Friday, April 25, 2014

Meet Our High Fashion Girl: Designer Janus Koziuk of Glamazonjayne


Janus Koziuk of Glamazonjayne (her alter ego!) attended last year's events and was so blown away and inspired that she just HAD to participate this year. She and Kelli Martin worked together at Rag-O-Rama (longer ago than both of them would want to admit, I am sure) and has followed her career ever since, supporting her whenever possible.

Roller Derby Bride

I wanted to participate in this year's event because it seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime. I could not be more excited to share my own visions and see the work of my fellow local designers.  

Kim Webb Photographer

She's been obsessed with fashion since age 5 and began sewing professionally as soon as she could legally work. High fashion and avante garde are her game and she describes her customers as: Brides who are looking for something non-traditional for their special day. Musicians who want to stand out on stage. Drag queens and MC's who have a particular look in mind, Professional dancers, (ballroom, salsa, or even exotic) who want to make a statement. Pageant participants who need something to set them apart from other contestants.


So, can you even imagine what she'll come up with for the finale??


Q&A
What fashion era would you like to be transported to?
I very much enjoy the formality of the early 1960's, especially the menswear! And I enjoy the volume of the dresses from the 1800's. BUT if I had to choose one, it would be the 1920's by a long shot. So much glamour and creativity. Oh and THE HATS!!


What is your fav fashion trend from the last 20 years?
Skinny jeans, love the skinny jeans. I also really appreciate the moving trend to wear color at your wedding. As an unconventional bridal designer, it is really good for business!
What is the most outrageous request for fashion that you have received? Custom work?
I once made pasties and matching panties out of candy for a stripper. Skittles (for color), jolly ranchers (for shine), and gumdrops (for texture)


Who is your favorite designer?
I love Valentino, because I am a formal dress gal, but Jody Krevens really stood out for me last year and inspired me to think outside of my comfort zone. My fellow local designers are all so talented and inspirational, I don't have to go far! Especially Kelli Martin. Her drive and effortless talent with dyes have always been a big motivation for me.

Musician, Steve Fox
Describe your fashion nightmare.
My fashion nightmare is looking like a middle aged Mom. Now, this is interesting, because I AM a middle aged mom, but the idea of dull cardigan twin set and khakis with a pair of Keds, makes me really sad and depressed! Nearly equally difficult to tolerate are the Ugg boots and Northface jackets that I see all over campus. Both of these looks scream conformity into the masses! Like, this is what normal people wear, and if you want to fit in and be normal, you better wear Ugg boots and Northface jackets until you reach 35, and then twin sets and khakis until you DIE!! IT"S NOT TRUE PEOPLE!! You can wear whatever the hell you want!! Even if it is not my own personal aesthetic, it is better than the default. Putting absolutely no thought into what you wear is my fashion nightmare.

Contact info for readers:
614 -370 -7150
glamazonjayne@yahoo.com

~ Vicki Oster
http://loveohiocraftersandartisans.wordpress.com/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/paperpiecesbyvicki


Bohemian and Playful: Meet Designer Isolda Marie Meade



Isolda Couture, the brainchild of Isolda Marie Meade, was established September 2007 after Isolda graduated with a BA in Fashion Design from Marymount University in Arlington VA. As she explains: 

 From 2003-2004, I attended various courses at FIT while I was working for Betsey Johnson as a Design Intern at her 7th Ave design firm and showroom in New York City. Furthermore, I studied abroad and worked as a Freelance Designer during the summer of 2007 in London, England...where I began to shape the idea and logistics of launching Isolda Couture.


Her experience since has included being an outsourced vendor for alterations for the Lane Bryant Flagship store and JCrew at Easton Town Center, working as a Technical Design Temp of Women's Woven Tops/Dresses for Hollister and Gilly Hicks at Abercrombie & Fitch Home Office, making handmade pillows using fabrics of interesting prints and color palettes for Swanky Abode and various other privately commissioned projects.

