RVAFW Runway Show
Story by Estelle Avbuere Photos by Trysten Evans If there was ever a question of whether high-quality style and creativity can be found in Richmond, the RVA Fashion Week Runway Show gave us confirmation as each model walked the runways in incredible designs and left us all in awe. Consider that question answered. The City Hall Observation Deck lent a beautiful background for the stylish event, with a stunning view of the sunset over the city. Even before the show began, the room was a hub of style. Everyone was dressed for the occasion, eating, drinking, posing for pictures, chatting with old friends, and eagerly meeting new people – all under the glow of the Deck’s soft red lights. This was the perfect time to check out the vendors – local brands and designers with unique creations, ranging from handmade jewelry to Ankara-fabric-covered earmuffs. By the time we were done gushing over the vendor’s designs and taking selfies, it was time for the show to begin. With each line, model, and look, Richmond proved itself home to creatives who aren’t afraid to translate their personal experiences through their designs, challenge societal standards, and pave their own way in the world of fashion. So let’s break it down, shall we? Creation Lords This brand kicked off the show with a sleek, red mens’ tracksuit, with the brand name on the back, that perfectly embodies street style today. The rest of the line includes pieces in bold colors and prints, like a pink camouflage t-shirt and neon tie-dye hoodies and tees. Trust Creation Lords to help you stand out in relaxed, sleek, street style. Reign With looks described as “vintage” and military”, this brand has a unique, African flavor. The models walked confidently in structured two-piece sets, pants with exaggerated hips, and bright yellows. The military inspiration was clear in the army green colors and black military berets, and one confident model saluting at the end of the runway. This brand did not come to play; they came to Reign. Abydis Clothing This line included women in various sizes and ages and reflected a mod 60’s feel. The collection has a unity to it, made clear as the models walked to Ella Mai’s “Boo’d Up” at the end and the rich royal blues, greens, lilacs, and whites flooded the stage. The pieces themselves, complete with unique, asymmetrical necklines, slitted hems, and color-blocking, are modern, bold, and classic. Andrew Wolf Wolf embraced his first time debuting his collection by highlighting the fact that his work is still in process as each look had a piece with “Prototype” written on it. The pieces were are chic, casual, and neutral-toned with long, open sweaters and sweatshirts. These pieces would make easy, street-style outfits work well for the fall. For the man who is relaxed and stylish – and still in process – Andrew Wolf is the brand to watch. Destiny Howard “Ethereal Madness“ is a collection full of flowy fabrics, rich purples and pinks, and classic black and white pieces. The elegant looks were often completed with gold sequin detailing or silver necklaces. The models walked smoothly, their dresses flowing along with them, drawing you into Destiny Howard’s truly elegant and ethereal style story. Able by Amanda Campbell “Destroy Discomfort” takes old pieces that reflect the designer’s past struggle with an eating disorder and reconstructs them into inspiring clothes. The collection represents this contrast of strength and vulnerability in dark denim contrasted with wine and pink fabrics. This is for the woman who knows she is able to overcome and dresses like it too. Victim 15 by Shareef “Time Will Tell” is, in the words of the designer himself, “avante-garde, futuristic style”. This menswear line reflected that with its clean silhouettes and unique touches like fur, sheer sleeves, and silver pieces that added the futuristic feel. This brand is designing the streetwear of the future that is now, and we don’t need time to tell us that we already love it! India Laposh India Laposh’s line is inspired by her late father, whose love for Nascar models clearly influenced the collection. The line is elegant, sleek, and feels slightly “upscale New York”. In every way, from the bold colors, lacey accents, and unique silhouettes to the upbeat EDM music, this line is for the classy, daring, and hopeful. LoyWithLove Loy, the Ugandan creative behind this brand, wanted her collection to embody one aspect central to humanity: love. The line features romantic, feminine silhouettes, silky fabrics, and polka dotted and floral prints. The pieces were both easy to move in and easy to fall in love with. Blas Couture This collection, inspired by the theme of an “alien invasion”, features iridescent and sheer fabrics, psychedelic colors, silver sequins, and pops of neon. There is also a theme of royalty, highlighted by capes and extravagant headpieces. All this made for a truly other-worldly fashion experience. Iconic 7 Iconic 7’s motto is that “every woman is their own icon.” The looks, simple, yet featuring dramatic flares and frills in distinctively quality fabrics, are indeed iconic. The brand showcased women of various body types, as they supply clothing for a wide range of sizes. Any woman can wear this brand and is bound to be remembered! VII O VII “707” Menswear This classic line of clean suits, muted tones, and chic plaid prints call to mind an elegant, British-influenced look. And just when we thought the collection was perfect for the classic gentleman, a stunning woman in a well-tailored suit stepped out on the runway for an unexpected ending. And the crowd loved it! VII O VII Menswear proved itself classic and modern all at once. Vixxen As “S & M” by Rihanna played in the background, models hit the runway in pieces with contrasting textures and pieces: leather and tulle, fishnets and frills. This brand is the perfect fit for the daring and multi-dimensional woman. Inspired
#RVABloggerBabes: Add a Little Sweet Sauce to your Day!
