Designers on the Art of Fashion

Fashion Week El Paseo brings together an eclectic mix of designers showcasing creative work, some of it taking your breathe away the same way a Picasso or Caravaggio can stop you in your tracks. When designs are that ravishing, it's hard to imagine wearing them! At one of the popular events during Fashion Week, a trunk show with Project Runway designers, I caught up with the designers to get their thoughts on the art of fashion and inspiration.  

Designer Irina Shabayeva

Irina Shabayeva: "I started as an artist. I went to school to be a painter and then I slowly fell into the fashion design department because I loved clothing and that's what I do. I love artful fashion and putting craftsmanship into it. I love couture because people put hours and hours into every stitch and detail. It's like a painting. Making a dress is like creating a painting, creating a story, and every dress is its own little world, its own little fantasy. That's exactly what I do. It's a lot of work and a lot of hours, but I think it makes it worthwhile and I think people really appreciate it."

"I love texture and I also love organic materials. The feather thing just kind of happened. I started playing around with them and putting them on fabric and seeing how they worked and how the light worked with the feathers. I found it amazing what you could create with the feathers, and the colors. It's bringing something new to the evening wear world, keeping with the elegant and classic but making it modern and today and giving it that little bit of sass and sexiness.

Irina Shabayeva's butterfly dress

Detail of Shabayeva's butterfly dress

The butterfly dress is a print I designed and it's one of our most successful prints. We have these butterfly wings appliqued on to the print with feathers. It's basically like a butterfly in flight. It flutters!"

Viktor Luna: "Art is very important in a designer's work because we all feel something, so when you look at my clothing, it's art, you're feeling something. 

Designer Viktor Luna

I incorporate a lot of elements in my new collection, which I call "Artisanal" because it's all hand done. I've done prints where I create my own canvas and my own images.

For my red dress, I painted the red onto the white fabric. It's hand done so they're all different. Just like any original painting, they're all different. I think fashion or clothing should be a work of art. When you wear it, it needs to have that special piece or touch, so I do something that's hand done or hand painted. Then I embellish it with rope or something - like the red dress - to create that hand made quality."

Yellow plastic details on the shoulders of
Luna's blue dress

"The blue dress fabric is from a photograph from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's called the peacock chair. It's an actual chair. I printed it into the fabric and made it more abstract versus making it very obvious that it's a chair."

"I don't necessarily call myself a fashion designer because a fashion designer is someone who thinks forward and creates trends. I'm a designer. I design. I think a fashion designer is someone who is a trend setter, like Karl Lagerfeld. Putting the yellow plastic pieces on the blue dress shoulders is kind of like my trend setting - putting plastic in the design - creating something new and fresh that nobody has seen. It's one of those things to intrigue people and captivate people  - like a work of art."

Helen Castillo:  "For me, creating is something you can't turn off and when you know, you know. That's what being an artist is. Fashion is an art."

Designer Helen Castillo

"You're taking your vision and creating something, making something with your hands. I have a small studio apartment, my kitchen is my work room. I've got my industrial machines and my work forms and that's my family. It's instinctive to work non stop. I have to keep myself surrounded by my girls, my mannequins. There's always fabric everywhere and I'm non-stop."

Michael Costello - "I grew up with fashion and drawing on the walls and my mom and dad never got mad at me for doing that. They would cut the wall and frame it!"

Designer Michael Costello

"So it was really cool. My whole family has been very supportive of my passion for fashion. You have to be passionate about what you do."

Michael Costello's red orange cocktail dress

"If you wake up in the morning and you don't want to go to work then you're obviously doing the wrong thing. There's not one day that I wake up and don't say 'I can't wait to get to the studio.' It's every single day for me. No matter what happens that day. Even if it's a customer and the dress doesn't fit and she's bitchy, I still love that too. This is the profession I've always wanted to do."

Sequinned waistline in Michael Costello gown design

Ari for Andy South:  "Art and fabrics, you know, it's about emotion. It's feeling that's physical, but also a textile that can move you emotionally is one that's a no brainer for an artist to pick up as our medium.
It's the feel, the lifestyle."

