Honee Persona presents fall winter 2017 fashion collection at Style Fashion Week Los Angeles. This collection is about identity. We get to choose who we are on the inside at any moment and create our fashion on that choice.
The collection looks at the layers of being comfortable in the skin we are in. “Since the beginning of time, we have made choices. Fashion is also a choice,” states Persona. She is a graduate of the Art Institute of California. This collection is Asian fusion with Kabuki styling. She created rope hair extensions weaved in the hair. This collection awarded best in hair and makeup at New York Fashion Week.
Persona brings an industrial design background to her runway collection. She incorporates this in her fashion. The material used for this collection are unconventional. She uses plastic chiffon. The material made from recycled plastic and turned into chiffon. She combines this with metals. The two unconventional materials create sculptures in the collection.
The collection is about identity and how deeply we express ourselves. The layers we choose to wear describes who we are at the moment. The menswear is a take on a super hero, inside is outside. The menswear is masculine and strong. We have to ask ourselves how do we express ourselves in the skin we are in.
Taylor Swift released a single titled Look What You Made Me Do shortly after removing all images and posts from social media. The video premiered on Good Morning America and seen at the Video Music Awards (VMAs). This styling is a throwback of the fashion and styling Swift has graced at many red carpets, music videos, and award shows.
Taylor Swift’s Fashion
She wears a J. Mendel dress (Out of the Woods video),Balmain red cutout dress (2009 VMAs), Oscar de la Renta baby pink gown (2014 Met Gala red carpet), KaufmanFranco one-shoulder gown (worn during her acceptance speech at VMAs), and the Ballet West swan ballerina costume (Shake It Off Video). There are many new pieces included in the video including a dominatrix style jumpsuit with Fendi thigh-high boots. Her hair and makeup changed throughout the video fitting different moments in her past performances and an evolution of a new Swift.
Taylor Swift’s Styling
Her styling includes a vast jewelry with each outfit change. The jewels include:
The changes in styling in the video are many and come with deep meaning. Please leave your thoughts in the comment section about your interpretation of the video.
One year ago she was working the challenges on America’s Next Top Models (ANTM). Capra’s dream was to appear on ANTM and work the runway. There was a height requirement in seasons past. She was just a little shy of the requirement until the last season. Tyra Banks saw something in the 5’5′ Capra.
Capra works hard and focuses on the challenges on ANTM. She has a major look change and takes it in stride because this is her dream. She gains a following that loves to seeing this young model make her dreams come true. This experience is a fabulous opportunity for Capra. It is heartbreaking for viewers when her time ended too soon on ANTM.
Capra continues to focus on her goal of modeling and makes it very successful. Capra says, “I turned to my faith, family, and good friends to pick myself up. I learned a lot about myself and modeling. I knew this was my dream and I love the work.”
Capra has done just that. She graces the runways, cover of magazines, red carpets and more. She commands the runway as if she is taller than life. Her runway shows have include Art Hearts Fashion Week, Metropolitan Fashion Week, LA Swim Week, and more. She is often referred to as the flower Child Virgin and her flower brand, “Bloom by Ava.”
Her mother, Ann Marie Capra, states, “Ava has worked hard to stay focused, true to herself, and is making her dream come true.” Her mother states it best. Capra during the last year after leaving ANTM accomplishes a lot. Tyra Banks saw something in Capra, but Capra continues to shows that something special. She brings a strong determination to fashion, runway, commercial, and beauty making her dreams come true.
Malan Breton, a fashion designer, brings a story in three chapters for fall-winter 2017. The chapters create a story that flows from New York Fashion Week, to London Fashion Week, and concludes in Los Angeles at Style Fashion Week. The collection brings a complete story from the chapters: Everywhere at the End of Time (New York), Living in the Moment in Fear (London), and Seven Deadly Sins (Los Angels).
The New York chapter is Everywhere at the End of Time. This chaptertakes us to the current times in the world now and brings about empowerment. Empowering women and those beingpoorly treated. The entire show from the dancers, to the opening model, Nykhor Paul bring the story to life.
The runway included celebrities models: Kiera Chaplin (Charlie Chaplin’s granddaughter), Frankie Grande, Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin, Dylan Grieco, Mason Grammer, and Janine Tugonon. Each is a part is the weaving of the story about acceptance and hope.
London’s show at Freemasons Hall continues the collections’ story. This chapter is living in the current time of fear and darkness. Taking the color away from you. The loss of color a strong presence on the runway. The opening fabric for this chapter looks like a second skin. The music for the runway is Sleepwalk by Santo & Johnny.
