Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Project Runway's Elena Slivnyak's Creation on the Colbert Report

Musician and one-woman-powerhouse St. Vincent wore a IIMUAHII creation by Elena Slivnyak last night for her appearance on the Colbert Report. Congrats go out to Elena! If you haven't listened to my recent interview with Elena yet, you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JT_X09Qr9k

Here's a picture of St. Vincent in the IIMUAHII jacket. Awesome!


New Interview with America's Next Top Model Cory Wade Hindorff

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing America's Next Top Model's Cory Wade Hindorff. Listen in as we chat about the show, his music career, his advice for fashionistas and his thoughts on the fashion industry.

Visit Cory's website over here: http://corywadehindorff.com/ and follow him on twitter: @CoryW4de

Follow this blog for more great interviews. Feel free to contact Kendra with comments or requests @kendrybird


Saturday, February 22, 2014

New Interview with Project Runway's Viktor Luna

I had the opportunity to chat with talented designer Viktor Luna about his time on Project Runway and what he's up to. Read below for more...


Q: I spoke recently with Elena (Slivnyak) and she mentioned how you’d been friends before All Stars and actually had no idea you’d be on the show together until you both showed up. So how did you feel when you realized you’d get to go around this crazy second Project Runway round with a friend?

A: It was definitely crazy. I met Elena during El Paseo Fashion Week in Palm Springs and we really clicked. It was like we were old friends just laughing and chatting! During the show I tried to maintain the idea that no matter what, it was just a competition and our friendship would last and thankfully it did! I think the competition actually made it stronger. 


Q: We have to talk about the wonderful punch of primary colors in your SS14 collection. Where did that pop of color come from? 

A: I have always been attached to these colors, but I guess a lot has to do with my new fabric that I had created in China. It feels amazing and looks radiant! These colors also came naturally from pictures that I’ve taken and used to create the mirrored manipulated print.



Q: What are your goals for 2014, professionally and personally? 

A: Professionally, I am focusing on my clothing brand and continuing to create clothes with good construction, design and quality; endurance is my motto this year. Personally, I want to be more in tune with my life and nature and I want to travel more! I want to make sure I experience life to the fullest!!




Q: A number of celebrities have worn your pieces, including Keri Hilson, Carly Rae Jepson and Ciara. Do you have any ultimate celebrities you’d like to see in one of your creations? 

A: It’s always fascinating to see my garments worn by my clients and celebrities. I admire a lot of celebs and would be thrilled to see a piece I’ve created on Tilda Swinton, ChloĆ« Sevigny, Cate Blanchett, and so many more! 



Q: I saw photos of your absolutely incredible costume for Heidi Klum’s Halloween party this year. How long did that look take to achieve, from beginning to end? 

A: I did it in such rush, so it took me 3 days nonstop! I was determined to make something that looked SO intricate, but with such little time I did cut some corners, as I’m sure you can imagine. I put a hard fusible buckram to maintain its shape and then glued the pearls in place. Inside I had a petticoat but I also added a pillow to the sides to create more of a shape of that era. I think it was one of my favorite costumes I’ve ever made, and it only raises the bar for next year! Oh, and Heidi was SO in love with the costumes that Jesus, Antonio and I made, that she requested to take a picture with us on the red carpet!! 



Q: Speaking of that fabulous and outrageous style, what is your opinion on the major steampunk and rococo-punk styles currently sweeping the alternative fashion world? 

A: I've never heard of rococo-punk?! But I've seen steampunk and I like it. I think our culture has become very boring and our music has no creative influence on our style besides a bra that has studs or leather jackets that you can purchase in H&M. I remember in the nineties I use to love punk and grunge and would make my own outfits from scratch, everyone was more creative! Now you can buy it at Givenchy, Balmain, or Top Shop. Those options all require no thinking and that to me is boring.. I am glad to hear that some people are still out there creating styles like steampunk and Rococo-Punk!

 

Q: What’s your greatest advice for the curvier fashion-loving ladies in 2014? 

