Scene: Nazranaa Spring/Summer 2023 collection called Samsmi was presented at theNolcha Shows. The event took place on the 69th floor, high in the sky, at 3 World Trade Center. Nazranaa is an Indian bridal brand dedicated to creating exquisite and unique bridal wear for women and men designed by Shia Gupta Singh. The color palette for this collection is blush, cream, and gold. The neutral toned palette was displayed in lace, netting, feathers, and embroidery. Delicate fabrics such as tulle, satin, and georgette flowed on the runway. This collection emanates a magnificent sense of regality and femininity. From jumpsuits to dresses, to two piece sets, to jackets and pants, this versatile collection is formal wear that is spirited and can be worn to any elegant or formal occasion. The Nolcha Shows are a leading award winning event, held during New York Fashion Week, for independent fashion designers to showcase their collections to a global audience of press, retailers, stylists, and industry influencers. Over the past eleven years the Nolcha Shows have become established as a platform of discovery. Talent for the show: Makeup by lead makeup artist Monique Rinard, Aofm MakeupPro and team, Hair by lead hairstylist Becca Nielsson, Unite Hair, and team, Photos Fred J. DeVito.
Special thanks to Monique Rinard @monique_marquerite https://www.instagram.com/monique_marquerite/ lead makeup artist on behalf of AOFMPro for access to the Spring/Summer 2023 Nolcha Shows.
Scene: Arthur Elgort, photographer, and his incredible body of work at his opening On the Move at Staley Wise Gallery. Etheleen Staley and Takouhy Wise opened Staley-Wise Gallery in 1981 with an exhibition of Horst P. Horst photographs, and continue to specialize in fashion photography which they introduced to the gallery world. The exhibit spans Arthur Elgort’s five-decade career, offering an all-encompassing view of his celebrated work and showing him as the original artist who introduced the “snapshot” style in fashion photography featuring models with wit, freedom of movement, and reportage influence. The photographs of Arthur Elgort created a sensation in his 1971 debut in BritishVogue when a breath of fresh air wafted into the world of fashion photography. His free and easy style freed his models to move. His models wore less makeup, were more casual and lively and moved about freely in outdoor locations such as city streets, pools, and beaches which characterized his style. Arthur and I worked together many times. When I was at Bloomingdale’s, Revlon, and my own ad agency, Fred J. DeVito, Inc, for my client Almay Cosmetics. Photo above: Arthur Elgort’s Caroline Trentini and David Alvarez, New York City,Vogue, 2008. Model Caroline Trentini sits on a basketball hoop, wearing an Alexander McQueen chiffon dress with jeweled bodice, as dancer David Alvarez, from the musical Billy Elliot, jumps below. Photos Fred J. DeVito unless noted otherwise.
Scene: The Staley Wise Gallery for Arthur Elgort’s opening On the Move.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s The Rolling Stones, Long View Farm, Massachusetts, 1981.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Naomi Campbell, Paris, Alaia, 1986; Shaun Casey, Italian Harper’s Bazaar, 1978.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Shaun Casey, Italian Harper’s Bazaar, 1978.
Scene: Arthur Elgort, “When my career was just beginning, I noticed that most of the magazines had plenty of studio photographers, all I saw were models standing still. So I decided to do something else. I took my models out on the streets of New York, Paris, or wherever I was, and the magazines liked it. It felt different”.
Scene: Harry King and Deirdre Maguire Jowers. Harry King, iconic hairstylist with about a hundred magazine covers worldwide including Vogue, Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Time, Newsweek, Life, and People. In the 70s, Harry established the look for Calvin Klein and for models Patti Hansen and Rene Russo. Deborah Turbeville was the first photographer he worked with at AmericaVogue, then Scavullo, Irving Penn, and Avedon. Deirdre Maguire (Jowers) former model who appeared on the covers of Elle, Grazia, Lei, and Vanity Fare. Her advertising work included Escada, Guess, and Loreal. Presently, Deirdre Maguire Jowers is one of the top producers of Corcoran’s East Hampton offices, Hamptons Real Estate. She has over 16 years in residential sales experience.