Designer Ari for Andy South

"I design for both the New York woman and the Hawaiian woman, both very different women, but it's about the vibe, the lifestyle that each woman carries respectively. What i get from Hawaii is a really relaxed feeling which I think is a really good place for any woman to be everyday - that relaxed state of mind.
That's where a lot of things - like soft fabrics - come into my line, the flow, the easy care, the comfort, the feel."

Uli Herzner:  "Inspiration for me comes from every day life. Sometimes the tiniest little thing can give me so much inspiration and so many ideas."

Designer Uli Herzner custom fits a customer

"If I see other collections, I get inspired by their ideas and it starts rolling for me. Sometimes I'll start with a certain dress in the morning and it becomes design diarrhea! Ideas just come out of me. Five hours later my whole house is full of fabrics, feathers, beads."

Mini skirt by Uli Herzner

"So it's like I started here and I go somewhere else. As kids we're always making stuff and building stuff and I think it's just in you. Designers have this thing where they can't stop creating things and I think we will never stop creating things. There's just a lot inside. If you don't have it, you cannot learn it. It's something in you."

Jewelry designed by Uli Herzner

Fashion Week El Paseo continues through Saturday. The full schedule is at FashionWeekElPaseo.com.

Designer contact information:
IrinaShabayeva.com
ViktorLuna.com
DesignerHelen.com
MichaelCostelloCouture.com
AndySouth.com
Uli Herzner's website is currently under construction. She can be found on facebook.

The #1 Thing You Must Have to Get on Project Runway

Fashion Week El Paseo in Palm Desert is well underway and one of the most highly anticipated evenings is the show featuring Project Runway designers. Palm Springs homeboy Michael Costello is always a favorite and joining him this year is Uli Herzner, Viktor Luna, Ari for Andy South, Irina Shabayeva and Helen Castillo.

(l to r) Ari for Andy South, Michael Costello, Helen Castillo

At a panel discussion earlier in the day of their runway show, the designers talked about their experiences on the show and how it's impacted their careers. They all agreed getting selected for Project Runway was a huge accomplishment in itself. What's the secret ingredient needed to outshine thousands of others in the audition process?

According to Executive Producer Rob Bagshaw, talent is key but talent alone will not get you on the show. Bagshaw says the most important ingredient is passion.

(l to r) Rob Bagshaw, Uli Herzner, Michael Costello

"They don't have to be the most talented, the most experienced or even the most confident, but they do have to know what they love, know their passion. They have to have some sort of technical proficiency, of course, to physically make it through the production, but being passionate, being focused on the type of designer they are, is very inspiring for us. That's the number one for us."

Bagshaw says the designers also need to be confident in their design aesthetic, because that's what translates on television. "We're looking for talent that can make it in our television world," he explains. "And personality, because it is a tv show, and there's the entertainment factor."

(l to r) Helen Castillo, Viktor Luna, Irina Shabayeva

Project Runway is not a fashion school, Bagshaw points out. It is a television show. But it's also sincere about helping designers break into the business, and Project Runway All Stars is about helping them build their brand.

"Once you're in the Project Runway family, you're always in the Project Runway family," he says. "As producers we are fiercely proud of the work they've done on the show, but really, what they've gone on to achieve in the industry afterwards."

Bagshaw also revealed there's another Project Runway spin-off in the works, which will be announced soon. Although he said he couldn't say what specifically, when I asked if it might be a Project Runway for kids, he smiled and said, "That's a very good idea."

(l to r) Susan Stein, Uli Herzner, Ari for Andy South 

The panel discussion was moderated by Susan Stein, fashion editor of Palm Springs Life Magazine and co-producer of Fashion Week El Paseo.

9 Awesome Things About Oahu

Quick getaway? Easy. Hawaii. Okay, it's not that quick, but for us west coasters it's only about a five hour flight away to arrive at the land of flip flops and simple pleasures. Has there ever been a more simple and beautiful idea than making necklaces and head adornments out of flowers and leaves? Oahu gets flak because of touristy Waikiki, but it's still a fun place to visit.

Here are my Top 9 Reasons Why Oahu Still Rocks:

1. Beaches

So many beaches, so little time. From Kailua Beach, a gorgeous stretch of white sand with calm waters, to the shores of Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach where monster surf can break during winter months, there's no shortage of beaches for swimming, surfing,  kayaking, para sailing, wind surfing, paddle boarding, snorkling or just watching the day go by. 

