The Fashion Alchemist

I just launched my Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for my new clothing venture “The Fashion Alchemist”!!!  You can learn all about it by clicking on the video attached.  I would love your support in anyway from a donation to just speading the word.  Here is the link to my campaign.  Love to all!!  xo, Mia

 http://www.indiegogo.com/fashionalchemist

While in Peru this August I met the Maestra’s from the Shipibio tribe.  These cute little ladies are only 4’ tall.  Wow!!  They were like little Yoda’s singing their healing songs to our group.  You can see from the big smiles on our faces that my friend Kate and I were infused with their blessings.  These are the same women that work on the embroidery where the patterns come from the songs they call Icaros.  

Shoe Fetish : Alexander Herchcovitch : New York Fashion Week SS13

Although I tried my best to keep my eyes (and lens) on the big picture at the Alexander Herchcovitch show,  his candy colored kicks stole the show for me. While the clothing mainly adhered to palette of stark black and white, smattered with pops of pink, green and a couple sunny hued ensembles thrown in, his shoes presented a full spectrum of shades. Literally no two pairs of the 30 some odd looks were the same, presenting three styles in a multitude of colors : lace-up oxford style booties and their more modern open ankled cousins and classic platform pumps, each defined by their sculpted color matched (resin?) stiletto  extending upwards to unobtrusively cap and simultaneously provide unique definition to the heel.  The delicate footwear syles provided a refreshingly feminine contrast to the androgynous, somewhat chunky silhouettes of Herchcovitch’s apparel. I look forward to tracking these down in stores - yes, in each and every color.  

(Kimberly Bellinger)

Alexander Herchcovich : Androgeny & Color : New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2013

The 80’s were alive in the Alexandre Herchcovitch SS13 collection at Milk Studios. The models walked to songs by Culture Club wearing menswear inspired, boxy satin pieces in bold primary hues, printed in plaid and checkerboard and adorned with hearts. The styling paid further homage to the androgeny of Boy George with natural, barely there makeup, accentuated brows, and huge plaid bowler hats perched atop checkered head scarves. 

(words & images by Kimberly Bellinger)

At the Spring/Summer 2013 Raphael Cennamo presentation traditional Japanese elements paired with intricately refined sequined details provided an opulent and unique landscape of evening wear. 

Gowns featuring abundantly oversized kimono shapes, sinched with wide metal belts, hair  in Sumo fashioned top knots, dramatically geisha stylized eye makeup, and cherry blossom ornamentals provided the foundation for the Japanese motif. A handful of gowns  featured origami folds to create dramatic light catching forms. Most notable and unique was a mint colored satin gazaar cocktail dress with a fan shaped form extending from the gathered waist to right below the models eyes; a creative and seductive interpretation of the modern Geisha. 

(words and images by Kimberly Bellinger)

Katya Leonovich Spring 2013 : New York Fashion Week

The Katya Leonovich Spring 2013 collection featured a melange of hand painted patterns evocative of organic and supernatural elements : wet alien skin, the striéed spectrum of oil on water, and the prismatic interior of crystal.  The set was dominated by textural and structural contrasts : hand painted leather corsets paired with printed tulle and chiffon; angular, geometric hard edged cutouts constructed of delicate printed charmeuse. 

Standouts included (image 1) a slate grey charmeuse and chiffon silk dress with butterfly sleeves, painted with skulls and skeleton forms etherically emerging in wispy white trails through the darkness and an origami-esque muted blue hued organza corset resonant of the internal crystal scape of a geode. 

For her final look, Leonovich drew roars and applause with two matching laser cut hand painted leather evening gowns bearing the visage of each of the 2012 presidential candidates. Its hard to imagine a face printed onto a couture evening gown being anything other than tacky at best, but Leonovich made it work beautifully by utilizing a limited palette, and impressionistically reducing the facial structures to seemingly vector based graphical elements to seamlessly embed them in her beautiful hand painted lasercut leather waterscape. 

(words & images by Kimberly Bellinger)

Here is the new shoot I styled for Turkish Elle June issue!  Hope you love it.  We had a blast shooting it and I will post behind the scenes photos soon.  xo, Mia