Scene: Kevin Hatt, Kim Williams, and Christiaan Houtenbos. Kevin Hatt is a New York based photographer and cyclist from Canada. Kevin loves to shoot portraits, beauty, and fashion. Whether in the studio or on location, his images are about building a story that can be suspenseful and evocative. Kim Williams, model then and model now, muse to photographers Steven Meisel, Peter Lindbergh, Mario Testino, and Patrick Demarchelier. And also muse to designers Commes des Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto. She appeared on the covers of magazines including Cosmopolitan; British Elle; French Marie Claire; The New York Times Magazine; and American, British, French, ItalianVogue. Kim’s most recent editorial assignment was with Spirit & Flesh Magazine in their story “Norisol Ferrari – the Tempest”. Represented by The Model CoOp. Christiaan Houtenbos, Dutch hairstylist, Arthur’s number one hairstylist and associate. They met in 1969 when Mary Carter was the editor of Mademoiselle and booked him for a cover try with Arthur and some French actress. He was known in the editorial world. It was Kenneth and Bergdorf Goodman’s salon who asked Christiaan to join them. He was there for two years working in the salon. He had become a magazine and celebrity favorite, frequently collaborating with photographers like Arthur and shaping the iconic cuts of Grace Jones and Debbie Harry.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Kristen McMenamy and Linda Evangelista, 1991.
Scene: Sandy Linter and Barbara Camp. Sandy Linter, legendary makeup artist, who has worked for over five decades with many of the greats in the fashion, beauty, and entertainment world from renowned photographers and iconic models to esteemed celebrities. She has worked on countless covers for Vogue. In 1979, Linter released Disco Beauty: Nighttime Makeup, her most iconic book to date. Today, she continues to do makeup on a daily basis and has established herself as one of the foremost experts in beauty for women of every age, having published the book The Makeup Wakeup: Revitalizing Your Look at Any Age. Sandy can be booked at The Salon Project, by Joel Warren, a unique hair salon inside of Saks Fifth Avenue on the 7th floor. Barbara Camp, Senior Associate at Billy Clark Creative Management, the world’s preeminent design agency. They collaborate with a select group of creative companies and individuals globally in talent acquisition, business strategy, executive leadership and career development.
Scene: Arthur Elgort with Alva Chinn. Alva is an American fashion model and actress. During her modeling days in the 70s and 80s she was one of Oscar de la Renta’s favorite models. Chinn modeled for Chanel, Chloé, Halston, and Saint Laurent. Alva along with nine other stunning models participated in The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show on November 28, 1973 at the Palace of Versailles in France. With Pat Cleveland, Anjelica Huston, Pat Ast, Karen Bjornson, and Connie Cook, among others, she became one of Halston’s favored troupe of models, nicknamed the Halstonettes. Alva Chinn is known for Great Expectations (1998), On the Rocks (2020) and Trainwreck (2015).
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Alva Chinn, Rosie Vela, and Karen Bjornson, 1977. Getting ready for a Calvin Klein fashion show in the 70’s.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Grace Coddington and David Baily, 2014.
Scene: Marianne Houtenbos and Grace Coddington. Marianne Houtenbos, Arthur’s long time friend and photo rep and Christiaan Houtenbos’ wife. Marianne started working in the advertising department at Harper’s Bazaar. A couple of weeks later she went to the editorial floor. Nancy White, editor, asked “Where do you work?” And she said “ The advertising department. ” She said, “No, darling, you don’t want to work in advertising. Come see me tomorrow, maybe we can find you something on the editorial floor.” When I was fashion art director at Bloomingdale’s Marianne was a freelance stylist. Grace Coddington, former Welsh model, former senior fashion editor at BritishVogue, and former creative director at large of American Vogue. In 1959 at the age of 18, there was a Vogue model competition, and someone submitted her pictures. She ended up winning the Young Model section and was featured in the October issue photographed by Norman Parkinson. She then began her modeling career for Vogue. Coddington, or “The Cod” as she became known, soon established herself on the London scene during the swinging sixties. Thanks in no small part to Vidal Sassoon creating his iconic five-point cut on her “incredible bones, and marvelous neck”. Grace is known for the creation of large, complex and dramatic photoshoots.A Guardian profile wrote that she “has produced some of fashion’s most memorable imagery. Her pictures might be jolly and decadent or moody and mysterious”.
