BEYOND BEAUTY : Q&A WITH BELLA THE DJ

 "Bella the DJ" [photo credit: Julie Hinson Paisley]

Behind bold beats and a perfect pucker, the imploring eyes of Isabella DeLéon exude a quiet, natural depth, which balances her striking beauty and solid stage presence. A.K.A "Bella the DJ," this 17-year-old modern-day DJ, model, actress and student attacks life with a sensible passion. Bypassing perceived ills of the fashion industry, Bella has walked multiple runways (most recently New York and Vancouver Fashion weeks), was featured as one of Gambit New Orlean's 40 under 40 (2015), serves as muse and in-house model for Project Runway Junior contestant Tieler James and recently graced the cover of Vie Magazine, after being named South Walton Fashion week's female Model of the Year. Keep reading for a snapshot into the life of a talented up-and-coming teenage superstar...

CREATIVE CONTENTION : Q&A WITH CHRISTOPHER SAUVE

Christopher Lee Sauve [photo source]

Of the creative minds fusing street art with street style, pop culture and social activism, Christopher Lee Sauvé has risen to infamy on the coattails of cartoons and celebrities. Starting off at Adbusters Magazine, a move to NYC  and a t-shirt citing "Save Anna" (at the the time of big bank bailouts and uncertainty over the editorship of American Vogue) grounded his success with fashion favorites and spawned projects with Madonna, Marc Jacobs, Diane Von Furstenburg, Alexander Wang, among others. Known for his subversively-insulting-but-sincere style statements, Sauvé's creative palette embraces iconography as modus operandi, best placed to represent "the commercialization of celebrity" where "we no longer see celebs as people, but as the sum of parts packaged and sold to us" as noted by NOW. Sauvé expands, "For example, you can take Marilyn Monroe and simplify her abstractly into lips, a mole, a curl of hair and an eyelash, or Bowie and his zigzag" [source]. Keep reading for our conversation with the art director / illustrator / designer on artistic interpretation, color and contention...

INSPIRED ILLUSTRATIONS: Q&A WITH HOLLY NICHOLS

Illustrator Holly Nichols sketching next to her collection of Copic markers in her Boston-area studio [photo by Lisa Richov, courtesy of Holly Nichols]

Copic colors capture both casual and couture with precise perfection at the hand of fashion illustrator Holly Nichols. Vivid blues and pastel hues accent long legs and haute hair with elongated elegance. A 2013 graduate of Endicott College, Holly's Fine Arts background combined with the strength of social media become a springboard for a career sketching for clients like Saks Fifth Avenue, Barney's New York, TRESemmé, Neiman Marcus, Disney and others. Initial postings on instagram draw enough interest from fans to inspire a life-changing decision to leave education and pursue illustration. Keep reading for our exchange on technology, piracy and success...

Q&A WITH YASIA KHOMENKO OF RCR KHOMENKO

Designer Yasia Khomenko posing with items from #theteeshirtproject [photo provided by Yasia Khomenko]

Though peace and stability continue to waiver in Ukraine, fashion is shifting from an industry catering to the well-to-do, to an accessible art form of understated luxury, sophistication and individual style. A relative newcomer to the fashion arena, big brands Gucci, Burberry, Chanel and others see potential in an untapped market and set up shop in the 2000s. Fast fashion soon follows with Mango, Zara and Topshop. Kiev Fashion Days (sponsored by Mercedes Benz) emerges in 2010 as the byproduct of a maturing creative culture. Along with socio-political shifts, new players appear; young designers like Yasia Khomenko and Anna October begin forming the foundation of Ukraine's formidable fashion empire with international distribution and notoriety. Keep reading for a Q&A with Yasia Khomenko of RCR Khomenko, one of Kiev's newly established fashion talent... 

THOUGHTS & TECHNIQUE: Q&A WITH THILO WESTERMANN

"Selfie," photo Courtesy of Thilo Westermann

Millions of meticulously-placed pixels--in pinpoint precision--invigorate the floral forms created by artist Thilo Westermann. For Spring/Summer 2015, Westermann's art is transformed into a collaboration of limited-run wearables for Escada. In an opportunity borne by chance, Escada Fashion Director, Daniel Wingate, happens on Westermann's So What Does Forever Mean? exhibit in Nuremberg, Germany and instantly envisions a partnership with the artist. Where art is applied to fashion, fashion once again becomes artistically transformed in the Escada Meets Thilo Westermann collection. On glass, Westermann's art exemplifies a hyper-realistic rendering of nature, yet on fabric, a woman becomes a part of the magnified beauty on display. Keep reading for my Q&A with the artist and have a look back at the Thilo Westermann window feature...

