Deco – Fashion Cacciatore

This editorial features a mix of past and present presented through custom couture pieces, ready to wear, and some of the stylist’s own creations and pieces from his random jewelry collection. There is a vintage Geoffrey Beene dress, a new Ellen Christine Millinery commissioned hat, the stylist’s studio bodysuit and jewelry, Celestino Couture silk shorts, Custo Barcelona tights, Irregular Choice shoes, a Custo Barcelona dress, Walter Steiger shoes, the stylist’s necklace, a Carlo Carrizosa top with the stylist’s beaded collar underneath, Melissa by Alexandre Herchcovitch shoes, a reddoll by Tatyana Merenyuk dress, a Swarovski ring, a vintage Jackie Rogers dress, a Giles & Brother by Philip Crangi bracelet, a stylist-created silk top, vintage Gianfranco Ferre high slit pants, Badgley Mishka shoes, a stylist-created dress, and an Atelier Swarovski by Zaha Hadid bracelet. In other words, fashion cacciatore!

photography by Eric T. Williams
fashion styling by Cameron Carpenter
hair styling by David Cotteblanche of Red Market Salon
makeup artistry by Michelle Norkett
fashion assistant Adtresa Edmunson
models are Claudia Ruff from Click and Kayla from Major

This editorial features a mix of past and present presented through custom couture pieces, ready to wear, and some of the stylist’s own creations and pieces from his random jewelry collection. There is a vintage Geoffrey Beene dress, a new Ellen Christine Millinery commissioned hat, the stylist’s studio bodysuit and jewelry, Celestino Couture silk shorts, Custo Barcelona tights,  Irregular Choice shoes, a Custo Barcelona dress, Walter Steiger shoes, the stylist’s necklace, a Carlo Carrizosa top with the stylist’s beaded collar underneath, Melissa by Alexandre Herchcovitch shoes, a reddoll by Tatyana Merenyuk dress, a Swarovski ring, a vintage Jackie Rogers dress,  a Giles & Brother by Philip Crangi bracelet, a stylist-created silk top, vintage Gianfranco Ferre high slit pants, Badgley Mishka shoes, a stylist-created dress, and an Atelier Swarovski by Zaha Hadid bracelet. In other words, fashion cacciatore! Continue reading “Deco – Fashion Cacciatore”

Morgan Carper – Finding Herself In Translations

A flash of insight, an inspiration, a map, a plane ticket for two, and a whole lot of frequent flier miles. This jet-setting describes a big part of Morgan Carper’s artistic process. Whether it’s to the desert Southwest of the U.S or the hills of Laos, other cultures and their artisanal means and traditions are a big part of her seasonal collections. However all is not first as it might appear. While many designers begin by being entranced by ethnic fabrics and the ancient technologies that create them, for Mrs. Carper its about finding the answer to the desire that’s already stirring within her.

story written by Seth Friedermann
photography by Ned & Aya Rosen
makeup by Isabel Ruiz
styling by Michael Tucker
model is Paris from Muse Model Management
all garments by Morgan Carper

A flash of insight, an inspiration, a map, a plane ticket for two, and a whole lot of frequent flier miles. This jet-setting describes a big part of Morgan Carper’s artistic process. Whether it’s to the desert Southwest of the U.S or the hills of Laos, other cultures and their artisanal means and traditions are a big part of her seasonal collections. However all is not first as it might appear. While many designers begin by being entranced by ethnic fabrics and the ancient technologies that create them, for Mrs. Carper its about finding the answer to the desire that’s already stirring within her. Continue reading “Morgan Carper – Finding Herself In Translations”

Bibhu Mohapatra, The Transparent Man

New York-based designer Bibhu Mohapatra’s creations are complete visual sentences. They clearly communicate an idea which always feels fully realized. His designs possess the rare quality of transparency in process. It is as if the individual history of each piece is on display within the garment. You can see the idea behind the piece that fascinated Mr. Mohapatra in the first place, whether it was a technique an iconic image or a fabric treatment his work is bravely exposed. This clarity of vision may be a by product of necessity as his road to becoming a fashion designer was neither direct nor easy.

story written by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero
stylist Aminah Haddad
styling assistance by Ashley Roberts
hair and makeup by Angel Yu
model is Arianne from RED Model Management

This feature includes dresses by Bibhu Mohapatra and shoes and accessories from Katherine Lincoln, Avant Garde, Milk & Honey, Laruicci, TAKREEM, Walter Steiger, Jean Michel Cazabat, Tous, AZ by Azature, Circa Sixty Three, and Gemma Redux.

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New York-based designer Bibhu Mohapatra’s creations are complete visual sentences. They clearly communicate an idea which always feels fully realized. His designs possess the rare quality of transparency in process. It is as if the individual history of each piece is on display within the garment. You can see the idea behind the piece that fascinated Mr. Mohapatra in the first place, whether it was a technique an iconic image or a fabric treatment his work is bravely exposed. This clarity of vision may be a by product of necessity as his road to becoming a fashion designer was neither direct nor easy.

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“Where I came from in Orissa (now called Odisha, India), there were no fashion schools. We had a great tradition of textiles of fabrics but not design.”