Scene: Elizabeth Covintree and Alva Chinn. Elizabeth Covintree, studio and digital assistant at Arthur Elgort.
Scene: Alva Chinn from behind featuring her lovely hair style.
Scene: Arthur Elgort and Marianne Houtenbos.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Susan Hess, Fire Island, New York, 1979.
Scene: Grethe Barrett Holby and Barry Weinbaum. Grethe Barrett Holby, Arthur’s wife, American theatre producer, stage director, choreographer, and dramaturge best known for her work in opera. Grethe is noted as the founder of American Opera Projects, where she served as Artistic Director from 1988 until 2001. Barry Weinbaum, Creative Consultant.
Scene: Deirdre Maguire Jowers with her youngest son, Aubrey.
Scene: Harry King and Grace Coddington.
Scene: As executive art direction at Revlon I directed this campaign with photographer Arthur Elgort and model Renata Vakova, 1981.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s In The Studio, New York City, Vogue, 1978. Michelle Stevens, Lisa Ryall (Elisabeth Halsted), and Debbie Dickinson to name a few of the models.
Scene: Barry Weinbaum and Robert Chacona, independent writing and editing professional.
Scene: Andrew Brucker and Sandy Linter. Andrew is a former photography assistant to Arthur Elgort and now a Manhattan based photographer whose work has been published in magazines including Rollingstone,Esquire, Interview, Visionaire, Details, and Bald Ego. Working with James Taylor, Andrew provided him with three separate album covers.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Gia, Fire Island, New York, 1981.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Christy Turlington, New Orleans, British Vogue, 1990.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Lisa Taylor, JFK Airport, NYC, Vogue, 1976.
Scene and Heard: Matt Sky and Lyena Sky. Matt Sky, photographer, singer, song writer, and musician. Lyena Sky, model at Next and NYMMG, and owner of Notbusted Entertainment.
Scene: Andrew Brucker and Tom Wool. Tom, British photographer currently living in NYC, worked with fashion publications in the 1980s. He has spent the last 20 years traveling the world and documenting the cultural diversity of humanity. Tom raised enough funds to build a school in Tzombuk, where some of his portraits were made. His photographs have been exhibited internationally and are on permanent display at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University and are part of the permanent collection at The Rubin Museum of Art, in New York City.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Lisa Taylor Driving over the George Washington Bridge, New York City, Vogue, 1976.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Nadja Auermann Crossing Park Ave., Vogue, 1995.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Patti Hansen, Lisa Taylor, and Beverly Johnson, San Francisco, 1976.
Scene: Arthur’s Bonnie Berman, Palm Beach, FL, Vogue, 1986.
Scene: Kim Williams standing in front of Arthur Elgort’s photographes. In The Studio, New York City, Vogue, 1978; Bonnie Berman, Palm Beach, FL, Vogue, 1986; Gia, Fire Island, New York, 1981; Self Portrait at Home, New York City, 1982.
Scene: Sandy Linter and Christiaan Houtenbos.
Scene: Christiaan Houtenbos and Sandy Linter viewing Arthur’s photo wall.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s photo wall.
Scene: Arthur Elgort’s Karl Lagerfeld, Paris, 1993; New York City, 1992; Christy Turlington, New York City, 1993; Manolo Blahnik, Paris, 2002; Lion in Africa, 1991; Wycliff Gordon, New York City, 1992; Claudia Schiffer, Rome, Valentino, 1994.
Scene: As fashion art direction at Bloomingdale’s I directed this Halston advertising campaign with Arthur Elgort and models Joan Serverance and Tony Spinelli. One of the images from the Halston advertising campaign, 1980.