Los Angeles story chapter, the Seven Deadly Sins. This runway brings the story back to hope, light, and empowerment with the use of color. The Phoenix in the triplet chapter story.
The collections’ stories inspiration is the 1930s, the loss of hope and death. The stories draw from Charlie Chaplin‘s 1930 films including City Lights and Modern Times. The collections present the story with perfection in fabrics, treatments, performances, and colors.
The fabrics are Asian inspired. The fabrics are organzas, silk Charmeuse, and recycled piettes. The piettes created from recycled aluminum cans. Breton uses a company in Twain that cuts, colors, and treats the metal.
Breton says, “I do my best to protect the environment when creating my designs.” This metallic dress moments and texture are extraordinary. Breton states, “the dress movement comes from the way I weighted and draped the dress. I am so grateful it turned out so well.”
The color in this chapter is green (earth and rebirth), gold (prosperity and richness), and deep blue (continuous flow of life). The floral prints brings beauty and a new beginning to the final chapter of the story.
Breton’s chapters stay true to his aesthetics elegance. The men’s silhouettes are very on point. This collection Breton styled and designed himself. His stylist for several seasons, Montgomery Frazier The Image Guru, said, “we do not put anyone in anything that is ill-fitting. If it is ill-fitted they do not wear it. The textures and fabrics fit Breton’s catch line ‘wherever you go shine.’ The fabrics are rich, opulent, exquisite tailoring, and he is about fashion. Being here with Breton is so glamorous at Style Fashion Week with the beautiful outdoor setting and jazz music.”
Breton develops his menswear after his own experience. He states, “when I was a ballet dancer in London and on Broadway every time I lifted my arm up when wearing a suit I would lose part of my sleeve. I knew I had to figure out how to cut a suit so I do not lose part of my sleeve. I trained at Turnbull And Asser, the suit makers for the Prince of Wales. He says, “I incorporate the English traditions in my designs. I learned there with my development for the men’s suits.”
The fashion show stayed true to the designers’ aesthetic while completing the story started in New York. The beauty, tailoring, and signature detailing tell the story of hope, equality, and empowerment. Concluding with the image of renewing and shining wherever you are.
Kether Donohue joins us on the red carpet at the Emmys® Creative Arts Awards. She comes with a strong background in television, theater, and film. She is an actress, producer, director, and writer. Her performance in Grease Live as Jan provides comic relief.
Donohue embraced her career from an early age growing up in New York. She attended a performing arts high school and graduated from Fordham University with a concentration in film. This training prepared her for each role she has undertaken.
Taking on the iconic role Jan in Grease Live took some time to create the character into a new modern role while capturing Jan’s essence. Donohue states, “The directors provided an atmosphere for me to explore, make mistakes, and hone in on the character for this production.” This allows for Jan to come to life for a new generation.
Her career has spanned decades. She has worked with theater allowing for her to interact with the audience and crew during a performance. She moved on to voice-over work. This took some time to get used to being alone in a room during a performance. Each role has provided insight to her next performance.
Her beauty in a Vivienne Westwood corset cocktail dress and Prada shoes grace the runway, but her intellect and passion to each role she embraces were clearly demonstrated. She is in You’re the Worst on FX Networks.
Grease Live awarded 5 Emmys® for Outstanding Lighting Design Lighting Direction For A Variety Special, Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, video control for a limited series, movie, or special, Outstanding Special Class Program, Outstanding Directing A Variety Special, and Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Nonfiction Event Or Award Special.
Kathryn Burns (Kat) joins us on the red carpet at the Emmys® Creative Arts Awards. She danced her way to an Emmys® for Outstanding Choreography in MyCrazy Ex-Girlfriend. She is the first choreographer nominated working with a scripted series.
Joining her for the evening was her gorgeous mother and father. It is an exciting evening and red carpet for the family. Her family plays a large role in her dance career. She began dancing from her older sister’s influence.
Burns dance training includes tap, ballet, contemporary, but her passion is hip-hop. After college, she moved to Hollywood. She was her dream was a backup dancer but released she was too tall and white.
Kathryn turned her attention to comedy. This was not as successful as she envisioned. This left her feeling a little in between dance and comedy. One day someone asked her about dancing when she was doing comedy. She said, “I am a trained dancer.” This question changed her world.
This opens doors to use her comedic training and dance to choreographing for the scripted comedy. She continues to work at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, presenting live comedy. Improv, sketch, and stand-up. She has enjoyed being here for over 10 years.
The challenges with choreography with a written script are working with people who may not have formal training, working within the set, characters, script, and camera angles, while meeting comedic timing. Kathryn said, “It is such an honor and humbling experience being recognized by my peers in dance.”