Story by Christina Amano Dolan Photos by Michael Atilla Megan Wilson is the perfect touch of sweet sauce everyone needs. She’s the friend you call when you’re panicking in a dressing room before a big event, scrambling to figure out what to wear. She’s the coworker you turn to for advice on where to take the visiting relatives to dinner when you want to impress with lavish food while keeping your wallet in tact. “I think of fashion, food, travel, and beauty as the extra special sauce we all add to our lives to make them sweeter” she says. And thank goodness her blog has it all! So who is the face behind the blog Sweet Sauce? With her blog rising in popularity since its debut, Sweet Sauce has been flourishing with events, fitness and lifestyle tips, style lookbooks, collaborations, and much more. With a blog so impressively busy, it may be hard to pinpoint who exactly Megan Wilson is. “Now some people don’t even know my name” she joked in an online interview, “They just call me Sweet Sauce.” But of course she wasn’t always known as the face behind Sweet Sauce. In fact, her resume may be even more impressive than her incredibly dynamic blog! She grew up on the outskirts of Richmond in the small town of Louisa County, spending her long summer days by the waters of Lake Anna. Following a boy and an academic scholarship, she attended the University of Richmond, studying journalism and studio art. Luckily for her, her two passions carried over into both her blog and career today, sharing “I learned a lot of digital art skills that cross over into journalism and my marketing work today.” Megan had found early success in her career prior to the creation of her blog. She worked at a nonprofit for both fundraising and marketing until she grew bored and sought a creative outlet. Suddenly, she began to think of a platform to share her fashion and style tips, how to craft the website, what it would look like, and finally, her iconic name. “Sweet Sauce is a term of endearment my ex boyfriend gave me early in our relationship” she explains, “I thought it would make a good blog name and it stuck.” Although she had already known how to build a website, of course like every blogger, Megan admits the early months of the blog were a bit rocky, “Honestly, in the beginning I didn’t even know what a fashion blog was. My first 6 months were so funny and a total mess.” But the beauty of the blogger community is it is never too difficult to learn from others. Megan has learned from a network of fashion bloggers she loves to follow, quickly designing her blog to the success it is today (while still personalizing it to be her very own). Despite her blog’s success, it may seem impossible to keep up with both a blog and a hectic work schedule. She has three main occupations she devotes herself to today: Sweet Sauce Blog, content creation for clients, and writing for RVA Magazine, Richmond Magazine, Style Weekly, Richmond Grid, and more. So how exactly does she master so many demanding professions? Scheduling is key. She has her own home office, motivating herself to meet deadlines and stay on schedule. “I reorganize and reprioritize the list every day. I get new assignments, new ideas and new inspiration every day, so I get good at being flexible and adapting my project list.” Her life revolves around self-discipline, organization, and – above all – truly loving what keeps her busy. Her rule is, “I only accept or work on projects that make me really happy, pay well, or hopefully meet somewhere in the middle.” But of course, no one can truly thrive with solely work encompassing their lives. Megan suggests always scheduling in your own personal time, whether it’s working out, going out with friends, or even travelling. “If your personal life isn’t good then what’s the point?… You can do fun and work if you just stay aware of your priorities.” As featured on her “travel” tab on her blog, one of Megan’s favorite escapes is to travel anywhere and everywhere – even to places as close as Fredericksburg! “Everywhere is exciting if you make it that way… you just have to be curious, open minded and nonjudgmental. You’ll see real beauty in people, businesses, nature, food, and more.” Just this year, she has already visited Fredericksburg, Fort Lauderdale (twice), Miami, and Key West. She even writes for Virginia’s tourism brand, Virginia’s River Realm. “I go out there monthly to create content and it’s always refreshing!” Her blog, of course, features