Irina Shabayeva Spring 2016

Taking to the streets. Irina Shabayeva, season 6 winner of Project Runway showed an edgy street wear collection for NY Fashion Week. As we are used to seeing sweeping ballgowns and dramatic silhouettes, this paired down casual collection was out of the comfort zone.

We last covered Georgian designer Shabayeva's bridal collection with the gigantic skirts. When her girl strolling the sidewalks instead of the aisle, she is wearing cute, body conscious mini-dresses in vegan leather or winged prints with an asymmetrical hem. As outerwear, spring/summer 2016 includes extra long hoodies with extended hems.

The shoes included cage booties and fringed boots in pale vegan suede from Machi Footwear.

The designer is also expanding into intimate apparel. She recently debuted a collection of lace lingerie that includes vintage silhouettes with dramatic kimono sleeve robes that she presented at Midtown restaurant Sushi Roxx. The crazy pop-tech Japanese themed venue was the perfect backdrop to her sexy pieces.

Runway photos by Mariana Leung, Lingerie photo by Charles Farrah

Check out Project Runway All-Stars: What Are They Working on Now?
by Ms. Fabulous at Mode

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The Secret Society of Ex-Mermaids

When is the last time you saw a bit of magic on the runway? The Secret Society of Ex-Mermaids has to be my favorite name for an up-and-coming fashion collection this season. The clothing was a mix of streetwear with whimsical touches.

Designer Francki Harrell worked for established brands like Michael Kors, Issac Mizrahi and Rebecca Taylor before striking out on her own.

You can see designer Harrell's love of illustration in some of her prints and graphics. Iridescent shimmer fabrics and ruffles are paired with edgier separates. Harrell imagines that an ex - mermaid might have a slight transition period from ocean to land and turn to sea-inspired appliques on the chest to replace the pasties they are used to wearing underwater (apparently a trend that Gucci picked up on with their collection a few days later).

Other little touches that helped the narrative was the use of bandages on the models knees. I guess a mermaid strolling on land is bound to have a few mishaps. 

If Ariel from the Little Mermaid grew up today and had some attitude, she would probably  think the Coney island parade was her personal fashion week. The Secret Society of Ex-Mermaids however is where she would shop.

All photos by Mariana Leung

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Autumnlin's Zipper Chic

Want to follow up with fashion competition tv contestants? Autumn Lin Kietponglert was a finalist from Rihanna's "Styled to Rock" series. Before that show, she had already won awards in multiple countries for her collection.

Her signature detail is the sculpted fashion she creates using zippers. For her New York Fashion Week presentation, she stuck to a simple black and cream palette. The fabrics were soft and draped as a contrast to the structured shapes of the zippered pieces that wound around the body.  The clothing was paired with sexy shoes with artsy silhouettes from Machi Footwear.

Pop divas like Cher and Kylie Minogue already count themselves as fans of the Autumnlin label, having worn her creations.

Great fashion shows are a treat to watch. Catwalks that benefit a worthy cause? Even better. The Autumnlin Kietponglert runway was a part of The Set NYC series of fashion events that raise funds to benefit Freedom Ladder, an organization working to abolish human trafficking.  Learn more about Autumnlin or Freedom Ladder on their sites.

photos by Mariana Leung

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#NYFW Machi Shoes Giveaway

Enjoying your NY Fashion Week? How many fabulous outfits have you debuted in your street style parade? Did you ever think you deserved to be rewarded for that? Machi Footwear is giving away shoes from their new collection for the best looks.

 It doesn't matter if you were actually posing in front of the official runways or killing the OOTD game at home. If you can post a great photo or have already posted an awesome look, just tag @machifootwear #alleyesonyou from Instagram, Twitter or on their Facebook page to tell us you want the shoes. Here is a tiny sampling of some of Machi's offerings this season: 

Do you need more incentive? Check out their entire Machi shoes fall catalog online. They have already dressed socialites, fashion bloggers and models at NYFW this season. Don't miss out! More details on the Machi Footwear NYFW getaway here. 

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Independence Day Style

Happy Friday! Who is going to party in style for the 4th of July? Independence Day is a wonderful holiday to celebrate everything you love about the US of A. Frankly, the capitalistic pastime of shopping is as good as any.

The start of July is perfect for piling up cute sandals for the beach and rooftop soirees at night. Machi Footwear, a company I love to work with, has a huge selection of fashion-forward styles that are super-affordable! I choose the white Hayden Sweet T Strap Flats Sandals for the daytime BBQ, the sexy red Jovena Stilettos for partying at night. The blue Jovera peep toe sandals I am reserving for my night at the theater on Sunday. Bonus: all the shoes are on sale under $30 right now.

For a dose of Americana, how pretty is the dress with stars from Karl Lagerfeld? The long halter  Aida Maxi dress is the perfect summer outfit to raise a sparkler to. The Hot Leathers Eagle Purse is very cool. It features tooled, studded leather eagle motif and trim.

Accessories? Tie your hair back with sweet red, white and blue hair ties from Mia Beauty. The George & Laurel star earrings look right at home on the 4th (or on Wonder Woman).

Being me, I will probably attempt to implement some sort of patriotic nail art before watching fireworks. If you need inspiration, this July 4th nail art round-up has options for all skills (and patience levels).

I will be contributing cocktails and sweet treats to the party I will be attending. Strawberries with cream and blueberries are healthy AND pretty. My drink of choice will be revealed later (when I decide).

Happy Fourth of July! Enjoy your Independence Day Shopping and Partying!

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Byron Lars and Tasha Smith at ABFF

Fashion, film, and style go hand in hand. How you dress an actor can contribute as much to the character as the performance itself. Actress Tasha Smith made that point and insisted to her wardrobe staff that her favorite designer Byron Lars be included in her costumes when she worked on the show For Better Or Worse. This was all a part of the panel discussion hosted by Brandice Daniel of Harlem's Fashion Row at the American Black Film Festival over the weekend.

Harlem's Fashion Row has been an advocate for emerging talent in fashion for people of color. The organization also celebrates those who have achieved success as an inspiration for others to follow. The panel discussion asked Tasha Smith (now co-starring on one of my favorite style-centric shows Empire) about overcoming obstacles, using what makes you unique and supporting others to succeed with you.

Fashion designer Byron Lars discussed the hard work and perseverance it took to get the most prestigious retailers to make appointments and carry his collection. In the end, good product and incredible design are what ultimately hooked fans like Michelle Obama, the Smith sisters, the Kardashians, celebrities from Angela Bassett to Elle Fanning to Paris Hilton to love his looks. 

He had a mini presentation of his favorite looks from the current season. I loved the sexy, multi-cultural edge that the models were styled with, using handmade necklaces from Sheila Gray and shoes from Machi Footwear.

Winning in the entertainment and fashion industry is tough enough. Entering these fields as a minority in any form is even tougher. The lesson learned from today is to find good people to support you and great people to mentor you. 

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