He made it to the United States via a scholarship in economics from Utah State University, but while he was there his experience in a few art classes led the faculty to tell him to apply at FIT. Following school, Bibhu Mohapatra built his reputation at J. Mendel, where he transformed and reinvigorated the label by using previously unseen combinations of materials and textures. Since launching his own line there has been rapid and profound growth in his collections. His designs have become increasingly refined and subtle, yet they have not lost the power to captivate. Mr. Mohapatra has remained a fierce explorer of his own deep imagination.

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Much like his individual pieces, his seasonal collections also bare the stamp of thoroughness. The most illuminating thing I learned during my time visiting with him at the C.F.D.A Incubator was his concept of the life cycle of clothes.

“I can make a great dress. It can be praised and photographed and everyone can love it, but it is not complete until a woman buys it and wears it.”

The intensity and articulate way in which he stated those words reveals the passion and drive behind Bibhu Mohapatra. His designs, his collections, his brand, all matter a great deal to him. He is a smiling, warm, and likable man, but he has the spine of steel and the fire in his eyes that all great artists possess. His most recent collection had more length and less visible complexity than his past efforts but when you looked closer the technique, the imagination, and the degree of difficulty were clearly visible. To see the clothes is to see the artist, and to know the artist is to understand the clothes.

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Nima Taherzadeh Resorts To The Strap

Nima Taherzadeh likes playing peek-a-boo with the loveliness that is a woman’s body. In his past collections he’s enjoyed using cutouts and other evident techniques to flash a little skin and accent the sexuality of his clients. His Fall 2011 collection was a very aggressive and still glamorous take on this vision, however his more recent resort collection represented a more decisive and delightful expression of what this intriguing designer has to say. This is a very well-aimed sexy selection, it’s for confident women who want to be compelling and intriguing at any time of day. Consisting primarily of sporty separates and day dresses, the clothes were sophisticated and very playfully sexy. Tailored and structured yes, but in a way that accents the body rather than represses it and creates an impression of control and strength. Mr. Taherzadeh is definitely a fan of his client and wants to use his work to provide strength and confidence.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Ned and Aya Rosen
fashion styling by Michael Tucker
styling assistant Ashley Roberts
hair styling by Hitomi Mura
make-up by Isabel Ruiz
models Sofia Monaco and Dace from Ford

Nima Taherzadeh likes playing peek-a-boo with the loveliness that is a woman’s body. In his past collections he’s enjoyed using cutouts and other evident techniques to flash a little skin and accent the sexuality of his clients. His Fall 2011 collection was a very aggressive and still glamorous take on this vision, however his more recent resort collection represented a more decisive and delightful expression of what this intriguing designer has to say. This is a very well-aimed sexy selection, it’s for confident women who want to be compelling and intriguing at any time of day. Consisting primarily of sporty separates and day dresses, the clothes were sophisticated and very playfully sexy. Tailored and structured yes, but in a way that accents the body rather than represses it and creates an impression of control and strength. Mr. Taherzadeh is definitely a fan of his client and wants to use his work to provide strength and confidence. Continue reading “Nima Taherzadeh Resorts To The Strap”

Downtown, Night – A Photo Editorial

It’s easy to get lost in the cold canyons of deep downtown New York. At night it can be an eerie place, dark and claustrophobic. Yet even then there are places of light and moments of beauty.

photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon
art direction and styling by Seth Friedermann
makeup by Becca Bouchard
hair by Sonia Castleberry
model is Harrington from Fenton Moon
photo assistant Emmanuel Fleurinord
styling assistants Ashley Roberts and Zimir Hernandez

It’s easy to get lost in the cold canyons of deep downtown New York. At night it can be an eerie place, dark and claustrophobic. Yet even then there are places of light and moments of beauty. Continue reading “Downtown, Night – A Photo Editorial”

Sally LaPointe – No Wonder Lady Gaga Is Wearing It

Sally LaPointe is one of the higher crests on the new wave of New York City fashion. This is not because her work has been being worn by Lady Gaga. That is a nice moment, but it is an effect not a cause. It is her intriguing creations that place her near the top of this new flood of talent that has been flowing down the catwalks of New York Fashion Week for the past few years. Her personal discipline and artistic self awareness are much greater than you would expect from a 27 year-old.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Ned and Aya Rosen
fashion styling by Michael Tucker
hair styling by Hitomi Mura
makeup by Isabel Ruiz
models Andrea I. and Sofia Monaco from Ford

Sally LaPointe is one of the higher crests on the new wave of New York City fashion. This is not because her work has been worn by Lady Gaga. That is a nice moment, but it is an effect and not a cause. It is her intriguing creations that place her near the top of this new flood of talent that has been flowing down the catwalks of New York Fashion Week for the past few years. Her personal discipline and artistic self awareness are much greater than you would expect from a 27 year-old. It’s possible to ascribe that to her being a native of Marblehead Massachusetts and coming from sturdy, “New England stock,” but closer to the mark is that Ms. LaPointe has an impressive history of decisiveness and drive. This has been on display since she was accepted into the outstanding Rhode Island School of Design for painting in 2007 and realized she wanted to be a fashion designer instead. From that fateful day she’s been a committed creator and has had a laser-like focus on improving her artistic expression. It is an inner journey but it is in no way a leisurely wander. Continue reading “Sally LaPointe – No Wonder Lady Gaga Is Wearing It”