Scene: Manresa Clothing Pop-Up store at 173 Elizabeth Street in Nolita, Manhattan. Manresa is a one man brand created by Connecticut born designer and owner Mike McLachlan. His vision encapsulates a workwear, outdoors, and streetwear sensibility. Manresa’s Clothing line is about quality, style, affordability, and communicating with his fan base on an everyday basis. Talk about customer relations! His direction for his brand now is “Classics, not novelties” as he mentioned at the Pop-Up. Mike has had a handful of brands starting when he was 13, creating his graphic tees in his parents basement workshop. This has been his dream 20 years in the making. And what a success it is! It was incredible to see the number of people coming to the Pop-Up from as far as California to meet and purchase. I am very proud of Mike and his journey. I’m wearing one of his shirts from an earlier collection. Mike and I met in our first year at Marist College in the Fashion Department. Mike was a freshman and I was a new professor. He was in my Photoshop, Illustrator, and Creative Process classes. He has addressed me by a few names. First it was Professor, then it was Mr. D, and my newest is Uncle Fred, which happened at the Pop-Up. He referred to himself as my apprentice when he reached out for me to review his first look book, when he transferred to a Graphic Design major after he left the Fashion Department. I always believed in Mike’s talent and supported his growth. I became a mentor to him. He shared his visions with me and we brainstormed. He would visit the city and we’d go to fabric stores, talk about his new ideas, and have lunch. We learned from each other. Photo by Dylan.
Scene: North side of the Pop-Up shop.
Scene: South and east sides of the Pop-Up shop.
Scene: In transaction.
Scene: Max and Christine.
Scene: Mike’s Apple Macintosh in the window on display. Later it was rebranded as the Macintosh 128K and is the original Apple Macintosh personal computer. It played a pivotal role in establishing desktop publishing as a general office function. The Macintosh was introduced by a television commercial entitled “1984” shown during Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984.
Scene: Dylan and Mike.
Scene: Manresa’s Back East Tee in White.
Scene: Matt Kanovsky wearing his recent purchase, Manresa’s Bittner coat in Camel. A super heavy washed canvas work coat with soft satin lining, corduroy collar and ribbed cuffs with heavy duty YKK snaps and zips.
Scene: Mussel and clam cages serve as the base for merchandise and inspirational objects.
Scene: Happy Mike! And why shouldn’t he be with his first very successful Pop-Up store.
Scene: Manresa Clothing on view.
Scene: Abhijeet wearing Manresa’s Tartan Fleece in Black, a pullover with waxed canvas on the hood and pockets. The hood is lined in tartan.
Scene: Annie and Dylan.
Scene: Nolan Hayes, designer and owner of Transparent Hotel, and Finley Heilers, FIT student who works with Nolan, play chess. Finley lites a palosanto wood scent stick, and is wearing a Transparent Hotel shirt.
Scene: Finley wears diamonds, silver, and pearls.
Scene: Mike greeting a guest.
Scene: Guests shop the shop.
Scene: About to try on the Manresa’s Vallas Overcoat in brown.
Scene: Holly and Mike McLachlan with their adorable daughter Virginia.
Scene: Finley Heilers wearing Manresa’s Cranbury Cardigan in Olive.
Scene: Caps: Manressa Manhattan 173, Tartan in Green Mountain, and Interlock in Olive Drab.
Scene: Joe and Adam shopping.
Scene: Joe is wearing Manresa’s Bittner coat in Indigo. A super heavy washed canvas work coat with soft satin lining, corduroy collar and ribbed cuffs. Heavy duty YKK snaps and zips.
Scene: Antonio Ciongoli, Creative Director at 18 East, and Mike.
Scene: Pero Simic reviewing the offerings.
Scene: Jasmine Bhoola and Tausif Khan.
Scene: Mike Palamountan.
Scene: Shawn Lacosta, Lizzie, Jacques, and Mikey. Shawn is wearing a Manresa hoodie from an earlier collection.
