The New York based platform for independent fashion brands continues to garner international recognition for the designers that walk their shows in Paris, New York, and Miami. This fashion month has been quite the busy season for the company, as it prepared hundreds of collections for the runway across both fashion capitals.
Found below are moments captured from the production, as well as information about several of the brands which had collections shown in Paris.
The Clothing
The Accessories
Bhavyaa
Bhavyaa Prasad is the designer and creative director of her eponymous jewelry brand. She presented her latest collection- a collaboration between herself and astrologer Yazamin Adibi- titled Jewels of Venusians. This collection’s central focus is about harnessing internal energy to channel the divine feminine. Through the use of precious gemstones such as topaz in blue and pink, crystals like amethyst and quartz, and natural pearls, one becomes conscious of the diffusion of their own energy into society. The amalgamation of Persian, Mexican, and Indian astrology takes the form of beautiful high-end jewelry that is versatile. The pieces can be worn both day and night, and in environments that are casual or glamorous.
Bhavyaa’s work covers a wide range of styles, all created with diligent craftsmanship and selected from the highest quality of materials to produce pieces that are both creative, refined, and stylish. More of Bhavyaa’s work can be viewed on Instagram @bhavyaainy .
Bretagne Studio
Brittany Schofield is the designer and founder of Bretagne, a luxury couture bridal and eveningwear brand. Brittany has loved fashion for as long as she could remember and had many years of experience sewing, but it was after creating her mother’s ‘mother of the bride’ gown for her sister’s wedding that she decided to pursue fashion as a career. “It didn’t matter whether I was creating one or one-hundred dresses a year, I just needed to start,” she recalls. After a business degree and working in the corporate world, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that reminded her that life was too short to live without doing what you love.
Bretagne’s collections focus on bringing out emotion out of fashion, representing different feelings and evoking fantastical aspects out of people. “At Bretagne we use old world couture techniques to create evening and bridal wear that will not only fulfill your dream, but will be a garment of the highest, lasting quality,” says Brittany.
DANTE
Sebastian Torres’ brand, DANTE, decided to branch their premium Mexican shoe label from their manufacturing company. “We were producing many products for other brands, so we decided to channel all that expertise and quality into our own.” Dante’s ideal customer is people who strive for uniqueness through their fashion. “Our shoes are beautiful, but different,” notes Sebastian. Maybe that might be the key to their beauty.
Their collections often mix traditional, Western, and urban design onto boots, but boots that can be worn anywhere, and on any occasion. “Our trademark is on the verge of quality and inversion.” Sebastian’s advice for those wanting to start their own brand is to set and stick to short and long-term goals.
Define The Line
Lina, an Icelandic stylist with a passion for fashion, started her brand Define The Line 2017. “It’s my brainchild, I got the idea while working my job as a personal trainer and watching clients have to always pull up their tights after exercises.” After that, Lina began her work on clothing to fix this issue.
Their ideal customer benefits from Lina’s designs. Their designs are geared towards active people who work out and prioritize comfort, however, the brand can also be seen as a lifestyle one. Most products are designed for women, but some are unisex. Lina recommends surrounding yourself with a good team whose talents complement one another when starting a brand. “Start where you are, enjoy being a beginner and enjoy the journey. You will learn through it,” advises Lina.
Foreign Closet
Bria Charlise owns Foreign Closet, a combination of modern Contemporary and Streetwear fashion. “We represent inclusivity, innovation, functionality, and authenticity… which is why our tagline is ‘Creating A Story By What You Wear.’” The brand was born out of Bria’s college dorm room when she knew she wanted to design in the menswear industry. “I believe with marketing to the opposite sex you have to not only appeal and challenge them but you have to understand their thinking as well,” she says.
The Foreign Closet caters to Millennials. Their customer is fashion-forward, a risk-taker, an innovative leader/thinker and lives a “thriver” lifestyle. They value integrity, loyalty, respect, and authenticity. Their goals are to become spiritually, mentally/emotionally, financially, and physically mature (overall wisdom and betterment). “My advice is get out of your comfort-zone because that’s when you’ll work harder than ever,” Bria advises.
Geneva
Geneva Manley is the creative director of the eponymous, supernatural rockstar brand Geneva- which produces large, trailing, intricately embellished sashes. When the wearer drapes themself in one of Geneva’s pieces of art, they are said to experience powerful epiphanies, mental clarity, sudden healing, breakthroughs in relationships with others, or a combination of the aforementioned. Geneva channels their prophetic powers into the creation of each of these pieces, so the garment serves much higher purposes than simply being a wearable fabric.
A firm believer in the future of fashion being the materialization of the Higher Power, Geneva brings a unique perspective to the fashion industry. Along with their work ethic & passion for wearable art, Geneva wishes for the pieces they produce to give the wearer an awakening of spirituality, sexuality, and love.
IH
Irina founded her own lingerie brand, IH, in March 2021. Previously, Irina focused mainly on children’s clothing and women’s outerwear. Combining the will to try something new and her own problems of finding both well-fitting and good-looking underwear, she wanted to start her own label.
Fueled by her experience in the industry and fascinated by the cutting structure and creative freedom of lingerie, IH was born. “My brand is for women who feel equally comfortable in the spotlight and in the dark.
Mary Dickow’s Fashion Company
Mary is the fashion designer and CEO of Mary Dickow’s Fashion Company, a high-end fashion brand. It specializes in women ready to wear and Couture. Mary Dickow’s style is sophisticated, edgy, contemporary and seeks authenticity, which celebrates women individuality and their essence globally. “The designs allow women room to be playful, experimental and have freedom of expression,” Mary explains. Mary Dickow’s is not interested in just mass production, and rather wants to look at another way of dressing women to project individuality.