She now works as a Team Lead for JPMorgan Chase in Customer Claims by day. As intellectually stimulating as this day job is, she absolutely loves coming home to spend time with her family and to focus on creative Isolda Couture projects in her "spare time"!



Isolda discovered the Alternative Fashion Mob through her friend, Jody Krevens, who has been involved in AFW. After attending the runway show last year, she was quite impressed with the professionally produced, large scale event she witnessed, so she reached out and got involved!

Isolda will be participating in many of the AFW events, including the Grande Finale Runway Show where she will be launching her FIRST EVER Lingerie Collection! Then in May, she will be working with Rachel Katz, AFW model and photographer, on a photo shoot for an editorial publication submission!  Very exciting!




Q&A:
Why fashion?
Barbie Dolls initially sparked my interest in design. I made outfits of toilet tissue, tinfoil and tape! Haha...Gotta start somewhere I guess!

How do you integrate a day job with fashion design?
The experience I've gained at Chase over the past 3 years has really taught me how to run my own business. I've taken that knowledge I've gained about how to make good business decisions... stick to your guns and stay calm when you have to, stay organized in order to be efficient, prioritize your responsibilities to meet deadlines but be able to be flexible on the fly, show confidence even when you have no idea what you're talking about and be resourceful enough to find the necessary information ...and I apply those lessons towards developing the same successful work environment in my design studio. It's difficult because a lot of time and energy is invested into both, but the outcome is rewarding enough to me to be worth it! Passion and persistence are KEY to being successful in the fashion industry!

Describe your design aesthetic.
My original aesthetic involves passion, creativity and uniqueness. Sometimes it's bright, sometimes dark, but it's always playful, a bit rebellious and alluring! Overall, my designs tend to consist of a blend in vintage, bohemian, and lingerie styled looks.  My garments are custom and made-to-order so they'll always fit by conforming to your curves properly. 

What is YOUR fashion mission?
My mission is to create beautiful, handmade, wearable garments for the modern fashionista with a playful, chic style.  She craves classic and contemporary couture looks with a twist that only Isolda Couture can uniquely provide!  It's even better that the garment is custom made just for her and done on a personalized budget!

What/who is your fashion muse?
My inspiration comes from various sources including contemporary and generational pop culture (often times Gil Elvgren pinup girls, icons like Marilyn Monroe, Dita Von Teese and Adriana Lima, the lifestyle as exhibited in Mad Men, etc.), music (specifically Trip Hop, Brit Pop, Rock, Classic Rock, Jazz, Electronica and Industrial Dub Step), films, art, beat poetry (Allen Ginsberg is my favorite!), nature, my travels abroad and the fabric itself.

What is your "pet" project?
I plan to continue raising money for Pet Promise, a local non-profit pet rescue, by making made-to-order pet bow ties along with (optional) matching pin-back bowties and bow barrettes for their owners.  We fostered, and later adopted, our dog, Sophie. through them and the process was smooth and organized. So if you're looking to foster and/or adopt a pet, I highly recommend going through them! 


Contact information for readers:
Isolda Couture
P.O. Box 1743
Westerville, OH 43086
(Photo credit for floral garments is Billy Bradford.)

~ Vicki Oster
http://loveohiocraftersandartisans.wordpress.com/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/paperpiecesbyvicki

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Fashion Plus Much More: Meet Brandee Bailous of House of Baboski

3 The Hard Way Media, Photography

Meet Columbus native Brandee Bailous of the House of Baboski (previously Baboski Fashions), who is new to the AFW this year. Her granny was the impetus for her dive into fashion, teaching her at a young age how to sew and use patterns. The fashionista bloomed from there a one year stint at Centenary College in NJ for fashion design and merchandising followed by training at the Ohio State Schools of Cosmetology.

Creativity is a way of life for her 24/7, hearing colors and seeing patterns and letting them flow out onto her mannequin...she very seldom sketches!