Hanama Bay is a great snorkling beach if you arrive early and go beyond the first breakwater. Crowds through the years have diminished the abundance of fish, but there is still an incredible, beautiful variety. 

Waikiki, despite the crowds, is still a kick. The outrigger rides, one of the most fun tourist trappy things to do, are a hoot for only $15. I dare anyone to take a ride and not howl with joy when the outrigger catches a wave. 

2. Manoa Valley Rain Forest

The rain forest wonder of Manoa Valley and the Manoa Falls will quench anyone's thirst for the natural world, and it's not far from the center of Honolulu. Hike the path and be rewarded with a waterfall at the

end of the trail.

Be forewarned about crossing the rope to get to the water though. No one's there to stop you, but signs advise against it because it's a landslide area.    

3. Byodo-in Temple

It's like being in Japan, without the jet lag. The temple is located at the foot of the Ko'olau Mountains in the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. It's a smaller scale replica of the over 950 year old Byodo-in Temple in Uji, Japan. A peaceful paradise where visitors are welcome to stroll, mediate, or just take in the lush and soothing grounds.  

4. Lunchtime Hula

Where else but Waikiki can you enjoy a lunchtime hula break with locals? Hundreds join in. To make it easy and comfortable for the participants, there's a table where you can dump your purse and bags so your arms will be free to speak the language of hula. 

5. Chinatown 

Honolulu's Chinatown is one of the oldest such districts in the US. The 15 block area is a colorful blend of Southeast Asian cultures and bustles with intrigue and joys for the senses. Wandering the streets, you might find a herbalist, art exhibit, or Buddhist Temple. There's a fascinating variety of merchants and products, including the expected fruit and vegetable stands and inexpensive restaurants.

Plus, it's a great place to buy leis directly from the women who make them. They might even let you sit down and make your own.  

6. Magnificent Diamond Head

Stairs on the Diamond Head trail

Just look at it. 
Not only is it picture perfect beautiful, hiking it is a boot camp experience. The round trip trail to the summit is only about 1-1/2 miles long, but it feels longer. The ascent has many switchbacks and is uneven in sections. The trail includes steep stairs and a lighted 225 foot tunnel. Sometimes there's a ranger at the top handing out "I Hiked Diamond Head!" certificates to those who make it. The view from the top is worth the sweat and fret of getting up there, and during the winter months, if you're lucky, you might see humpback whales passing by. 

7. Ridiculously Amazing Botanical Wonders

Hawaiian tropical flowers are the punk rockers of flowers. They live by their own rules and refuse to be confined to conventional wisdom about the look, feel, and smell of flowers. The island has the largest collection of tropical plants in the United States.

The flowers are everywhere, but if you want a better look, there are several botanical gardens. Some of the best places to go include Foster Botanic Garden, Lyon Aboretum, Wahiawa Botanical Garden, Koko Crater, and Waimea Botanical Garden which is across the way from Waimea Bay beach. 

8. Honolulu 

When you've had enough swimming and lounging, a high rise city filled with arts, culture, shopping, nightlife, and all you desire is right there.

9. The "Other Side" of Oahu

When you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu and Waikiki, or skip it altogether, hop over to the other side of the island and enjoy Hawaii country-style - at least for now. Development proposals are brewing.

7 Things I Will Not Miss About Agency Work

I've worked a few jobs in public relations when the bottom fell out of the news industry, and it's served me well, taught me new skills, and I've met some incredibly talented people. But agency work has its own peculiar trying times. As I get ready to return to news and look back on PR work, here are seven things I won't miss about agency work.

1.  The Diva Client. Divas in any industry are so old school. No need to be a jerk to get a job done. Just because you're holding the purse strings doesn't make it okay. In fact, it makes it more egregious. We're all in this big wide world together and more or less want the same thing at the end of the day. To those who cannot control their tempers, those who find it necessary to be condescending, those who are rude or arrogant, get over yourself. You're not that big a deal.

2.  No Lead Time. Really? Oh, okay, no worries, I'll just drop this assignment I'm working on for someone I enjoy working for and who has the decency to give a little bit of lead time, for you, the Due Yesterday Queen.

