NYFW: The Blonds FUEGO

The Blonds brought the heat to the Starrett Lehigh runway Saturday night. Their collection, FUEGO, was a tribute to Latin culture, the fiery, the strong, and the stylish figures who inspired them. Design-wise, this manifested itself into dimensional flame appliques in snake patterns and metallic leather and crystal-encrusted details. 

The Blonds as a label is not for day-to-day lifestyle wardrobes. They are one-of-a-kind statement pieces favored by the biggest entertainment icons like Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Miley Cyrus. You need charisma (and some strong muscles) to carry off any of these larger-than-life looks. You need a hefty budget for the handmade pieces, but consider it an investment for your worldwide tour. 

If you were a nightlife fixture in the 1990s, this aesthetic would seem familiar as a muse. Legendary club divas like Diane Brille and drag queens were in the audience, as well as entertainers like Becky G.

The hair and makeup of course had to be on the same level. I watched the wigs, which were as sculptural as the clothing, being built up backstage. I have never seen winged eyeliner ready to take flight more than the models on this night.

Watching this runway, I felt nostalgic for a time in New York when going OUT was a production. Sure, a chill night at home is appealing, but I miss when the process of getting ready was as much fun as the destination. The Blonds will forever capture that era.

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The Blonds Fall 2018

No collection at NY Fashion Week says fierce to me season after season more than The Blonds. The models stalk down the runway like Amazons, the makeup severe, gorgeous and intimidating. I am always in awe of the layers and layers of embellishment that make their looks a combination of burlesque and Haute Couture.
For Fall 2018, the theme was the battle between good and evil. You don't need a devil and angel on your shoulder when exquisite fashion pieces are adorning them. Elaborate embroideries of Preciosa components helped shape each character. Think dripping red crystals and sharp spikes and studs, sometimes sitting in as Devil horns to represent evil. Imagine all sizes of pearls and glittering fringe as a stand-in for angelic wings.
I love that The Blonds never execute their theme in a cliched or expected way. You don't need literal feathered wings for angels. You don't hooves and a spiky tail to emulate the devil. I love that the hair in two peaks on the top of the head gives the impression of horns or even Gary Oldman's Dracula from the 1992 film.
I doubt your average woman will be buying these looks off the rack and heading to the office with them. The Blonds are divas and know how to dress them. Expect your favorite pop icon or entertaining legend to sport this collection.
Fashion curating legend, Daphne Guinness closed the show in her styling of a rockstar.
Good or evil, angel or otherwise, I would commit a ton of sins to get my hands on a dress from The Blonds.

Daphne Guinness The Blonds Finale

All photos by Mariana Leung

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The Blonds Spring 2018 - Platinum Paradise

DO blondes have more fun? The label is called The Blonds for a reason. Spring 2018 for the designers took the general concept of streetwear and amplified the glamor and embellishment to the Nth degree.

Starting with the basic garment items of denim jackets, jumpsuits, slip dresses and shorts, the pieces were then given an extreme bling treatment. 

The Blonds are known for dressing the biggest stage divas of our generation. This collection offered outfits for performing AND for when they want to step out without losing the glamour.

Embellishment artisans were working backstage right up until the moment models took the runway. The Blonds collaborated with Preciosa Crystals to create colorful jeweled embroideries that elevated each piece. The three-dimensional look to the embroidery was achieved through a combination of mixed sizes and shapes of the crystal components, embellished with an irregular pattern. Large, chunky chains were also used to give a shiny, urban glam effect to the hardware. Big cut fabric appliques were twisted and folded to give a dimensional, lacy look.

Preciosa crystals were also used for the beauty looks. Make-up artists painstakingly applied crystals for elaborate nail art and as eye embellishments.

Despite the "platinum" theme, I liked the diversity of the models. A full range of ethnicities, genders and body shapes were represented, as long as they looked fierce. 

Celebrities in the front row included Paris Hilton and Instagram meme curator and The Fat Jewish, rumored to be launching a fashion collection together. 

Attending The Blonds Spring 2018 collection does set the bar high for you guys, so good luck.

Need a dose of bling and fabulous-ness? You can rest here.
All photos by Mariana Leung

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The Blonds Present The Mummy Fall 2017

The Blonds Fall 2017 was one of the most highly anticipated shows of the season. Photographers live for their showmanship on the runway. The theme this year was The Mummy to celebrate the movie release today.