much more than her small and large endeavors. Her style tab features a wide array of looks she loves to wear around the city. She says, y“My style pendulum swings pretty wide. I don’t have to go to an office, per se, and I get to have a little more fun with what I wear because of that.” A lot of her looks take inspiration from seventies, bohemian style. She particularly favors the decade of suede for its flattering fit and patterns. “ I personally love the feminine figure and don’t shy away from accentuating my own and encouraging other women to do the same.” With warmer weather emerging, Megan has been recently sporting the classically cute and comfy high-waisted look. “Anything high waisted is going in my closet. It’s flattering and easy to wear.” With the brighter, more vibrant season springing back to life, she is especially looking to get back into bright and bold colors. Unlike other bloggers, however, she doesn’t solely focus on her own style, but even features a “Your Style” tab that is always open to submissions! She wants to spotlight the many looks that are worn around Richmond, from street wear to classic vintage
Getting Eceletic with ih.lek.trik
Story by Jacynth Serrano Rodriguez Photos by Dom Khun LookBook by Samantha Son There’s a new place in town for fashion, music, art and good vibes. ih.lek.trik consignment is nestled at 319 Brook Road in Richmond’s art district. The feel of the shop is casual, cool and charged with creative energy. If you don’t believe us, just watch. In the shop, you’ll find high quality consignment pieces, a ready-when-you-are aux cord and art (of the wearable and hangable variety) by local artist @iamjunious. Owner Erik “Moose” Williams hopes that ih.lek.trik will be embraced by the city not just as a solid place to get outfitted, but also as a space for locals and creatives to vibe out together. So whether you’re looking for a great pair of shoes, a fresh graphic tee, a crisp piece of art for your wall or just a good time. Be sure to check out ih.lek.trik this summer. Stylists Aysia Ward, Jerrell Funtila Models Aaron Lai, Jacynth Serrano Rodriguez, Jonel Jones, Zak
#RVABloggerBabes: Bloom with Zum
Story by Christina Amano Dolan Photos by Michael Atilla “I don’t limit myself to talking about one thing. If I want it to be my space, it has to be mine: multidimensional because I am not one type of person. That is my life.” Looking for a lifestyle blog that has a bit of everything? From tips about skincare routine in the bitter winter air, coping with a stressful and hectic schedule, detoxing remedies, style lookbooks, recipes for crave-worthy but guiltless desserts, and travel guides to places as close as New York or as distant as Bosnia? It may seem as if such a blog couldn’t be possible – I mean, how can you possibly fit so much of a life into a single link? How can you possibly fit so many answers for everyday, struggling girls about style, beauty, and wellness into a simple and easy-to-navigate blog? Well, Zumreta from Bloom with Zum proves it is more than possible. Zumreta is a blogger that offers a bit of everything. She doesn’t simply limit herself to talking about fashion and what styles she has been recently sporting around town – she simply talks about whatever she wants to talk about, and what she thinks people will find worth reading. But in order to understand her incredibly diverse and charming blog, it is important to understand her incredibly diverse and charming life. How can so many personalities fit into a single blog? Well, for starters, Zumreta’s background isn’t so simple. She was born a refugee and raised in Bosnia, immigrating to the U.S. when she was only three years old. Her family moved directly from their distant homeland to the West End of Richmond, immersed into an entirely different culture. Zumreta, despite being miles from her drastically different homeland, considers Richmond her other home, as she hasn’t left the city since moving 18 years ago. “I’m definitely getting an itch these days to go and try to live in another place,” she laughed in an interview with me. “But I love Richmond.” Growing up only 15 minutes from campus, of course she was bound to end up at VCU, right? “Well, when I was younger, my mind was always ‘NYU!’” she admitted. “It was probably something from TV that gave me the idea… But now, I can spend just a week in New York and be completely satisfied and ready to go home.” Like most Virginia residents, it’s practical