The brand develops innovative approaches to creating sophisticated products that are ecosystem friendly as well as showing commitment to upholding a legacy of excellence in execution and a high-quality craftmanship. Mary Dickows designs draw on environment, other design sensibilities and experiences of both Scandinavian and African heritage resulting in a clean simple blend design aesthetic that is perfectly globally. “Be authentic and contemporary,” Mary says to other fashion prospects.
MaterialMaya
“I’m Maria, originally from the coldest inhabited region in the world – Yakutia,” says the founder of MaterialMaya, a fashion brand specializing in wearable art. “I make precious eyewear among other accessories and jewelry from sterling silver, gold and gemstones,” she says. Maria was inspired to begin creating by Bali, where the strong silversmith traditions and learning possibilities captured her. “The creativity and skills of local artisans on this island remind me very much of my big Yakutian family of painters and wood/bone/ice-carvers,” she recalls.
Her ideal customer is an art collector and an open person in one. Someone who knows how to take care of unique and fragile pieces, but also is keen to give a jewel life by wearing it in public, so it tells people its own story. She recommends being watchful, having hands of gold, and be full of ambition when entering the fashion industry.
Maui x Lolita
Lolita Malone has been designing for over 25 years, mostly women’s swimwear and athletic wear. During COVID, she and her daughter Maui decided to start a separate brand: Maui x Lolita. Their ideal customer is someone who doesn’t want to be like anyone else or wear what other people have. “I think you should be creative and stay youthful with your creativity, just to be out in you know. Don’t be stuck in your ways of how you used to do things, don’t be afraid of change,” says Lolita.
Having a passion for designing means you have a strong “why” when considering entering the world of fashion. Use it for good. If your goal is to create basic pieces and put minimal thought into the designs you’re creating, you’re just playing the long game and hoping things go to plan. “Don’t be in it for the money, be in it for the passion,” says Lolita.
Montaha AlAjeel
Montaha AlAjeel is a Kuwaiti fashion designer. Her couture brands are among the regions leading names in couture since 2001. Her designs are worn by celebrities like Kali Hawk in her film Fifty shades of black. Bella Thorne, Mayim Bialik, and Jeanni Mai have also worn her brand. ‘Montaha Couture’ was founded in 2001 and ‘Montaha Alajeel’ was founded later in 2011.
Her brand launched ‘The Princess of Kuwait’, in the 2021 Paris Fashion Week. It is made of handmade crystal beading, delicate tulle, shimmering sparkle, feathers, and laces. “The new collection reflects my style and personality; each piece is like a picture of my imagination,” she explains when speaking about the prior release. “Be Princess” is how Montaha would describe her brand in a single phrase.
Riør Design
Janina is the founder, and designer behind Riør Design. She worked in Marketing for about 7 years and realized that it was simply not fulfilling. After meeting someone who started a jewelry brand without being a goldsmith or a “real” designer, she suddenly realized that this could be both her dream of owning a company and her childhood dream of being a designer coming true.
“You need to balance your creative and your business side. If you focus too much on the creative part, then the business part might be neglected, and vice versa,” she advises. She also recommends being open to learning and being enthusiastic about doing things: “be a do-er.” “In order not to give up, you need to be obsessed and totally in love with what you’re doing. It will give you the drive to keep on going,” she says.
SAK
Fatma and Sümeyye own “The SAK Sisters,” a clothing brand based in Limburg, Belgium. “We are two sisters with two different personalities but one passion, grown up in between two different cultures and developed one style,” they state. “One of the reasons why we choose our surname for our brand is that we are sisters and because of the love of geometric forms and curves of a female silhouette.” SAK values ambition, leadership, confidence, style, quality, and sophistication.
SAK’s pieces are ready to wear, display classy style evolution, meticulous attention to detail, supreme quality and a strong sense of sophistication. It’s designed to empower. Neither sister had previously worked in fashion, but decided that it was simply what they wanted to do. “Own your success in style – You always stand out with SAK garments. It’s also the reason why we chose this as our slogan,” the sisters say.
Talitha Kumi Jewels
Timber is the owner of Talitha Kumi Jewels. She was influenced to start her brand by her faith, which she was led by in her fashion journey. Her ideal customer loves fashion and spreading their faith through it. She prides herself and her brand on beautiful, one hundred percent handmade pieces.
She states that the top three skills designers need to have is the ability to market design and design, and to possess limitless creativity. “The advice I’d give fashion entrepreneurs is to go for it and be willing to learn along the way,” she says.
unattached
Una Pupola is the founder of the fashion brand “unattached”. Unattached is dedicated to ‘bold office princesses’. “I have been researching and interviewing these women indirectly for more than 15 years. As leaders in their professional work, they want to be at the forefront of other areas of life, including their style of dress,” explains Una.
The materials they use are high quality wool with cashmere, natural silk as well as high quality polyester used in the authentic fabric print of her brand. “I have always believed that clothes and fashion are language, and I love to talk to surrounding society using clothes.” Her brand is for girls who rule the world and want to challenge business etiquette: “For bold princesses of the business world and executives of their wardrobe, and because sometimes doing wrong is right.,” she states.
Yunique
Rhea Rose is the founder of Yunique, the concept of which is to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces. “I drew inspiration from Oriental and desert culture, because I come from Morocco,” Rhea explains. “All my inspiration come from the moral code and order-oriented culture of my home country.”
Yunique’s ideal customer would be people between 20 and 45 years old, who strive to be unique and special, and bring out that side of themselves through fashion. When starting a fashion brand, Rhea reckons creativity is key. Next is consistency, and then confidence. “When starting my collection, I doubted myself, which held me back slightly.” She says to keep your head up and do what you love to do.
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With love,
FWO