Looking at these photographs, you can see the cliche bandage wrapping of the past was not in play. The Mummy star Sofia Boutella's look in the film has an exotic, dark style. She appears to be deteriorating elegantly in a body conscious costume. The Blonds collection also has a dark, exotic look that is sexy and body conscious. Spiders and their webs are a repeated motif. Several looks have a shredded texture created in feathers, embellished with rich Preciosa pearls.

from The Mummy, Universal Pictures

Preciosa Crystal Components is a major collaborator with designers Philip and David Blond. Preciosa, a leader in producing the most brilliant crystals for jewelry, home, and fashion design. They particularly love working with The Blonds as they use their entire library of materials and techniques in their collection. This season included gigantic faceted teardrops, pearls, trims down to the smallest crystal seed beads.

The hair was equally dramatic. Polished curls twisted into odd angles framed elaborately fierce eye makeup. Intimidating boots with 5" - 6" stiletto heels made the models look larger than life, like the Goddesses (or demons) that were their muse.

Are you going to find these looks on the rack of your local boutique? Not too likely. Will you find them gracing the bodies of your favorite pop icon? The probability is higher. The collection and fashion show was spectacular. Bravo The Blonds!

Runway photos by Mariana Leung

More on Ms. Fabulous:

Guo Pei's Dragon Dramatic Haute Couture

Susanne Bartsch's Landauland

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The Blonds Take You Down the Rabbit Hole Fall 2016

Well hello, Alice. The Blonds took you down the rabbit hole for NY Fashion Week for fall 2016. My favorite designers of over-the-top glam diva looks brought lots of pink, Marilyn Monroe and dazzling Preciosa crystals to the runway at Milk Studios.

If you have ever seen a pop star (like, any of them) and admired their glittering outfit, it was probably created by David and Phillipe Blond. There was a fantastic fashion exhibit of The Blonds' most iconic stage outfits last season with Rootstein Mannequins.

Fall 2016 was about surreal, sexy corsets, gown and lots and lots of bling. Christian Louboutin created custom heels to match the looks. There were a few gowns and some unsubtle streetwear options. These are not outfits for the wallflower or appropriate for the real life of most people. If you are not filling stadiums with your star wattage, these would be Haute Couture masterpieces for collecting. The looks were for the anti-heroine. Think Tarantino's kick-ass ladies more than Jane Austen.

The exquisite handwork of velvet applique roses, lace, structured boning would make any burlesque queen an obsessive. The pink palette and gigantic bows gave a nod to Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Huge crystal jewels in various sizes and shapes were augmented with extra reflective coatings to really shine.

The Blonds collaborated with crystal manufacturer Preciosa to work on special pieces for Britney Spears this season. As an embroidery designer who has used their product many times in my own work, it was a delight to chat with Klara Karaspova, the Area Trade Marketing Manager for the inside scoop. Their PR agency acted as matchmaker so Preciosa could offer their full offerings of crystal elements for The Blonds to incorporate into their designs.

Preciosa has a huge range of colors and finishes, but their product developers still scour the globe for the most important hues and textures of emerging trends for the designers to use. For fashion and jewelry designers can hot-fix the stones or embroider them when they are in fixed settings. Developing new colors or shapes can take months or even years before they are right for the market.

If you have ever wanted to live your own twisted fairy tale. The Blonds Fall 2016 collection have earned the King and Queen of my Heart. Preciosa crystals will be the ones to make the crown.

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Fashion Underground: The World of Susanne Bartsch

I'm aging myself; Everyone says nightlife in NYC was better back in the day. The Fashion Underground: World of Susanne Bartsch is the current exhibition at the Museum at FIT that proves it was true.

When I first came to NYC in the 1990s, it was the tail end of the rave era. Underground parties were extreme events where you were expected to wear the most creative designer outfit imaginable. As a young fashion design student, this was a challenge to be met every night you stepped out.

photos by Mariana Leung

The Queen of the clubs was Susanne Bartsch. 

Sure, you had lots of drag queens on the scene, but she was a glamorous icon for the club set. She brought London chic to Gotham. The Museum at FIT is paying tribute to the socialite's best looks. They included Haute Couture creations from designers like Rick Owens, Alexander McQueen, Thierry Mugler, The Blonds and Jean-Paul Gaultier, helping to propel their names to fame. Her patronage of wearable art also helped define up-and-coming creatives like Zaldy and Leigh Bowery to prominence.