A: I never see a person as curvy or thin, I only see personal style. We all have different body shapes and we all have to shop according to our style in ways that compliment our shape and have the right proportions. My advice is to learn your body and learn what works for you. Dressing is a form of adorning your body and celebrating life! Ultimately take risks and have fun!



Q: What music have you not been able to stop listening to lately? 

A: Marylin Manson, Smashing pumpkins , Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Pink Floyd!

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Find out more about Viktor Luna over at his website: http://viktorluna.com/ and follow him on twitter @ViktorLuna and on instragram @ViktorLuna

Friday, February 7, 2014

A Happy Birthday Wish...

"My friend Ricky is an enigmatic subject in photos. There’s something about him that seems mysterious and otherworldly when you view him from the distance of a lens. He has crazy eyes, for one thing, but also a sort of elfen build. He’s inspired me (literally) from the day I met him. I’ve written two characters for him, one in a short story called Second Thanksgiving, which I wrote the day I met him, and the other is Death."- Source

A few years ago I ran across a blue-haired wisp of a creature, sitting with his arms crossed over his chest and his legs propped up, crossed at the ankles. He looked as if he was guarding the door to the event we were both attending, though maybe he was just resting from walking around all day on 2 inch heels. I'd never seen anything like him in real life, even if the glittering abyss that is my imagination had always supposed people like that existed in some form or another. He spoke to me, solidifying his existence and surprising me... after all, I was new to the science-fiction convention circuit, self-conscious and about 20 minutes from a full blood sugar crisis thanks to skipping lunch. We chatted a bit, though I barely remember our conversation. I know I mentioned to him that I was an author, and I mentioned that my book was for sale at a table in the dealer's room, which he seemed to be guarding as a benevolent bright blue sentinel.

We ran into each other again, later, among thousands of strange faces, interesting costumes, world-wide travelers, just as both of us were about to leave. By the time we ran into each other that second time, though, I'd already re-envisioned him as a reluctant young survivor in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, caring for a band of children he'd rescued. I couldn't help feeling surprised to see him that second time, in the painful sunlight of a bright January afternoon, blinking behind glasses. A part of me figured he'd just been a specter, a product of my exhausted mind. After all, the convention had opened my eyes to a world I'd never known had existed, complete with all sorts of alternate lifestyles, drunk nerds, deep discussions about time travel (a favorite subject of mine) and a brand new job offer. I'd barely slept in days and couldn't be sure of the line I walked between the world of the convention and the cold, harsh light of the world outside.

We exchanged social media information and said our goodbyes.

Ricky has this effect on many people, I'm told. At first he seems otherworldly and intense, even while standing under five and a half feet tall. He's a modern dandy, complete with gadgetry on his belt, pinstriped pants, vests and ties and smudged eyeliner. Over time you realize he's actually not half as intimidating as he seems at first glance. He's genuinely goofy and warm in turn, but there's always a sense that a hundred characters live inside him. Maybe he doesn't even know these people, but they live there. Authors see them. Artists see them.

In 2012 I had the honor of traveling quite a lot with his band of beautiful misfits and fashionistas, all of us mismatched gypsy artists. There were good and bad times, confrontations, hours of laughter, meals that mirrored the closing 'shwarma' scene in Avengers, 3am conversations, arguments and childish emotions. Many mornings found our group crawling out of bed at 6am, dark circles under our eyes, to fight for use of the shower and then stand hip to hip in the full length bathroom mirror to add more circles around our eyes, this time with kohl. I like to think of myself as being quite fun and colorful with my look, spending enough time to properly present myself, but no one spends as much time preparing himself for the world as Ricky, when he's incarnated as Locke Valor. He genuinely cares about his fans and followers, and will take over a bathroom with his army of hair products and makeup, take his time and make sure he's prepared before he steps into the world.

It's his birthday today and I wanted to offer a little tribute to this icon of the science fiction world, to a personal muse of my own, to the boy on not one but two of my book covers, and to a friend. Though I haven't seen him in a long time and we've both careened in somewhat different directions in life, I hold those memories dear. It's not every day that you meet a creature from another world, a modern dandy.

Happy birthday, man.