to simply stay within the state boundaries. Her first choice, without a doubt, was her neighbor, VCU. “I love Richmond because it still is the city – but calm and less-hectic!” Her major, too, is something you wouldn’t expect. “I majored in psychology with a minor in religious studies,” she explained. As she always keeps busy, she worked at St. Mary’s Hospital throughout college, offering her countless opportunities right out of graduation. She works in analytics now and is even leaning towards programming and coding! And let’s not forget her studying for her masters. Seems like she has a pretty hectic life, right? So how could she possibly keep her blog so up-to-date and jam-packed with an array of posts? “I work from home so it offers some really nice flexibility… I can just work on the blog whenever I want without a boss looking over my shoulder.” But still – work, work, work it seems like. It may seem challenging to be able to take on so many chores, but Zumreta eagerly accepts her workload in stride. “I enjoy my blog… It’s kind of like my outlet and not just another job… it’s something I do just because I enjoy it.” From taking a glance at her blog, you would never guess she had such a demanding job in analytics, as it flourishes with intriguing, polished, and incredibly creative posts. “My job is very much numbers and graphs… my blog is something for me to be more creative and talk about things I like.” It may seem as if her blog has been evolving for years, as Bloom with Zum’s webpage is perfectly assembled, skillfully designed, filled with an assortment of posts, and incredibly easy to navigate. But her website sprouted into the blogger world only 8 months ago! Her idea to create a blog wasn’t anything new. She’s always felt inspired to share her life with a broader community, growing up as – what she calls – “a child of the internet.” “The idea of documenting your life was an idea that came about when we were young…from Tumblr to even MySpace back in the day.” Remember MySpace? Seems ancient, right? Even the most primitive form of sharing your identity with the world through the web dates back to when we were only toddlers or preteens. “We are all children of the internet.” To Zumreta, creating a blog was simply another way of documenting her life – nothing too drastically new. Instead of shifting to a more narrow side of herself to reveal to the blogger community, she looks at her blog as if it is – to put it in a simpler way – another MySpace! “It’s a creative community. My blog isn’t ‘Oh, look at my style,’ but more of a ‘Let me just share my life with you guys.’” Bloom with Zum isn’t your average fashion blog – it is Zumreta’s life. “Even if it’s something fashion related, it’s because I really need to let you guys know about it.” Her inspiration for her latest blog post is spontaneous in a way. If she wakes up with dry, cakey skin, she will craft a post dedicated to remedying it, with some life-saving moisturizer she discovered. If she is dying to find a new winter tea that makes her feel great, of course she will share it with the community. “I want to share things I learn and things I spend time researching…I’m always
Your VA Spring Style Guide
good Flower Child Of course, springtime is a time of rejoicing, renewal and rebirth so what’s more fitting than a bright rainbow-patterned sweater to ring in the new season? Match a brightly colored sweater with a pair of shorts, calf boots and a decked out denim jacket to celebrate the coming of warm weather. Oversized gold hoops are also perfect for this look as well because a little extra shine always puts a little extra pep in your step! Refined Chic Refined Chic For those of you who gravitate toward a more neutral palette, springtime is still your oyster! A deep teal midi dress with bright white low-top sneakers should definitely do the trick. Just make sure to grab a gray jacket to keep warm and your favorite bag to match. Bonus points if your dress is low-cut; that means you can accessorize with layered drop chains! Wild Card Wild Card
Growing Old, Not Up
