seamstress, Debbi Amin, are working long hours out of Jereaux's Harlem showroom during some of his busiest three months: prom season.

Jereaux figures he can earn $40,000 from now until May by targeting prom-going teenage girls. That compares to $11,000 last year, when his marketing campaign was not as aggressive, he says.

This year, Jereaux, along with Allerton Formal Wear, is part of a prom fashion show campaign at more than 27 high schools in Harlem and the Bronx. Moms and daughters eagerly call his studio at the YMCA on West 135th Street after viewing his collection at their high schools.

From silk to satin, charmeuse and chiffon, outfitting thousands of high school teenagers for their big night is no easy feat, Jereaux says.

"Buying a prom dress for a young girl can be a very overwhelming and confusing experience," he says. Jereaux describes his style as "classic, not too over the top where moms say, 'You can't wear that.' "

Prices range from $500 and up for a custom-made dress and $175 to $300 for an off-the-rack piece. "You'd be surprised how much these girls are spending. I don't know where they're getting the money," he laughs.

Jereaux credits his family for supporting his aspirations to be a fashion designer, despite the possible financial risks of pursuing a creative career.

"We grew up very, very poor," he says. "It's not easy to tell your parents you want to sew dresses for a living but I just went with what I love."

To book an appointment with Jereaux, call (646) 386-6152 or visit his Web site at www.vjcollection.com.