Fresh talent's taking the runaway... Gen Art will showcase novel fashions, jewelry
By Kathryn Wexler
The Miami Herald
March 15, 2006
The first break is always the hardest.
Gen Art, the nonprofit organization whose mission is to introduce new talent in the fine arts to a broad audience, knows this all too well.
Its third annual Fresh Faces in Fashion show, Thursday, March 16, at the Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel, promises to be one of its usual slick productions that will likely launch some successful national careers.
"It's really become a huge force and resource for emerging, rising fashion talent," said Julia Brown, Gen Art's regional director. Gen Art in Miami selected five local applicants from 30 this year.
"We're seeing that we have more options to choose from each year," she said.
Here are their profiles. And if you miss the show tomorrow night, you can still snatch up their creations at shops around town.
PATRICIA COSTA, 36
Line: Patricia Costa
Hometown: Cape Cod, Mass.
Lives in: Miami and Coche Island in the Caribbean
What's your style?
Multi-layers of strands filled with Swarovski crystals, very Baroque in style, very 17th century French. The oxymoron of the look is to have the white tank top T-shirt, jeans, and the opulence of the crystal. I'm also doing beautiful beige pearls. It's very Chanel-esque. Very feminine. The spring collection is really a reflection of the tropical beauty of Coche Island.
What's your educational background?
I studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, in Boston, and in Trieste (Italy), restoration for painting.
Where to get it: Claudio Milano, 865 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; En Avance, 734 Lincoln Rd.; Plush, 703 E Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale.
Prices: $245 - $2,300
Coming soon: www.CostaJewelry.org
LAUREN CARINA GRAHAM, 20
Line: Lauren Carina
Hometown: Boca Raton
Lives in: Miami
How do you construct your jewelry?
I go out and handpick very unique stones and try to come up with unique designs and silhouettes. Most are one-of-a-kind or limited edition. I buy the beads on strands, wire and a spool and I have my pliers and chains, usually 14-carat gold-filled. Usually I use tourmaline, sapphires, kyanite and opals -- I use very nice stones. When I do necklaces, I'll sit down and draw it all out first. Then, from that, I make a pattern. I try to recreate what I drew.
Where to get her: Alpark The Salon, 150 Worth Ave., Palm Beach
Prices: $100 - $5,000
Website: www.laurencarina.com
NEKTAR de STAGNI, 22
Line: Pelusium
Hometown: Miami
Lives in: Miami
You have a store, too, right?
I have a store in the Design District I opened three months ago that stocks only my own collection of womens wear, jewelry and purses.
I think the designs are fairly simple and the silhouettes are more minimal, with intricate, classic fabrics like brocade, silk, taffeta. I balance opposites. If the design is more complex, I'll use a cotton or linen - a more natural fabric. If it's more girly, I'll try to offset it with material.
Why Pelusium?
In ancient Egypt, Pelusium used to be a port, and that was where the first of the fine clothing manufacturers were.
Prices: $70 - $390
Where to get her: Pelusium, 155 NE 38th St., Miami. By appointment only, 305-576-6695; accessories sold at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 770 NE 125th St, North Miami
Website: www.pelusium.com
JENNIFER ZEUNER, 33
Line: Jennifer Zeuner
Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Lives in: Boca Raton
How did you get into jewelry designing?
I sold jewelry for about a year and I just loved it. I had a good eye for buying what was in fashion...And then I took some classes, and the first time that I learned how to make necklaces, I took two over to a very high-end boutique in Boca Raton at 3 o'clock, and they sold at 5:30 that day. I said, "Oh my god, this is huge. I have to go with it." I have two boys and I've been doing everything myself - the marketing and sales and making things - but it's grown really quickly.
Where you can get it: Chroma, 920 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach; Anika in Aventura Mall; Mia Jewels, 1439 Alton Rd., Miami Beach
Price range: $40 - $290
Coming soon: www.jenniferzeuner.com
ULI HERZNER, 33
Line: Uli Herzner
Hometown: Munich
Lives in: Miami Beach.
Why Miami?
I am a stylist - that's how I ended up in Miami. I'm working with Ford models for five years. I do styling for different clients - Sunglass Hut, L.L. Bean...and a couple of German companies. I do styling for catalogs, fashion shoots, for fashion stories.
What's your collection about?
My collection is very colorful and happy, and it's a mix of tropical colors and floating materials. Because I live in Miami, that's what comes to me - the colors, the sun...that's where inspiration comes from. It would look different if I lived in New York. It would be beige and brown and black.
Prices: $200 - $900
Where to get it: Chroma; Lavish, 841 Lincoln Rd.
OTHER LAUREN CARINA NEWS AND EVENTS
|
|
|
PORTFOLIO | ABOUT | CONTACT
Copyright © 2006 Lauren Carina Graham, All Rights Reserved SITE DEVELOPMENT BY SIGNAL SEVEN MEDIA
|