Specializing in plus size clothing, Brandee has found her niche creating designs for confident, willing-to-take-a-risk kind of people...everyday folks who want some pizzazz in their look. Inspired by nature and music, she believes that natural designs flow and calm her clientele. Although she is designing mostly for women she does also create menswear. 

Suitable Photography

Selling her clothing at Royal Factory, a boutique in the Short North, is how she got connected to the AFM gang. As she puts it: I felt that this was a great opportunity to give designers and models a shot who aren't considered mainstream. It gives us "crazy/weird" designers and models a platform to showcase our talents.

Suitable Photography

Last year this talented lady won 2013 POSED Fashion Awards Best Plus Size Designer and Best Plus Size Runway Model!! You go, girl!!!! And, in addition to the AFW Finale in April, she will be showing her pieces at the Great Lakes Fashion Showcase in Cleveland, The Full Figured Fashion Weekend in Cincy, and will be participating in the RAW Artist event in June.

This is one busy fashionista!!!



Q&A
What sets you apart from other designers?
I am hands on. I do hair, make up, styling and I am a model, so I also do runway coaching. I also sew 100% of my designs with no team and no assistant.


What is your favorite piece of clothing to wear?
My favorite piece of clothing surprisingly is a pair a sweat pants or lounge pants. I like to be comfortable. Lol. Sometimes I dress like a hobo, but when I clean up I get red carpet ready. 

If you could pick a rock/punk/rap/blues star for a muse who would that be?
I would pick Prince. I feel he is a mix of all those genres. His style of hair, music, and clothing is timeless that's why his career is so long lived. 

What fashion would you not be caught dead in??
I'm not really sure what I wouldn't be caught dead in. I'm a risk taker when it comes to fashion. I like to mix textures, patterns, prints and especially decades.




Contact info for readers:
email: bigbaboski04_99@yahoo.com
ig: baboski0499
twitter: baboski04_99

www.phantumsphantastyapparel.com


~ Vicki Oster
http://loveohiocraftersandartisans.wordpress.com/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/paperpiecesbyvicki

Passion for Fashion: Meet Designer Peng Zhang


Olivier Peng Zhang of O.Z. (his eponymous label) hails from China and is completely self-taught...no art school or design education ...but who would know? He has only had a name for his fashion line in the last few months...taking part in the AFW finale was the impetus to create a label...WOOT!

Zhang came to the U.S. to work on an mechanical engineering degree at OSU but fairly quickly found out his passion for fashion was really where his future lay. He feels that fashion chose him rather than the other way around!

His clean and minimalistic design aesthetic is perfect for those who prefer simple but fun fashion that combines different materials and colors. 




Those who want to look chic while buying one piece that goes with everything are gonna
be wowed by his designs.





Q&A
What inspires your creations?
My surroundings, including colors and funny materials

Who is/are your favorite designer(s)?
My favorite designers are Raf Simons and Phoebe Phillo.

Are your fashions available locally or online?
I will be selling my stuff soon on my partner’s website: www.fashionmomo.com.

Are you inspired at all by your Asian culture?  Do any of your designs incorporate Chinese styles or is it mostly just inspired by simple lines?
Undeniably, Asian culture is a huge part of who I am but I never like to source my inspiration to a specific culture context. I love something that is more universal like shapes and colors.  There is something very tasteful and ravishing about a sharp, clean line and that is where I want to explore with my collection.

What is your fashion nightmare...what fashion do you absolutely HATE?
I loathe anything that resembles something out of cheap costume shop. It also gives me physical pain when I see a design that is too cluttered and poorly executed. I don’t have anything against costumes but they should be costumes, not every day clothing!

How long have you been designing?
Designing to me is a very personal experience it’s really hard to put a time frame on it. It is something I have liked to do since I was a child. I guess what I am saying is that my creativity is always the safe place for me to go when I am feeling down. Fortunately, AFM gave me the opportunity to share my vision with the pubic. Although I just showed 3 pieces to apply to the show, I felt so blessed to see positive reactions to my designs. I hope with my participation in AFW finale, more people can learn about my designs and that will help me launch a fashion line.