CRAZY, COLORFUL, COOL : Q&A WITH CAMILLE HARDWICK

Camille Hardwick up close [photo by Ezzidin Alwan, provided by Camille Hardwick]

The United Kingdom credits the craft of fashion with an army of accomplished alumni. From Alexander McQueen to Zac Posen and many more in between, the British art school scene is the birthplace for designers who clothe the fashionably elite. Among this year's graduates, Camille Hardwick attracts attention by pairing color and transparency in knitwear. After presenting at Graduate Fashion Week, Hardwick is chosen to show at the Best of Graduate Fashion Week Awards Show 2014. One of 3 winners in Urban Outfitter's 2014 ARTS THREAD X UO "Make It" design competition, I become acquainted with Hardwick after picking up the limited-run dress produced from her concept. Most recently, Hardwick is a UKHKA 2014 finalist and will be exhibited at Alexandra Palace and Harrogate. Her 2014 collection is currently exhibited in the "visionary" section at the Fashion and Textiles Museum's Knitwear: Chanel to Westwood exhibit. Keep reading for my Q&A with the designer... 

LESSONS FROM LUCKY MAGAZINE'S FASHION DIRECTOR ANNE KEANE

 Lucky Magazine Fashion Director Anne Keane; photo credit: Phil Oh

"Fashionable" is the complimentary bi-product of creative chaos + arbitrary assessment. While designers continually chase the prospect of creating yet another 'inspired' collection, publication management (editors and fashion/creative/art directors the likes of Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington) sets the tone for seasonal trends. Journalists (think blogger Susie Bubble and columnist Suzy Menkes) define and opine on the sartorial medley of the moment. The general public plays both judge and jury in the face of endless options and informed style supremacy (a.k.a social media); and so, perception and placement become prominent drivers of what is "fashionable." For Lucky's Fashion Director, Anne Keane, seasons, styles, trends and tastes have served as the baseline of her day-to-day, since the magazine's inception in 2000. The LA-raised, West Village transplant shares a bit about her views on fashion, her time at Lucky Magazine and her dietary delights in our Q&A...

MEET THE MILLINER : JESS COLLETT

Jess Collett Milliner in her atelier, photos provided by Jess Collett

Handmade hats, haute hairpieces and high-performance horses become functional--not to mention fashionable--highlights of the derby/summer sporting season both domestically and abroad. With the Epsom Races passed and the Ascot Races upcoming, Jess Collett, a familiar favorite in the world of high-profile headgear, staves off the sun with a range of subtle to show-stopping styles. A graduate of Kensington and Chelsea College, Collett's couture creations are wielded by British royalty, actors and actresses and the general public. Established in 1999, Collett's atelier in Notting Hill continues to be the birthplace of all her handmade floral, felted and feverishly fantastic hats. Keep reading for a sincere and insightful Q&A with the designer...

TWO BRITISH BELLES TELL OF BEAUTY, BENEVOLENCE & BEING BEULAH

Lady Lavinia Brennan and Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, photo provided by Natasha Rufus Isaacs

The sleek, silky dresses and free flowing femininity of Beulah London exudes innocence, romance and elegance; a far cry from the haunting tales of human trafficking that compelled two British belles to build a humanitarian fashion label. In 2009, Lavania Brennan and Natasha Rufus Isaacs spent time in India working at Atulya, an aftercare home for enslaved and abused women. On return to London, the sights and stories of abuse, human trafficking and organ smuggling prompted Lavinia and Natasha to fuse their flair for fashion and desire to empower wounded women in India. Beulah London was founded on the premise of a 'butterfly effect' where "a small change at one place in a complex system has a large effect elsewhere," ultimately supporting "the journey of each woman out of darkness and despair, into a new life of hope and restoration" [source]. Keep reading for a Q&A with "Lavs" and "Nats" on style, food and their journey to building a benevolent brand...

INTERVIEWING THE INTERVIEWER : A CANDID CONVERSATION WITH KINVARA BALFOUR

Kinvara Balfour, photograph by Alex Bramall (2013) provided by Kinvara Balfour

Unexpectedly pleasant and inexorably well-dressed, Kinvara Balfour is a leading style advisor to some, a playwright to others and a wellspring of sincere smiles to just about everyone she encounters. A veteran style editor at Condé Nast (among other publications), former couturier at Tomasz Starzewski and founder of DailyCandy.com UK, Balfour's span has touched every corner of the fashion industry. Adding to an already impressive resume, Balfour is currently following in the footsteps of her late uncle, David Frost, directing and hosting the 'Fashion in Conversation' series for Apple. Top fashion icons in both London and New York (Mary Katrantzou, Anna Wintour, etc.) become the subjects of lighthearted scrutiny as Balfour disarms them with her cheerful charisma. I catch up with Kinvara after a Fashion in Conversation session with Zac Posen. Keep reading for the Q&A…    

NICE NAILS [Part 2 ]! Q&A with NAILED IT

Nailed It's blog header [source]

Kate Spade's spots and Rebecca Minkoff's double french manicures on the Fall 2012 runway inspired my impulsive foray into nail art. In browsing DIY tutorials, I stumbled on Katy Parsons' blog Nailed It and have been hooked ever since! Katy is a self-taught nail artist and owner of over 800 bottles of nail polish. Her blog, Nailed It is a repository of nail art ideas, product trials and how-to's. Recently, I had the chance to catch up with Ms. Parsons. Keep reading to find out what she has to say about her favorite polish colors, challenging nail art and where she finds inspiration for her designs...