Scene: Dan Shetron wearing Manrersa’s Vallas Overcoat in brown.
Scene: Inspirational items.
Scene: Samantha from 18 East.
Scene: Antonio Ciongoli, Creative Director at 18 East, and Nam Nguyen from 18 East.
Scene: The Crew: Dennis, Mickey, Mike, Shawn, and Mike.
Scene: A pizza party ensued. Mike, Shawn, Lizzie, Micky, Nolan wearing the Vallas Overcoat in brown, and Mike.
Scene: Mike and Dennis wearing a Manresa shirt. One of my favorites!
Scene: Having a look.
Scene: Manresa’s Cranbury Cardigan in Rust with the Sheffield Pant in Duck Camo.
Scene: Gina wearing Manresa’s Cranbury Cardigan in Olive.
Scene: Shopping the rack.
Scene: A busy Manresa Pop-Up store.
Scene: Niko, Gina, and Mike wearing one of his t-shirt designs.
Scene: Pero Simic.
Scene: Marist alumni Leander Trotter, Associate Outerwear Designer at GIII for Guess and Kenneth Cole Men’s, and Mike in conversation.
Scene: What does Leander Trotter have in his shopping bag? Manresa’s Lachlan shirt, two tee’s, Chunky Socks in chocolate and sand, mug, and Fujifilm’s QuickSnap single-use camera.
Scene: Manresa’s MMX Beanie’s in Teal and Black.
Scene: Dan Shetron wearing Manresa’s Lachlan Shirt in Rolling Hills.
Scene: Caps, inspiration, and props on display.
Scene: Andrew’s pup Olive.
Scene: Norm and Diane LeBlanc, Holly McLachlan’s parents. Norm is wearing a Manresa tee from an earlier collection.
Scene: Stephanie and Jasmine.
Scene: Proud dad Mike, with miss adorable Virginia.
Scene: Checking out Manresa’s Vallas Overcoat.
Scene: Manresa’s Vallas Overcoat in blue. I bought one!
Scene: Jarrod and Stephanie.
Scene: Taking a closer look at Manresa’s Sheffield Pant in Duck Camo.
Scene: Mike’s parents Bill and Cathy McLachlan with Mike. Bill is wearing a Manresa sweat shirt from an earlier collection and Mike is wearing his Pop-Up tee.
Scene: Allie, Leanne, and Natalie.
Scene: Alex Delaney is a Food, Beverage, and Hospitality Consultant and Host of Sound Radio on Spotify; Aidan Scurti; and Fran Young who owns the brand Paratodo and Aiden helps him out. Photo by Mike McLachlan.
Scene and Heard: Walkin’ the walk as he leaves the Manresa Clothing Pop-Up. Listen to Death Cab for Cutie’s song Here To Forever.
Scene: A fun and happy Halloween celebration hosted by Paul O’Connor and Christina Osburn. Paul is wearing one of his creations. Paul, former Technical Director and Stage Designer at Vassar College, is now Designer and Owner of his woodworking and design studio. He’s a master craftsman!
Scene: Christina Osburn, with a knife through her head, talked about her headache. What can I say?? Christina is an Art Teacher and Creator of Events, Artwork, and Spaces. Paul and Christina are fabulous hosts, but more importantly wonderful people.
Scene: Tedd Prudhomme and Janet Hicks.
Scene: Neal Hollinger.
Scene: Janet Wygal.
Scene: Christina Osburn and their sweet Stella.
Scene: Janet Hicks and Neal Hollinger.
Scene: Spirited offerings.
Scene: Janet Wygal and Paul O’Connor.
Scene: Frank Bango.
Scene: Beth King DeVito and me.
Scene: Janet Hicks.
Scene: Janet Wygal.
Scene: Christina Osburn, in the background, and Paul O’Connor, from the back.
Scene: Janet Wygal and Tedd Prudhomme.
Scene: Christina Osburn.
Scene: Paul O’Connor.
Scene: Paul’s Halloween Spirit kinetic carousel.