What is your favorite piece of clothing to wear?
A white T-shirt and denim jackets ;-) - they are truly my closet staples .  


Contact for readers:
FACEBOOK: PENG ZHANG  (https://www.facebook.com/nathan.zhang.100)

~ Vicki Oster
http://loveohiocraftersandartisans.wordpress.com/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/paperpiecesbyvicki

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Meet The Tailored Man: Horacio Nieto of Arlo Menswear


 Hey, you DO know that AFM is not just about women's wear and woman designers, don't you? Well if you didn't, it's high time that you learned that it is also about cutting edge men's fashions and up-and-coming male designers. And we are pretty lucky to have some amazingly talented men on board this year!

We are pleased to announce one of the AFW menswear designersHoracio Nieto, who was named by Michigan Avenue Magazine in 2012 as one of Chicago's "Top 12 Noteworthy Men" in the fashion industry. Nieto started Arlo Menswear in 2007 as a small line that made custom jackets for private clientele. Since that time, his line has expanded to include shirts, pants, vests and will soon feature underwear and handbags.

All photos courtesy of Dean Paul

Originally from South Texas, Nieto was always the 'arts and crafts' kind of kid, loving to sketch and think outside the box. In middle school, he began watching fashion programs on TV and designing. By high school, the fashion design bug was pretty much entrenched in his psyche. A Chicago design school was his next destination. After graduating in 2004, he worked for 10 years at a number of companies such as 1154 Lill Handbags, Ultimate Bride, and Souldier (they make guitar straps for bands like Dave Matthews Band, Sheryl Crow, and many more). This diverse background is what he believes sets him apart from other designers and has helped him in developing his own line.


His design aesthetic is very tailored and detailed, yet wearable. He loves fabric with texture, pattern and color. He always keeps his customers in mind, wanting to provide them with fashion pieces they'll want to wear on a daily basis.


He describes the man he designs for as:

"A man that wants to express his personality and emotions with his clothing. We have a range of men that purchase the clothing, such as the man that wants the more minimalistic pieces, to the man that is really fashion forward and wants to stand out. We always want to keep our customer in mind yet still stay true to the brand."

Inspiration for his designs come from just about everything: a leaf on the street, fine art, music, food, culture. He also states that making mistakes while creating is inevitable and should be not be viewed as a negative, but rather as a means to improve upon skills to reach the desired end product. 


Q&A:
Why Columbus and AFM?  
I moved for a job opportunity and then found Highball where I met the AFM folks and loved them.
What is your favorite aspect of fashion?
It's never boring...whatever we hate stays and what we love will be transformed!
What's your goal for Arlo Menswear? 
I would like for Arlo Menswear to become a brand that men across the nation will recognize and want to wear.

Considering how innovative and snazzy his clothes are, the fashion-minded man would be crazy not to help him make this dream come true!

~~Vicki Oster
http://loveohiocraftersandartisans.wordpress.com/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/paperpiecesbyvicki


Contact for readers: 

www.arlomenswear.com         
arlomenswear@gmail.com        
Twitter, Instagram & Tumblr: @ArloMenswear

Rebellious Hair= A Good Thing! : Meet Hair Designer Brianne Jeanette


Laura Dark Photography

Synthetic Rebellion was founded by Brianne Jeanette in 2010 and was initially a business that created various styles and structures of synthetic hair art. Brianne and assistant Kaylen recently branched out into hair fashion just this year as a way to challenge themselves creatively. Their primary purpose and specialty is styling avant-garde hair for photo shoots, events, and the runway.
MoxieInk Designs

I started building hair structures for photo shoots when I was just starting out as a model in Columbus. I gained a reputation for them rather quickly, and soon after began styling hair and creating both wigs and structures for Laura Dark Studios. Kaylen got her cosmetology license in 2011 and has worked with hair ever since. 
           
