Category Archive: Fashion

Michael Costello: Draping to Perfection

How can anyone forget that stunning dress Beyoncé wore at the 2014 Grammy Awards? She looked absolutely gorgeous in her white lace mermaid styled dress. Her dress had a simple flower design that simultaneously added a layer of sexy to her look by exposing her back and elegantly showing off her beautiful complexion and curvaceous shape. It wasn’t a look that most of us could pull off and it wasn’t a gown that just any designer could put together. This one-of-a-kind look is the work of designer and child prodigy, Michael Costello.

Costello was a contestant on season 8 of the popular design competition show, Project Runway. He was also a finalist on Project Runway’s All-Star Season. Unlike most contestants of competition shows, Costello’s fame has exceeded past 15 minutes. Costello is making his mark in the fashion industry and within the next 10 years it wouldn’t be a surprise if he is ranked with fashion kings such as Donatella Versace, Michael Kors and Giorgio Armani.

You are unauthorized to view this page.

The Vampire’s Wife: Fashion Inspired by Music

If you’re a woman looking for clothes designed to accentuate the female form, Mrs. Susie Cave is someone you should pay attention to. Cave’s collection, The Vampire’s Wife, features many long "flowy" dresses and skirts that emphasize femininity and delicacy. The collection’s name derives from an unfinished novel by Cave’s husband, Nick Cave, front man of the band Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. The novel details the relationship between a muse and the creative process, Mrs. Cave is a muse for her husband’s writing.

“Nick wrote a book called Vampire’s Wife that, in the end, he decided not to publish. He said: ‘Well, why don’t you use that as the name?’ The book that Nick was writing, it was sort of about me – not exactly me, but about his idea of me. I don’t know if it’s really who I am exactly, but it kind of works,” Susie Cave said in an interview with fashion blog/shopping website Matchesfashion.com.

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Yang Li: Fashion Simile

“Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

-Coco Chanel

Fashion is reflective of life. Fashion Designer Yang Li used his experience skateboarding and playing basketball to create an avenue for his passion. Li is originally from Beijing, but he was raised in Perth, Australia. He credits growing up in the skateboard world as a way to stand out. He used his experience with sports to design a spring 2012 fashion collection.

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Tori Soudan: Changing the Face of Shoe Design

Most famous shoe designers are older white men, many of whom mass produce their products. Baltimore shoe designer Tori Soudan is changing the game, she brings shoe designs to life with her own special touch. She believes that shoes are emotional, and not something to be made on an assembly line.

Soudan’s start in fashion began at the age of nine when her mother began teaching her how to make Easter dresses, then as she grew older as a teenager, her mother showed her how to make prom dresses for her friends. While attending Spelman College in 1994, the shoe designer participated in a study abroad program and traveled to Italy. While overseas she developed an interest in shoe design, after witnessing a demonstration by a master shoemaker on the outskirts of Venice.

After graduating from college, Soudan went on to study at the Parson’s Institute of Design in New York, which led to an internship with Tommy Hilfiger. Following these achievements, she earned an MBA in finance from Northeastern University in Boston, so she would have the knowledge to start her own business.

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Lucid FC: Taking the Fashion World by Storm

Getting into the fashion industry is not an easy task. Fashion evolves quickly and nothing is predictable, designers have to be alert and stay on their toes.  Dedication and hard work are just a couple of the attributions one would need to make a name for themselves in the world of fashion.

Those characteristics are exactly what gave two young teens an opportunity to get their foot in the door and turn their dreams of owning a clothing line into a reality. Lucid Footwear and Clothing, was founded by twin brothers Betts and Chet DeHart when they were just 13-years-old. They used the funds they made from their YouTube channel to jump start their brand. Lucid FC fashion label based in Atlanta has gained popularity for its high-end streetwear and eye-catching logo.

“I’ve always not wanted to live the normal lifestyle of working all day and then coming home at dinner time. It sucks. I don’t want to do that. I guess that’s another reason why I do this,” said one of the twins in their Materialistic Documentary, detailing their start in the industry.

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Brian Atwood: Footwear Fornication

Google Brian Atwood. You will find brilliant shoes. His name is plastered on every major high-end retailer’s website: Neiman Marcus, Saks, Bloomingdales, and Nordstrom, to name a few. The wonder of how top designers make it to such a high status is always a query of the fashion conscious. Atwood’s rise to the design world was unique in comparison to his competitors, and he is definitely someone who found his niche. While his path to design may not have always been clear, Atwood has always found himself dabbling in modeling and clothing design ventures, his passion for creating beautiful accessories has become the height of his career.

Atwood shared with Business of Fashion, international retail industry blog, that a psychic once told him, “‘I see you being famous for something to do with feet,’ It made no sense to me, because, at that point, I hadn’t designed shoes. I still have the cassette tape somewhere.” Apparently, fate was in favor of his flourishing career.

You are unauthorized to view this page.