Scene: Rachel Gans, Janet Wygal, and Frank Bango on the front porch.
Scene: Christina Osburn and Paul O’Connor’s backyard with thier chestnut tree and workshops.
Scene: Janet Hicks in the front yard.
Scene: Tedd Prudhomme, Rachel Gans, John Murphy in front of Paul O’Connor’s Halloween Spirit stage set.
Scene: Pema Cliett.
Scene: Janet Wygal and Janet Hicks.
Scene: Yours truly and Beth King DeVito.
Scene and Heard: The spooking hours begin! Have a Booootiful Halloween!! Hahahaha… It’s the Monster Mash!!!
New York Men’s Day opened New York Fashion Week sponsored by Perry Ellis America at Canoe Studios in Chelsea. Here are five designers who presented: Teddy von Ranson, Stan, Nicholas Raefski, Clara Son, and Atelier Cillian.
Scene: Teddy von Ranson’s metaphorical collection “North Beach”. Impressed by the similar ways surfers, skiers, and snowboarders layer technical fashion pieces, he reimagined an assortment of clothing. Now the man is one. He surfs in the Pacific and the Atlantic all year, skis and snowboards from Lake Placid to Aspen to Mammoth, kitted out with playfulness and mastery. Teddy von Ranson effectively layers the effortless cool west coast sentiment with east coast discernment to advance his story of the modern American man. The best parts of the collection are the genius ways in which Teddy experiments with prints, textures, and color waves. Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Christian Ceja-Compin and team for Oribe, Makeup by lead makeup artist Monique Rinard and team for AOFMPro, Stylists David Vivirido. Footwear a reimagined vintage-style ski boot with lug soles. Model above Jaden Edlund.
Scene: Designer Teddy von Ranson (center) with models. “I wanted to explore literal and metaphorical winter beaches: the die-hard surfers in the chilly winter waters of California and the ice capped breakers of northeastern beaches, the slopes from Lake Placid to Aspen to Mammoth where moguls and half pipes emulate the waves”. Teddy von Ranson
Scene: STAN by designer Tristan Detwiler titled “The Rugged Gentleman”. Since the brand’s inception, Detwiler has sourced and upcycled antique textiles with rich historical backstories. This season was less surfwear, more party wear. “I wanted to present a more formal gentleman character, the kind that goes out for an evening on the town,” he explained. Navajo blankets feature prominently in the collection, some of which date back to the late 1870’s when The Hubbell Trading Post was established on the Navajo Nation. This exploration of textiles continues with antique fabrics as far ranging from the 18th century to the 19th century. Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Cobe Alcantar and team for Oribe, Makeup by lead makeup artist Monique Rinard and team for AOFMPro using Dermalogica, Footwear Sperry. Above photo, my friends Tony Spinelli and Alva Chinn. Tony is wearing trousers and an overcoat made from a 1916 all black wool crazy quilt. Tony, an iconic male model in the 70’s was on the premier cover of Vogue Men photographed by Irving Penn. He appeared in Halston’s debut ad campaign andRichard Avedon’s work for Versace. Alva Chinn is wearing an evening gown of 19th Century silk brocade drapes from a little chateau in France. The pioneering model made her name on the runways of Halston, Yves Saint Laurent, and Chanel in the 70’s and made history walking for Halston at the legendary Battle of Versailles Fashion Show.
