I went to Katya Leonovich's Fashion Week presentation last February when she was showing in the Box at Lincoln Center. Box shows are generally for the designers who can't budget a full-blown runway show but can still present their collection to the public. It's always a humongo deal when a designer graduates to runway level. When I got the invitation for Katya's show that said that it would be at the Studio (a runway venue) and that I had a seat, fists went in the air and thumbs went with them.
Before I continue with the runway recap, let me tell you a story. After the show ended, I was just sort of standing around for a minute; I had missed any pre-show mingle time on account of my tardiness and was lamely attempting to spot anyone interesting, when I had an idea. "Maybe I could get backstage," I thought. It was spontaneous and insane, and sounded totally feasible at that moment. I went towards the runway entrance and just sort of walked in. Sure, there was a guard, but he wasn't checking credentials and was too busy hugging his friend to notice little ol' me. I entered the chaos of editors, freelancers, production team members, and helpers milling about. As I was fumbling around in my bag for my notebook and a pen, I spotted a familiar face. "Caroline? What are you doing here?" I rushed over to greet Caroline Levy, who you all may remember from when we discussed how much I want her closet. She was equally shocked to see me there. It turns out she knows someone who was able let her work backstage at the show, and I was there because...I was there. Not quite sure how to explain that one to people reading my blog. I made my way over to the crowd of people huddled around Katya and started jotting down questions I wanted to ask her. A man wearing a black t-shirt and a headset came over to me and claimed he remembered me from the day before. I was a little (read: completely) out of it, so I wasn't sure if I was who he thought I was, but he knew my blog's name and that my name starts with an O. "You can talk to the designer just as soon as these guys finish up," he said, gesturing to two men conducting an interview with her. I thanked him profusely and stood there while Caroline and her friends watched from afar. The man with the headset introduced me to Katya and I told her that I had attended her show last season. I almost had a heart attack when she said she remembered me. I mean, I had talked to her for about two seconds, but that was six months ago! The fact that she knew who I was fueled me to try and give a freakin' awesome interview. She answered all of my questions without seeming like I was wasting her time. She really wanted me to know the backstory to the collection, which speaks to her dedication to her craft as well as her customers. I didn't have a tape recorder or anything because it was such a spur of the moment thing, so there won't be a word-for-word interview, but I did gain some insight about the collection.
My first question was, of course, what Katya's inspiration was for the collection. She said that it was about a metamorphosis; her girl would go from being a mermaid to a flower, for example. Her ideas came from nature and the female human body. She focused on how nature changes and forms while also thinking about how a woman's body is a part of nature and what it means to be conscious of the natural world on that level. The constructed corset-bustiers referenced the idea of structure that occurs naturally, and peek-a-boo cut-outs toyed with the boundaries of the body--that is to say, it's seen almost as an obstacle, and the challenge is to expose its beauty without revealing too much. The flowing chiffon in blues and greens (that also popped up at Son Jung Wan) clearly were in reference to what the designer had mentioned about mermaids and flowers. The natural cycle and movement of life was shown through the breezy fabrics. The prints on the dresses seemed so one-of-a-kind that I had to ask her if she had created them herself, a suspicion she confirmed was true. It turns out that she has a history of painting and used have her work up in exhibits and galleries. When asked where she finds inspiration most often or easily, she quickly responded that painting and art are her everyday muses. Katya also travels, which gives her new perspectives on culture and fashion as it is interpreted differently all over the globe. There are two finale gowns that I hadn't seen from the front because of the location of my seat, but if I had seen them I definitely would've asked about them. They were laser cut leather dresses with Mitt Romney and Barack Obama's faces hand painted onto them. Political fashion is the best thing I've ever heard of.
[Photos by me.]
Top knots are now runway ready.
Structured bustiers that resemble mermaid's tails.
From the back...
...And now from the front.
Bowm-chicka-wah-woaw.
Metallic fabrics are a spring trend, I'm tellin' ya now. Mark my words.
The headbands were totally rad. They're like sparkle friends on your scalp.
That top just looks so luscious.
Gypsy mermaid?
The presidential candidates.
Major snaps for Katya for creating an awesome Spring 2013 collection.
More to come on NYFW as everyone else moves on to Milan.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Tell Me What's On Your Mind, Dear Readers!