You wouldn’t know it from watching “Project Runway,” but the steps to putting together a garment often don’t start and end with the designer. There can be an army of hands responsible for bringing a design to life. And for buzzy New York labels like Kallmeyer, Diotima, Theophilio and Christopher John Rogers, Bryan Datinguinoo and Clarissa Arocena are among them.
Bryan Datinguinoo and Clarissa Arocena.Photo: Courtesy of HIPS Studio
They’re the co-founders of Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS), a New York-based luxury design development studio. Founded in 2018, HIPS primarily focuses on patternmaking and developing looks across runway, bridal and red carpet. “There are so many hands involved, and we’re just one part of a big ecosystem,” Arocena tells Fashionista.When vetting a potential client, the duo starts by looking at the history of the brand: “How long have they been around? Do they have stockists? Are they already selling direct-to-consumer?” Arocena explains. “We look to see if they’re a bit more established. We do work with some emerging designers, but when it comes to emerging, we look to see what our specialty is and if they fit in that specialty.”
Diotima Fall 2026 patterns.Photo: Courtesy of HIPS Studio
Since last October, HIPS has been busy completing orders in time for New York Fashion Week’s Fall 2026 season, which just wrapped up on Feb. 16. Its largest client this season was Diotima. “We like to have at least two to three months to develop, since we’re at the beginning of the design process and it has to trickle down into other factories to produce all the sampling and finalizations,” Arocena said.In the video below, Arocena discusses finding clients, NYFW timelines, favorite looks (including Beyoncé’s Christopher John Rogers dress for British Vogue) and standing out in a competitive industry. Do you have an emerging brand you want to share with Fashionista readers? Jumpstart your business with our affordable digital offerings.
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