Bartsch spoke at a symposium last week about her journey from Switzerland to London to NYC. She is still inspired by the artists and designers breaking out today. Other speakers like Hamish Bowles, Simon Doonan and Joey Arias told their tales of how she influenced everything from magazines, retail stores, gay culture and modern nightlife.

People make enjoy the minimalism of skinny jeans and a skanky top for a night out today. My old soul will always yearn for the glamour of an epic rave in a Gothic church or a corseted runway in an old train tunnel. Clubbing to me was a ride down a three-story slide wearing a spiral velvet bra and giant fur coat.

Susanne Bartsch is still throwing parties. To catch her exhibit,  you need to head to the Museum at FIT before December 5, 2015.

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The Blonds Retrospective with Rootstein Mannequins

Do you know that spectacular spangly outfit worn onstage by your favorite pop diva? It was probably made by The Blonds. That impossibly perfect specimen of male/female beauty on the runway? That's Philippe Blond. The iconic mannequin company Rootstein immortalized him as one of their new mannequins in both his masculine and feminine looks. Gender fluidity never looked this good.

During NY Fashion Week, I enjoyed a fabulous cocktail party/retrospective exhibit of The Blonds most iconic looks. I recognized most of the outfits from my favorite concerts. While they looked great from afar, it was really impressive to see the work and construction up close. The highly dimensional embroidery with jewels, spikes, chains, electric wire was incredible.

Together with partner David, The Blonds are icons of 1990s club looks taken to the Nth degree. Each outfit is creating a character unto itself. They are so flashy, so over the top that it makes the person wearing them larger than life as well. They costumed everyone from Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Beyonce, well, any modern pop icon you can think of actually. Such mundane concerns as wearability or practicality are not considered.

Do you have a favorite look from The Blonds? Sound off below.

Check out Top Fashion Museum Exhibits in the Next Year
by Ms. Fabulous at Mode

All photos by Mariana Leung 

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MIAMI FASHION WEEK: Beach Bunny 2015 Featuring The Blonds

From the very first runway look, it was clear the Beach Bunny 2015 collection was not meant for the pool.  The Blonds, New York’s celebrated design duo collaborated with the swimwear label for an unbelievable fashion show to end the night in Miami.

 A fashion show by the Blonds in New York usually means that the runway will be transformed into the fiercest nightclub.  Their over the top looks are sought after by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry to name a few.    Their work with the Beach Bunny collection continued in this tradition.

The 1970’s hair, bombshell eye makeup and galactic fetish outfits looked like they walked straight out of the movie Barbarella.  It was a genius move to put a big fan on the end of the runway so the models would have the wind blowing through their sex kitten hair.  The beauty looks were styled by Tresemme’s Tyler Laswell. 

The fashion incorporated everything from holographic fabrics, metallic studs, neon and jewels.  There were heavily embellished corsets paired with simple bikini bottoms.  There were bikini tops with corset lacing details.

Some of the suits clearly were not meant for retail. Others cleverly mixed lingerie details with functional swimsuit fabrics for a very sexy (but wearable) collection.  You might have to look underneath the oversized spiky bracelets and thigh high stilettos to see it.  Trust me, the male members of the audience would be happy to. 

Beach Bunny and The Blonds have created a killer swim season for this planet or the next.

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K-Fashion Party at the Dream Hotel

 The Dream Hotel in the Meatpacking District hosted a celebration of Korean Fashion Thursday night.  The party and presentation was styled by the fabulous Patricia Field of Sex and the City fame.  Designers Morine Comte Marant and Buckaroo Jeans were featured, drawing out fashion characters like 90's club  scene regulars Richie Rich, The Blonds and longtime fashion reporter Cognac Wellerlane. 

Korean appetizers, sweets, and K-Pop music were served up.  No appearance from Gangnam Style's PSY, instead, a robot took his place to perform the moves.

 The running theme was Good Girls Loving Bad Boys.  The bright prints of Morine's flirty dresses and the rebellious denim of Buckaroo jeans on the male mannequins made this shindig look like the most stylish episode of The Twilight Zone ever...

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