Scene: Designer Tristan Detwiler (third from left) with models, and Clair (far left) from the now non-existent Yardage Town. In 2019 she welcomed Tristan into her quilting group and shared her lifelong passion for quilting with him. “I looked to my paternal grandfather as a muse for this collection, Robert Stanley Detwiler. In my eyes, Bob always embodied the idea of a perfect gentleman. As a salesman in the 50’s, Bob wore a three-piece suit and a hat every day. A man of few words, he is remembered for his charming tip of the hat accompanied by a warm smile. I made that into my own, by crossing it with a more adventurous, rugged spirit”. Tristan Detwiler
Scene: Nicholas Raefski’s second collection “Meet Me By The Bleachers” is inspired by his nostalgia for going to high school in the 1970s. Notions of false nostalgia – yearnings for something you never actually owned nor experienced. Lounging on bleachers, models wearing a variety of 70s inspired styles radiated a youthful energy that matched the clothing. Pastel shades, funky patterns, and confident color blocking were displayed under the warm glow of overhead lights. AstroTurf carpeting completed the image of a Friday night in the suburbs of 70s-era Southern California. The eleven looks collection is divided into four groups: the jocks, the nerds, the punks, and the hippies. Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Ashley Breken and team for Oribe, Makeup by lead makeup artist Jessica Marisol and team for AOFMPro using Dermalogica, Stylists Jules Wettreich, Footwear Puma, Converse, and Doc Martens.
Scene: Models at the presentation. “Going to high school in the 1970s is something I have always felt nostalgic for, despite being born a few decades too late to have experienced it. High school is all about archetypes and stereotypes; being put in a box. But when we grow up these boxes vanish, we find we cannot be bound by one group or idea. I enjoy the challenge of taking something that I know little about from the past, thinking about it in the present, and designing it for the future”. Nicholas Raefski
Scene: Clara Son, South Korea born menswear designer, launched her collection “Exuvia Capsule”. The Fashion Institute of Technology graduate continues her journey into innovative designs with this collection by drawing inspiration from art, nature, and personal feelings. A futuristic fashion approach with minimalist under currents and otherwordly silhouettes. Her debut collection was also inspired by a trip to Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum where she had an emotional experience while observing the work “Black Cloud” by Carlos Amorales, a paper cut-out ode to the monarch butterfly migration from Canada to Mexico. “It was very eerie”. She wanted to metamorphose the negative energy into beautiful artistry. Son plays with contemporary and historical shapes through ruching techniques and mixes heavyweight with lightweight materials to emulate the hardshells and soft underbellies of bugs. “Exuvia,” is described in an entomologists’ glossary as a cast off outer skin, a shedding of what is no longer needed. At the end a modern dance ensued with seven dancers in flesh toned tights and two models from the presentation. Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Kien Hoang and team for Oribe, Makeup by lead makeup artist Monique Rinard and team for AOFMPro using Dermalogica, Stylist Nyeelah Lewis, Footwear Camper Tracktori boots by Joseph Yi.
Scene: Models at the presentation. “I used to love bugs growing up and when I was really having a challenging time, I told my friends that I felt like a bug”. Clara Son
Scene: Atelier Cillian by designer Stephen Mikhail, who was debuting his premiere collection “The Misdeeds of Dashwood”. Atelier Cillian enjoys pushing boundaries in menswear and masculinity. His inaugural collection was inspired by the Hellfire Clubs in Britain, first founded in 1718, where Members of Parliament and society elites fraternized in excessive indulgent in sensual pleasures after hours. “They would go buttoned up to work everyday passing laws that they would go and break later on in the evening,” Mikhail described. “Watching how politics were handled during Covid, this was my commentary on politicians behaving badly.” Channeling this theme through looks of black and gray tweed suits styled with historically authentic top hats opposite red draped turtlenecks and tattoo-revealing sheer sleeves with fingerless leather gloves is the medium where Mikhail questions masculinity as well as who defines it. Atelier Cillian can be recognized for its inherent duality between masculine and feminine. Talent for the show: Hair by lead hairstylist Christian Ceja-Compin and team for Oribe, Makeup by lead makeup artist Monique Rinard and team on behalf of AOFMPro using Dermalogica, Nail color Un/Dn Laqr, Stylist Kevin Breen, Footwear Florsheim.
Scene: Models at the presentation. “I think there are a lot of amazing womenswear designers out there but womenswear doesn’t give me the challenge that I’m longing for, it doesn’t give me the boundaries that I can just crash through”. Stephen Mikhail
Special thanks to Helen Oppenheim, US Correspondent for Peluquerias Magazine, archivist,blogger, and hair historian, for asking me to collaborate during Fashion Week.
