Queens native Mary Ping has said that her art background is what informs her collections the most, which makes sense when you consider her long silk gowns shredded at the bottom, layered knit sweater dresses with a pattern that coils down from the neck, and reversible trenches with pointy ends that dip below the knee. Launched in 2001, her namesake label was well received by stylish downtowners. The label was independently run, and Ping was able to keep labor costs at minimum by using her friends to pitch in at her Upper East Side studio. In 2005, she was awarded the Ecco Domani—a $25,000 prize—which allowed her to show in Bryant Park. The Mary Ping label is currently on hiatus so the designer can focus on her other line, Slow and Steady Wins the Race.