By Jennifer Glickel
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN WEST — With a $700 T-shirt as the least expensive item in his expansive collection, Zang Toi is the quintessential elite Manhattan designer.
Toi's "ladies," as he refers to his customers who include Melinda Gates, Saudi princesses and wives of Fortune 500 CEO's, fly to New York from around the world to see his shows — and drop serious cash on his designs.
"I found that niche of lady that doesn’t ask about the price. If they ask about the price then I’m in trouble," Toi says of his clientele.
"They only want the best of the best. A lot these ladies have homes all over the world and have their own private jets, and these are the types of ladies we cater to."
Toi, who lives on the Upper East Side and came to New York from his native Malaysia nearly 30 years ago to attend the Parson's School of Design, has an eye for detail and hand construction that he says appeals to the world's wealthiest.
Toi spared no expense for his fall/winter 2011 collection to be shown at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Sunday night. The 33 pieces in the collection range from daytime attire to evening gowns, and feature only the highest quality fabrics and textures to create a collection which, for the first time, does not have a unifying theme.
Toi travels the world to seek inspiration for his designs, spending all day sketching in a café in Paris or on a terrace overlooking Lake Como in Italy.
"All I need is a beautiful hotel with a beautiful, luxurious room that has a terrific view, and I can sit for hours and sketch — with many cups of coffee," Toi told DNAinfo as he put last minute touches on his collection this week at his Midtown studio.
When sketching much closer to home, Toi heads to his neighborhood high-end hotel, the Carlyle on the Upper East Side.
"I'll sit in the lobby lounge for hours just sketching and sketching," Toi said. "They know me really well at this point."
Usually a fan of color, Toi toned down his designs this season to create a classic collection that's "glamorous, but not matronly."
"This is the first time I used really muted colors like nude, camel, and charcoal," Toi said. "Most designers love nude and black, but I said I had to do it my own way, so I injected a burst of emerald green into the collection to light up the runway."
The most expensive piece in Toi's collection — a $30,000 evening gown — will be the last piece to grace the runway in Sunday's show. The model will be Jill Zarin, from "Real Housewives of New York City."
"All the housewives will be sitting in the front row with Patti LaBelle cheering Jill on," Toi said. "She's not going to be treated like a regular model. She's going to have a lot of fun on that runway."