She wears what she loves and she loves what she wears, without a care in the world. Iris Apfel, “the rare bird of fashion” is a style icon, who, at age 96, is recognized by the fashion world as a creator of taste with intellect and spunk that inspires women of all ages. After graduating from art school and engaging in various artistic jobs, she and her late husband started their own business, a textile firm called Old World Weavers , which enabled Mrs. Apfel to work as an interior designer, finding and sourcing rare, vintage items. Throughout her life, she did several design projects, such as being interior design consultant for nine different presidents! The fashion world began to notice her in 2005, a decade after she had already retired, when she graciously allowed the Metropolitan Museum of Art to present her rare costume jewelry and vintage collection in the exhibition, Rara Avis: Selections from the Iris Apfel Collection , which led to a documentary about her life, and books written by and about her. Apfel refers to herself as “the world’s oldest living teenager” and a “geriatric starlet” ; indeed, she has challenged the fashion world to think twice, or three times, or 96 times, about its ageist tendencies. At what seems like the end of her life, she proves she is more alive than ever, travelling for interviews and fashion shows and wearing whatever she wants, however she wants. She finds such ageism to be silly, and addresses it in an interview with The Guardian : “all these dresses for thousands of dollars, and the kids that age can’t even afford them. In America it has been proven that the bulk of spending money is in the hands of women between 60 and 80…” This is a woman who is prepared to break even more barriers than she already has in her long life, and she especially does so through fashion. Couple her vivacious personality with her elaborate style that includes oversized, round glasses, bright colors and prints, and layers of unique jewelry, and one can see why she is so adored! Tips for channeling Iris Apfel: 1. 1. Big glasses…again! – This is a recurring theme throughout these HerStory features! Iris most famously wears large, round black glasses. But, as seen on our model here, any color will do. Big glasses…again! – This is a recurring theme throughout these HerStory features! Iris most famously wears large, round black glasses. But, as seen on our model here, any color will do. 2. 2. Pattern and color play – Love a blouse and a jacket that have different prints, but share one color? Why not wear them both? Mrs. Apfel would. Also, look for bold colors, like this bright yellow trench coat, paired with cute prints, like this navy polkadot dress. Pattern and color play – Love a blouse and a jacket that have different prints, but share one color? Why not wear them both? Mrs. Apfel would. Also, look for bold colors, like this bright yellow trench coat, paired with cute prints, like this navy polkadot dress. 3. 3. Accessories galore – Go ALL OUT. No amount of bracelet-stacking and necklace- layering is too great when channelling Iris Apfel. Seek out statement pieces like these platform shoes and this chunky silver necklace that our model is styled in. And look out for pieces that are so interesting, you may raise some brows and turn heads – those are the fun ones. Accessories galore – Go ALL OUT. No amount of bracelet-stacking and necklace- layering is too great when channelling Iris Apfel. Seek out statement pieces like these platform shoes and this chunky silver necklace that our model is styled in. And look out for pieces that are so interesting, you may raise some brows and turn heads – those are the fun ones. sale 4. 4. Vintage and rare pieces – Apfel isn’t wearing just any typical piece that you see in a store or magazine, rather, she wears multiple pieces that she finds in antique stores and in her travels to various countries. And, as she shows in the previously mentioned documentary, she is not afraid to bargain for a good price. Look for good-quality, unique pieces at reasonable prices. The thrift and vintage stores await! The last, and most important tip we have for channeling Mrs. Apfel is to forget the rules, maybe even these. To truly be inspired by Iris, you have to see style the way she does: personal and fun and unencumbered by rules. In a Times Magazine Times Magazine interview, she expressed this idea: “I dress the way I please and I do what I please and I do everything for my good. I don’t intellectualize it or make up rules and regulations.” Mrs. Apfel reminds us with each of her stunning outfits that fashion ought to be expressive and bold. She also reminds us that true style is not limited by age, rather it is for every kind of individual. It’s official, we want to be like Iris Apfel when we grow up.
Fashion Diaries: Southern Women's Fashion Show Here We Come!