3.  "I'll take an article in the LA Times, with a side of fries."  An odd bird comes along every now and then who thinks you can order up an article if you pay a for a press release. A good PR person will work hard to get you exposure, but there are no guarantees. These same clueless people invariably also don't understand the concept of timing. I can make a story out of almost anything and I'll write it up and send it out, but there are times to pitch a story and there are times not to pitch a story. Pitching a lame ass story to news editors on a big ass news day - like during a massive brushfire, or a natural disaster, or a school shooting, or Election Day - is not the way to endear news editors to your story.

4.  The Adjective Hog. Why do people think news editors can be tricked into thinking something is a great story by filling a press release with a bunch of stunning, spectacular, breathtaking, outstanding, prestigious, dynamic, sizzling, fluffy adjectives? Believe me, it is what it is and no amount of adjectives can make a non news story, a good news story.

5.  Tracking Hours & Reports. I get it! Clients are charged based on how much time you spend on the account every month, and they want to see what their money spent has produced for them, but keeping track of every minute you spend on this or that for a client and creating reports is tedious and    takes time away from doing the actual work that can get results.

6.  Fashionable, Every Damn Day. It's a kick really, to dress up and be all high heeled fashionista, but every damn day? Maybe it was my SoCal upbringing in cut offs and sandals, but when it comes to every single day, kicking the light fantastic with stilettos while trying to achieve work that is stunning, spectacular, breathtaking, outstanding, prestigious, dynamic, and sizzling, is expensive and exhausting. There's something to be said for being behind the scenes.

7.  The Client Always Knows Best. Uh... no, they don't .

7 Things I Will Miss About My Agency Job

1. My Work Space. Before I tell you about my work space, I should tell you the entire Cord office is decorated with a fun point of view - definitely not your grandpa's boring office. So I was beside myself when I was given a work area beyond the stylish front offices. Then I discovered the privacy and freedom of being away from the stressy main area, and I was a happy camper in my own nirvana. Then, it got even better. A co-worker moved some of his fab furniture into the space, and it became a mod, mod, mod world. 

2.  My Partner in Crime. I didn't do the college dorm thing, but I can certainly IMAGINE the horror of a crummy assigned roommate who doesn't get you. When my office mate was hired, I wondered how our shared office situation would work out and luckily, we were two peas in a pod. We plotted, ployed, produced solid work, and managed to have fun too amidst crushing deadlines in our North Wing. We'll always have Halloween when we ate donuts and arrested everyone in our path, Chris!  

3. The Co-Workers. What an incredible group of talented and creative folks. And good looking. Damn! Really. Not being sarcastic. There's not a weak link in the bunch. And the long list of talent at the agency keeps getting longer and longer as the company's expansion continues. If I was going to spend money on advertising and marketing, I would seek them out stat!

4a. My Initials in Lights Everyday.
It's a nice coincidence when the company you work for has the same initials, AND they like to do fun things like put a big C and big M on the wall. It was like a secret shout out to myself everyday.
4b. The Sweet Sweets. Now that I'm leaving, I wish I took advantage of it more. Why don't all offices have candy bars? It's a no brainer. Give 'em sugar and let the hyper creative game ensue. Even though I didn't eat the stuff all the time, it was nice knowing a candy bar was there for me in all its sugar splendor. Oh, almost forgot, the bar bar. Cheers to that! True Mad Men style.                     .

5.  The Juke Box. When the depths of creative despair strike, boom! music echoes down the hallway, breathing life back into the process. Just the sight of the juke box is kind of cool. Check out the selections. No musak! Need a dose of Led Zeppelin or Arcade Fire to get you inspired? No problem.
                                                               


6.  The Games People Play. Working at play. Playing at work. Any place of business that has a Pajama Day, can't be all bad. If that same place of business also has regular cupcake breaks, birthday lunches, a disco ball, cocktail hours, and a luxe penthouse... jackpot!

7.  Finally... Boss Bosses. I'm not saying perfect. I'm saying boss. And that's plenty good. 

  (Next up: 7 Things I Will NOT Miss About Agency Work. Yeah, it's gonna get real.)