Derek Lam to Produce 'Crowd-Sourced' Collection

We hear tell that Derek Lam wants you to pick the looks for his new diffusion collection with auction giant Ebay. 

A few pieces from Lam's Spring 2011 RTW collection (images via Style.com)

The Chinese-American designer will showcase his designs during New York Fashion Week in February 2011, followed by a voting period.  The idea is simple: whichever designs are the most popular will be put into production.  Then, sometime next summer the fan favourites will be sold on Ebay at fixed, "accessible" prices.

While this is not the first designer fashion venture for Ebay (those honours go to Narciso Rodriguez), it is the first time that public voting will determine the final collection: a process some have termed "crowd curating".

What this could mean for the fashion industry is being debated, as some worry about the general public's savvy when it comes to the often highly conceptual nature of runway fashion.  Either way, we're fascinated to see what the masses will pick.

Are you?