Story by Anna Debald Photos by Michael Attila The Southern Women’s Show, an event adored by mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts and friends. The event tours ten southern states bringing fashion, beauty and food to consumers in the area. The show made its way to our very own Richmond just over a week ago, setting up vendors at the International Raceway. When I arrived at the event, the blue sky, lacking clouds, presented an ideal day to shop! Although Richmond is indeed southern, it often renders an urban lifestyle. The Richmond Raceway was a great location to host the event, as it added a southern, rustic charm and a strong contrast between the neatly prepared boutiques and shops that awaited inside. The interior formed a maze of vendors who came to help women fashion all facets of their lives. Each one obtained its own decorated space to allure customers. The event was overflowing with smiling entrepreneurs, happy to share their life’s work with shoppers. A wide range of and goods services were presented, attending to all of consumers’ needs. There were custom fit toe rings, free spinal screenings, makeup artists penciling in eyebrows and snap on jewelry, to name a few. However, there were five vendors that stood out as unique and eye catching. The following products offered by retailers at The Southern Women’s Show have a personal touch that makes them hand-made, playful and appealing to customers. 1. The first is a store called WEST47th. Their merchandise was so beautifully crafted I couldn’t help but purchase a pair of earrings. The base of the earring is made of a type of pink artificial palm, resembling phormium tenax. On top of this grassy material are purple jewels that form the shape of a star or a flower shape. Both WEST47th’s jewelry and apparel are color and detail oriented. Most of their jewelry consists of interesting materials, like fringe and metal tassels. They are created with bright colors and act as great statement pieces to add depth to an outfit. Their apparel is glamorous with beading, embroidered pearls, glitter and toile. Floral print two-pieces were stand-out pieces that filled their racks at the show last weekend. WEST47th is comprised of fashion forward garments and accessories made for the modern cool girl. 2. The second is Milk Reclamation Barn, who compile candles on a small farm in North Baltimore County. The two women mending their booth at the show were friends, who began the company by “surrounding themselves with a group of girlfriends to sip wine and create about hundred candles in one sitting.” Now, the company produces their candles in a refurbished barn. Milk Reclamation Barn sells milk bottle candles, milk barn soy melts and barn metal candles. The milk bottle candle sits in a repurposed milk bottle, contains 100% American grown soy wax and is topped off with a silicon lid. The soy melts are 3 ounce squares created for burning up to eight hours. Their barn metal candles are made with cotton wicks and set into a rustic can. The Milk Reclamation Barn offers sixteen different scents, with names like “early to rise” and “wild honeysuckle.” Their products displayed at The Southern Women’s Show were nothing short of endearing. 3. Handcrafted in small amounts and carefully placed in individual bags, Natasha’s Just Brittle offered a delicious experience at the event with free samples of the savory brittle. A mixture of sea salt, brown and white sugar, agave and butter forms the base of Natasha’s brittle. She also bakes 37 flavors, banana split and pretzel brittle being some of the best sellers. Natasha grew up cooking in her grandma’s kitchen. At this three day event, audiences were delighted to hear her story and taste her delicacies. It was definitely the perfect treat to keep in my purse and carry round while viewing displays. 4. The table next to Natasha’s sweet treats was a company called Monat. This is a family owned company, began by Louis Urdanata. He came from humble beginnings and strive to begin something of his own. Laura Breneman, market builder for the company, attended the weekend event. She shared that the hair products Monat sells are not tested on animals. They use a rejuvenating oil intensive comprised of eleven molecular ingredients that revives dull hair. They also have a list of “Monat No’s” which includes harmful ingredient most drug store brands use. Their display consisted of shampoos, conditioners, and products for styling or treatment. Reshape Root Lifter, Blow Out Cream and Intense Repair Conditioner were products that stood out. The family run company recognizes damaged hair, frizzy hair and even time honored hair. 5. Let’s Talk Towels is the fifth vendor that received a lot of attention. Their 100% cotton towels are imported directly from Turkey. Let’s Talk Towels sells towels you can wear as a wrap or scarf. You can also use it as a blanket, as well as after a beach day or bathing. What was so appealing to those attending the event was the authenticity, quality, high luster and softness of the towels. They are also extremely versatile. This is an important selling point to us consumers, because we need products that can accompany us while doing all the experiences life has to offer. These five vendors were only a small portion of the merchandise displayed. However, these five provide women fashion-forward garments, beauty products and lifestyle services. The innovative characteristic of retail is what makes it so alluring. There is always a new trend or design produced to better past trends or create a new one! Merchandisers are truly innovative and often times, the most innovative product is quirky and hand-made. The Southern Women’s Show reminds us that authentic, detail-oriented and unconventional products are the best kinds of products!