Crazy Ex-Girlfriendawarded one Emmys® Creative Arts for Outstanding Choreography 2016.
Fernando Alberto, a fashion designer, presents Under A Black Moon handcrafted print designs. Alberto’s fall-winter 2017 collection’s runway is at Art Hearts Fashion Week at Beverly Hilton.
Alberto states, “I don’t have an inspiration. I see something I like and go from there.” This collection develops from photographs of dead trees. He creates the fabric print from this photograph.
This takes us on a journey through the woods with fabrics that are modern, reflective, and full of movement. This collection creates light in something so dark. He steps from his normal romantic collection. Fabrics include vegan leather was buttery. The polygon uni fabric felt like silk. Practicality in design is important to the consumer. He creates his own patterns, cut the fabric, and takes ownership of each piece created.
Alberto carries on the family tradition of elegant fashion. The understanding and appreciation of design bring sophistication glamor to women. His talent is well recognized by the fashion industry as the fashion house to watch and celebrities. His designs worn by Joy Huerta at the Grammys, Ajiona Alexus at the MTV Awards, Mariah Carey, Lauren Hill, Ashanti, and Mya.
Alberto talent is the art of creating women wear that is elegant, filled with motion, and the strong sense of a woman’s form. This fall-winter collection connects luxurious fabrics and textures creating beautiful art while taking a journey Under A Dark Moon.
Beauty direction by April Love Pro Makeup Academy.
The Beguiled is one of the most anticipated films at Cannes Film Festival. Director, Sofia Coppola, brings the woman’s point of view and how it was for these women during this time period. The original film was from the man’s point of view. This point of view brings a new dynamic to the melodramatic remake.
Film synopsis At a girls’ school in Virginia during the Civil War, where the young women are sheltered from the outside world, a wounded Union soldier is taken in. Soon, the house is taken over with sexual tension, rivalries, and an unexpected turn of events.
This film is a remake of (The Beguiled (1971). Both films based on the novel The Beguiledby Thomas Cullinan. The first film brings the male perspective of a wounded Union soldier. Coppola brings the story back with the perspective of the women in the boarding school.
The revisiting of The Beguiled creates its own dynamics. Coppola says, “I never tried to remake the film, go back and tell my story. I wanted to forget that and to imagine how I would make this film.” She brings the women’s stories and perspective to the forefront.
Coppola discusses the film being a feminist film, she states, “It is up to the audience to determine how they want to take it. I put my thoughts into film and you can determine how it affects you. I was making the film from the female point of view. The core of the story is the power struggle between the male and female.” The story brings this struggle to the center of the film.
Living in a boarding school atmosphere where they are all women who are functioning well, until the new dynamic, Farrell enters the school. Kidman states about Farrell’s character, “I think he comes in an ruins everything. We were fine. We only could not procreate. Good riddance to him.” The dynamic changes for each person in the film.
Kirsten Dunst, plays Edwina Dabney in the film, says “all these people pent up together no matter male, female, or a mixture. There will always be something that comes out it is a survivalist technique. Colin just happens to be what all our aggression, energy, and emotions corseted up, let’s say. They get unleashed because this new dynamic comes in.” This does bring a change for the girls attending the boarding school.
Nicole Kidman recalls Martha Farnsworth, her character in the film, “is very maternal. Kidman states, “She is there to protect these girls in a very treacherous difficult time. Her motivation is to protect them, to guide them, to bring them, so when the war ends they are capable.” Farrell’s character makes it difficult for the continued protection.
Colin Farrell, John McBurney character in the film, states “It has been a journeyman to get here. Many miles of roads and many corsets. It was an amazing experience shooting this film. Coppola sets a particular mood, one that is of comfort, of ease, trust, and an environment that allows you as an actor to explore and play. It was my favorite experience and shoot. Sophia is a creative beast of an engine with tenderness, elegance, and a gentility.” Looking forward to this film? It will be in theaters June 20, 2017.
Just a few fun notes from the press conference Kidman and Coppola often swiped their hair from the left side of their faces at the same time. Kidman discusses working through mistakes, “I try to focus on the positive. Sometimes you fail and sometimes you succeed. That is the journey. You just get back up. . . You fall over you brush off your knees and get back up. It is a really really hard thing to do. You cry and you feel. It is not saying don’t feel, but experience it navigates and get move through it. . . I’ll learn from everything.”
This 70th year will continue to evolve film worldwide. Stay tuned here for coverage of events from fashion, red carpet, actresses/actors, and films.