Our general aesthetic is usually categorized as large and elaborate. We really focus on taking inanimate objects and making them come to life as wearable pieces of art made almost entirely out of synthetic hair. Since everything is one-of-a-kind, we never duplicate what we've made before, and we always try and push our own limits and boundaries. 


Laura Dark Photography

Clients are mostly performers, models, photographers, and even other designers. Down the like we would love to span out and create signature hair pieces and outfits for drag queens and theater productions.      

They've already  been published internationally and nationally in over 30 magazines, and have been featured on 10TV News for their Female Spotlight!     

Laura Dark Photography

These lovelies had so much fun participating in AFW last year creating hair sculptures for Aaron James of Ruby Hill Designs that they decided to try creating their own collection. Columbus has been such a wealth of support that it's really bolstered the Rebellion's confidence. It seemed the only sensible thing to do was to submit themselves for the finale and see if they were accepted... And they were! 

Alternative Fashion Week is HUGE for us! We're spending all of the time we have outside of the studio to work on our collection. We have a small collection for Drauma, courtesy of Label Yourself's designs, but other than that, we're at full focus for AFW.


Q&A
What fuels your passion?
A challenge! We get so much energy and passion from just trying to figure out how something could be done, and then once it is, we're just elated. It's that feeling, and the entire process, that totally keeps us inspired for the next project- And for what we do!
   
How can someone get one of your lovely creations?
You can book us to create pieces for a project that is totally unique and just for you. We construct pieces behind the scenes, and then we show up on set to install the piece! We can also be booked to style hair for shoots, events, etc. If you're interested in having us get involved with your project, all you have to do is message us! 
  
Bird, Model Brianne Jeanette
Laura Dark Photography
Describe your creative process.
Everything we do has been self-taught, so a lot of our creative process begins with some massive head scratching. Hair can be easily turned into a useful textile if you just think outside the box. We hope to prove that during AFW! 

What sets you apart from other designers?
Creating clothing out of hair has certainly been done before, but we hope to take it to the next level. Not only do we have our clothing collection though, we also have enormous hair structures that will accompany each piece, making it as awe-inspiring as possible. 
             
Contact info for readers: 

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Meet Caroll + Cleopatra: Our Young and Confident Designer Duo

Cleopatra Slough and Caroll Kern
Caroll Kern and Cleopatra Slough are juniors at CCAD pursuing undergrad degrees in fashion design. These self-proclaimed cat people have worked together for a few years in classes and personal side projects and are bringing their collaboration, Caroll + Cleopatra, to the AFW finale runway show. Both are in the honors program and showcase their work in campus galleries every semester. And although fashion is their main pursuit, they both are also interested in photography and jewelry design.

Caroll Kern, Photographer

They design for young confident women (like them!!) with a strong influence from the 70s. Music and textiles from that era really inform our work, and we tend to put a slightly girly twist on things.  

Attending CCAD provides lots of inspiration as well...friends and fellow artists at the school certainly fuel creative juices for both young ladies.  One example of this was learning Shibori and Nuno Felting in their Surface Design class last week and observing not only what they were taught but also what their peers created!


At this point, they do not sell their designs anywhere but do take commissions when they have time, creating only one-of-a-kind clothing.

Caroll Kern, Photographer


Q&A 
What is essential to your design process?
We sketch A LOT.


Why the AFM/AFW?
We found out about AFW through our school’s Career Services program! We think of ourselves as alternative designers, so we definitely thought it would make a great fit!

 Dylan Kasson, Photographer
What fashion trend do you wish would go away forever?
We HATE Uggs!

Who are your musical muses?
Our favorite bands are The Smiths,  Psychedelic  Furs, The Clash, and Nirvana.


What other fashion era helps you get your groove on?
Right now Cleo and I throw back a lot to the 80s and 90s. 

 Dylan Kasson, Photographer


Contact for readers: