Blanc Noir & Couture: Issue No.9

FASHION XCHANGE 

ALL FASHON. ALL BUSINESS. NO GOSSSIP. 

WINTER 2014 · NO 9 

Timeless 

sculputred 

garments by 

Colleen Quen 

Couture 

5Marketing 

Strategies 

Every Fashion 

Tech Company 

Should Use 

LAFW SS15 

Style Fashion Week 

Art Hearts Fashion 

Project Ethos 

Blanc Noir 

& Couture 

Issue 

Featured Designers 

Sue Wong 

Le Jolie 

Dar Sara 

Rachel Riot 

Ronita Wheatfall 

Mario De La Torre 

Erik Rosete 

Mister Triple X Himself 

Streetwear With Edge 

Topher Adam & 

the World of Dark Beauty 

Blanc Noir & Couture | Fashion Xchange Magazine | 1

“All Fashion. All Business. No Gossip.” 

Editor-In-Chief 

Fashion / Managing Editor 

Photographers 

Head of Photography 

Advertising Director 

Graphic Designer 

Writers 

ROBERT SILVER 

IVANNA WOODS 

ROBERT SILVER 

DERRICK RODGERS 

MICHAEL MOORE 

DERRICK RODGERS (LA) 

MARGAUX VICKERS 

ROBERT SILVER 

IVANNA WOODS 

OLYA ROSTOV 

ALEXA RAE PALACIOS 

BRIA ANDERSON 

RICKIE LEE 

DAVID MICHAEL 

CAITY SHREVE 

RACHEL RIOT 

NATALIIA KARPENKO 

JESSICA WILLIAMS 

HANNAH BE 

Questions and feedback: 

1282 Mattox Rd., #42, Hayward, CA, 94541 

Phone: (510)363-8080 

Email: info@fashionxchangemag.com 

Online: www.fashionxchangemag.com 

For Advertising & Sales: 

Phone: (800) 690-9931 

Fax (800) 383- 2709 

Email: ads@fashionxchangemag.com 

Fashion Xchange Magazine is a fashion industry trade magazine. As a resource for emerging & established 

professionals we advocate the brands, events & professionals that embodies the success of the fashion industry. 

Beyond mere product placement, with a goal of delivering informative content, we’re focused on giving in-depth 

reporting & analysis of the ever changing fashion industry trends. We enlighten our readers with the necessary 

tips & advice on how to create and maintain a sustainable career in the industry. Whether you’re a model, fashion 

designer, photographer, student or a fan of fashion, Fashion Xchange Magazine allows our readers to gain knowledge 

often only revealed behind closed doors. 

“All Fashion. All Business. No Gossip.” 

 

2 | Fashion Xchange Magazine | Blanc Noir & Couture

14 


with GG Styling 

ft. styling by Rachel Garay 

ARTICLES 

08 

10 

12 

14 

24 

26 

32 

40 

Colleen Quen Couture 

The Spiritual and Artistic Inspiration 

of Colleen Quen 

SHOP657 Opens 

AAU School of Fashion opens a retail 

store in the Tenderloin 

Five Marketing Strategies 

that every fashion tech company 

should use 

Up Close & Personal 

with international designer 

Trixie Zarate 

Blanc Noir with GG Styling 

Ft. styling by Rachel Garay 

Slow Poison 

with model/actress Michelle Grey 

Viva Noir by Robert Silver 

Ft. model Shai’La Yvonne 

Le Belle Moi Designs 

Catering to the fit of the modern 

woman 

Topher Adam 

and the World of Dark Beauty 

Magazine 

FEATURES 

44 

56 

60 

The Spiritual and Artistic Inspiration 

of Colleen Quen 

Fairies & Sirens 

Sue Wong at Style Fashion Week 

Le Jolie 

A woman’s one stop shop 

44 

62 

64 

67 

74 

76 

78 

82 

86 

88 

EVENTS 

96 

98 

100 

102 

56 

Sue Wong 

Fairies & Sirens: 

Sue Wong at 


Erik Rosete 

Mister Triple X Himself: Streetwear with 

Edge 

Dar Sara 

The crowning glory of any wardrobe 

Mario De La Torre 

by Derick Rodgers 

Chronicle of Couture 

A history of some of the world’s most 

divine artistry 

La Feuille de Route 

The roadmap of Oscar De La Renta 

Rap Sarmiento 

A stylist higlight 

Rules Of The Game: Beat The Odds 

by David Michael 

Fashionable Couture Art 

Oksana Tanasiv 

The Dark Elegance That Is Manic 

Designs 

2014 San Francisco Fashion Awards Year 7 


Art Hearts Fashion 

Project Ethos 


LETTER 

FROM THE 

EDITOR 

Suit by 

ARTFUL GENTLEMAN 

Fashion Stylist 

LUCAS ALEXIO 

Makeup by 

BONICE HALVERSON 

ROBERT SILVER 

Editor 


HELLO READERS! 

After we’ve made our lists and checked it twice, 

worked extra hours to buy gifts and opened 

presents, this is the time of the year in which we 

tend to look back. This is a time of reflection; we 

think about our accomplishments, our mishaps, 

and what we’ve learned from it all in order to set goals for the 

future. 

I can’t believe how quickly time has flown by for us since 

the release of our first issue in January of 2014. I know it’s a 

bit cliche, but it’s true. As we prepared to close out the year 

with this issue, we learned that we’ve been nominated for 

Best Magazine for the 7th Annual San Francisco Fashion 

Awards 2014. What a gift! My first reaction was absolute 

shock as a huge sense of humility starting taking over. Only 

having published our first issue less than a year ago, to be 

even considered as Best Magazine by the SFFA was truly an 

honor. I am also humbled to say that I was also nominated 

for Best Photographer, and won, leaving me with a feeling 

of overwhelming gratitude and purpose. It goes to show 

with a great team, a solid mission and focused leadership, 

anything is possible. 

last issue of 2014 for free as a thank you to all our readers 

for their support. It is with pride that I say number 9 is our 

largest issue to date with over 100 pages of editorial content, 

great fashion images, articles and interviews. 

For anyone at the beginning of any journey, the advice I 

have for them is to look back only to find a lesson, look 

forward only to claim your future, but don’t forget the most 

important act of all is to be still in order to find peace. Don’t 

forget to remind yourself that success is never achieved 

alone and to honor those that assist you along the way so 

that they may share in the success as well. 

Thank you to all our supporters. To put it simply… I’m 

grateful. 

I have to say that the biggest factor that helped us make 

it through our first year was the undying support of our 

amazingly talented contributing writers. With them, part of 

our mission to deliver informative content about the fashion 

industry would have never happened. Secondly, to all 

the designers, industry professionals and event producers 

that have believed in our mission, collaborated with us and 

assisted us along the arduous road of fashion publishing. 

Fashion Xchange Magazine has a lot of development in 

the making for us all to look forward to, as this is just the 

beginning. With 2015 knocking on our door, we offer the 


Photographer: Jen Miyako McGowan, 

School of Photography, BFA 

Fringe Dress: Yuko Okudaira, 

School of Fashion – Design, BFA 

Shirt Dress: Gwen Shihyao Lai, 

School of Fashion – Design, MFA 

Shirt: Wei Bai, 

School of Fashion – Design, MFA 

School of Fashion Design / Journalism / Merchandising / Styling 

...and introducing our newest BFA & MFA Program 

Costume Design 

BFA Objective: Train the next generation of designers in a rigorous sewing program that features industry-specific design courses as 

well as opportunities to practice their craft in active production environments. 

MFA Objective: Provide students with advanced study in costume design and garment construction for film. 

Visit www.academyart.edu to learn more about 

total costs, median student loan debt, potential 

occupations and other information. Accredited 

member WASC, NASAD, CIDA, NAAB, CTC. 

Academy of Art University 

Founded in San Francisco 1929 

888.680.8691 // www.academyart.edu 

Yellow Ribbon Participant

articles 

Academy of Art University School 

of Fashion Opens SHOP657, a retailboutique 

in San Francisco’s historic 

Union Square 

Academy of Art University opened SHOP657, a 

permanent, not-for-profit retail space created and curated by 

Academy of Art University school of Fashion Merchandising 

students. SHOP657 will sell one-of-a-kind clothing, shoes, 

accessories and decorative lifestyle items designed by 

School of Fashion students and alumni. 


“With SHOP657 we are carrying on the momentum 

that the Academy of Art University School 

of Fashion experienced with our successful popup 

store, which made its debut at our spring 

show this past May,” said Keanan Duffty, Senior 

Director of Fashion Merchandising. “Creating and 

operating a dedicated fashion retail space is a 

unique opportunity and a logical progression for 

our Fashion Merchandising and Design students 

and alumni.” 

The 1,500-square-foot store is located at 657 

Sutter Street near the historic Union Square 

shopping district in downtown San Francisco. 

Academy of Art University merchandising students, 

who will also be operating the store, have 

transformed the space that formerly housed 

Marty’s Liquor & Gourmet. With items ranging 

from $50 to $800, the shop features products 

from alumni brands, including Mansoor Scott, 

San Francycle, VOIDTHEBRAND, Rinat Brodach, 

Freda Salvador, Mute by Joanne Lu, Apartment 

415, Golden Pony Workshop, Gazel, Konstantina 

Tzovolou and NINETWENTYFIVE. 

Additionally, the store provides hands-on 

merchandising experience for School of Fashion 

Merchandising students. As part of their 

semester coursework, BFA Merchandising Product 

Development students create a collection 

of gift items and accessories, from which BFA 

Merchandising Buying classes select products to 

be sold at the store. Merchandising Product Development 

and Merchandising Buying students 

then collaborate to set pricing and determine 

marketing strategies for these items. And beginning 

Spring 2015, merchandising students 

will have the opportunity to compete for-credit 

internships working at the retail space. 

Executive Director of the School of Fashion 

Simon Ungless believes that the retail space is a 

key opportunity for Academy of Art University 

students to apply their skills in the real world. 

“The School of Fashion is committed to providing 

industry experience for our students. For our 

Design students, that manifests in the opportunity 

to show in runway shows at New York Fashion 

Week, and for our Fashion Journalism and 

Styling students the opportunity to work on 180 

magazine lends them practical experience in 

the editorial world,” said Ungless. “Now, for our 

Fashion Merchandising students, the chance to 

work on SHOP657 gives them firsthand knowledge 

of working in a retail store environment.” 

SHOP657 is located at 657 Sutter Street in San 

Francisco, CA, and will be open Wednesday to 

Saturday from 4:00-7:00 pm. The store will close 

at the end of the fall semester on December 20th and will reopen for the 

spring semester in January 2015. All proceeds go to the Student Scholarship 

Fund. 

(from top to bottom) Tommy Pham of San Francycle, Mansoor Scott of Mansoor 

Scott Designs, Mona Li of Mute by Joanne Lu 


MARKETING 

STRATEGIES 

5That Evey Fashion Tech Company Should Use 

by Nataliia Karpenko and Jessica Williams 

You’ve got this amazing product that you’ve been working on for a while. It’s awesome and will be sure to 

change lives, however, there is one problem. Not enough people know about it! 

Marketing is one of the most common problems that many businesses have. This is especially true for fashion tech 

companies. For most of them, it’s all a guessing game when it comes to successfully reaching their target market. 

When you haven’t reached your target market, it feels like you don’t exist. 

Trying random techniques here and there isn’t going to bring the exposure you need. The time has come to realize 

that you have to use the right methods if you want to draw the right kind of exposure. It’s not complicated, it just 

means picking the right outlets and using them well. 

1MAKE VIDEOS 

SOCIAL 

Producing videos is probably the most 

engaging marketing strategy for any fashion 

technology company and the options are 

pretty broad. You can shoot a basic video using 

your computer camera and upload it to 

video sites such as YouTube and/or Vimeo. If 

you want to step up the quality, try using an 

HD camera instead. Take things even further 

and produce an animated video using free 

programs like Moovly. Moovly allows you 

to create basic animation videos that will 

grab anyone’s attention. You can also upload 

your animation to YouTube for free. If you 

want more features, you have the choice of 

upgrading to paid accounts. 

2 MEDIA 

As a 21st century person in fashion, you 

absolutely must be using some form of social 

media for marketing. If you aren’t, then 

you are missing out big time! Social media 

platforms such as Instagram allow you to 

build a following almost instantly. You can 

even keep an eye on your colleagues and 

competitors. 

Trying random techniques here 

and there isn’t going to bring the 

exposure you need. 


3BLOGGING 

Blogging is a tried and true method for marketing that works! Creating a blog is simple 

and smart. Using WordPress, Tumblr, or Blogger are all great choices to select from. Use it 

to share industry tips as well as to connect with other fashion bloggers, business partners 

and potential customers. 

4 NETWORKING EVENTS 

It’s easy to get caught up behind the computer all day marketing, but at some point you 

need to interact with people face to face. That is why attending networking events is a 

savvy marketing practice that will win you much needed connections. Join your local 

MeetUp groups and attend conferences. A good rule of thumb is to pencil in at least two 

events on your calendar every month. 

5CROWDFUNDING 

Creating a crowdfunding project is a 4-in-1 marketing strategy and is one of the most effective ways of spreading the 

word. With crowdfunding, you are able to set up pre orders that allow you to find customers while also getting feedback 

before the project is ready. It helps to increase your exposure beyond just your circle of contacts and allows you to gain a 

global clientele. There is a possibility to be featured in large media publications as well. Common popular crowd funders 

include, Kickstarter and Indiegogo. You can provide incentives to those who donate a certain amount. Ideas include a 

free trial use of some sort. 

Getting into the fashion tech industry 

may be competitive, but with an 

amazing product and well-thought 

out marketing strategy, you will be 

well on your way to growing your clientele 

and increasing brand awareness 

Nataliia Karpenko, writer 

Jessica Williams, writer 


UP CLOSE & AND 

With 

International 

Designer 

Trixie Zarate 

Coming from an international 

background, 

designer Trixie Zarate 

has a unique point of 

view on what it takes to 

grow your fashion business 

and brand. In this 

interview, she shares 

her perspective on the 

many opportunities 

that fashion designers 

have as well as the factors 

that will have to be 

in place to catapult the 

San Francisco fashion 

scene to a higher level. 

PERSONAL 

by Nataliia Karpenko & Jessica Williams 

Photos by Robert Silver 


Jessica and Nataliia: You were the keynote speaker at the FIDM 

event. Share with us some of the key points of your speech. 

Trixie: I spoke and represented as an FIDM Alumni. I mainly 

talked about my experiences as a student, how I utilized the 

concepts I learned in school and how I apply it in my company 

ZARATE Enterprises, LLC. I spoke about how following 

your passion will take you to places. School is just a launching 

pad for your career. It is up to the student to utilize what 

they learned and how they apply what they know makes a 

difference. I told them in order to be successful in design; one 

must be ready and prepared. It doesn’t matter if you do not 

know how to sew prior to school, or it doesn’t matter if you 

have a talent for drawing or what not. Because when I came 

to school, I didn’t have the sewing skills or the drawing skills 

needed. As you go further in your career as a design student, 

you will learn everything as you go. For instance, I cried at my 

first day of my sewing class because the teacher scolded me 

for not cutting the fabric in the right direction. Today, I am an 

excellent pattern maker and a draper so those skills are built 

as you go further in your portfolio classes. 

Another important note is to do volunteer work and internships 

in order to validate your goals. It is extremely important 

to know if design is a good fit for you because design is not 

only about aesthetics, it is a matter of hard work itself. 

J&N: When did you begin as a designer and what motivated 

you 

Trixie: I have always been fascinated by arts, film, dance, and 

performing arts since I was in grade school. I was an activist 

trying different avenues in order to better improve myself as a 

student. I was never the straight A student in math or science, 

but I extremely excelled in arts and design. I danced my way 

into fashion. I joined numerous dance/ice skating competitions 

and I saw the beautiful lines of a dancer combined with 

the strength and beauty of an athlete. A routine takes about 

1 year to master for a competition and takes 1-2 minutes to 

show what you have prepared. The process is the most intriguing, 

most thought provoking experience I have ever felt. 

Everyone sees the tip of the iceberg. I see the beauty of the 

clothes. It enables a woman to evoke certain emotions that 

can be associated with an article of clothing. 

J&N: What ingredients do you think are missing in the San 

Francisco fashion ecosystem that would make it as successful 

as other places such as New York 

Trixie: SF fashion needs key players in the industry in order to 

covet and attract creative individuals, buyers, international 

models and designers etc. Maybe incorporating technology 

with design would make SF different from NY since we have 

so much talent in technology, design, arts etc. 

J&N: Being an international designer, do you think you have 

had it more difficult when establishing yourself in the US or 

was it an advantage 

Trixie: It was hard because I came to US last 2010 by myself 

with no friends, family or contacts. I felt like a baby with no 

knowledge about law, culture and everything else. After my 

business program was the time I vehemently learned about 

the US more. Being an international designer, you are able to 

appreciate different aesthetics, be more open in regards with 

R and D, demographics and conducting a different way to do 

business. The terrible “twos” (first 2 years) as a start-up designer 

is extremely challenging especially building a brand, with 

no connections from the ground up. 

J&N: What is your opinion about the future of fashion technology 

with wearable devices 

Trixie: I am extremely up for it. I would design and collaborate 

with engineers to create the next innovative textile or design 

that is both functional and wearable! 

J&N: What are your goals as a business woman in fashion 

Trixie: My primary goal next year is to enter the B2B market, 

go into wholesale and licensing deals. I will be joining shows 

and trade shows next year and hopefully be carried by small 

boutique department stores around the world. Another opportunity 

for Zarate is diversification as well as by expanding 

my brand awareness across Asia, Europe and America. 

J&N: What starting advice can you offer to emerging San Francisco 

designers 

Trixie: Follow your heart, network, keep your feet on the 

ground, and be true to yourself and your design aesthetic. SF 

is filled with talent and having a background in business will 

also help you see things differently from both a design and 

business perspective. 



by Robert Silver 

What is it 

to you 

Photography by Robert Silver 

Fashion Stylist: GG Styling 

Wardrobe: Glamherup Boutique 

and Le Belle Moi 

Models: Nicole Bonifacio, Marialuisa 

Marquez, Morgan Ashley, 

Hair & Makeup: Rachel Garay 


the dramatic colors that 

emphasize cynical 

attitudes, confidence, 

ambitions and desires. 


The hue of 

dreams and 

reality. 



18 | Fashion Xchange Magazine | Blanc Noir & Couture 

naturally unapologic.



Low-key visual 

motivation. 


Unrelenting. 


We represent 

the brands 

that embody 

advertise now 

success! 

gain exposure 

15% off 

Offer only for first-time buyers 

510-904-7899 

ads@fashionxchangemag.com 

www.fashionxchangemag.com 

FReeWeb & Digital 

with Print Ad orders 

Fashion Xchange Magazine is a fashion industry trade magazine. As a resource for emerging & established professionals we advocate the brands, events 

& professionals that embody the success of the fashion industry. Beyond mere product placement, with a goal of delivering informative content, we’re 

focused on giving in-depth reporting & analysis of the ever changing fashion industry. We enlighten our readers with the necessary tips & advice on how 

to create and maintain a sustainable career in the industry. Whether you’re a model, fashion designer, photographer, student or a fan of fashion, Fashion 

Xchange Magazine allows our readers to gain knowledge often only revealed behind closed doors. 

Fashion Xchange Magazine 

All Fashion. All Business. No Gossip.

Slow Poison 


PHOTOGRAPHER: RAJ KUMAR ~ RAJ K PHOTOGRAPHY 

WARDROBE STYLIST/HAIR: CAITY SHREVE ~ MOI CONTRE LA VIE 

MODEL/ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: MICHELLE GREY 

~ AGENCY BOOM MODELS & TALENT 

MAKEUP ARTIST: HEYDI SUYEN 



VIVA 

NOIR 

w/ Shai'La Yvonne 

by Robert Silver 

Photography: Robert Silver 

Model: Shai’La Yvonne 

Styling: Alysha Lyster 

Hair/MUA: Noel Williams 






Le Belle Moi 

Designer Ronita Wheatfall of Le Belle Moi 

loves everything about fashion. “The 

colors, the shapes, the attitude, the walks, 

the make-up, the people, the rush!” 

by Bria Anderson | photos by Robert Silver 

he simply loves it all! Growing up, Ronita hated the way 

her mother dressed her and made her outfits match. 

During high school, she began to really concentrate 

on how different she always wanted to look, which she 

reasons as, “the need to be different.” Ronita Wheatfall is 

from Oakland California, by way of Berkeley. Ronita says, “Berkeley 

stands on it’s own. Eclectic, original, and smart; I love the 

individuality that this city promotes. It helped mold me into the 

woman I am.” 

Later in life, Ronita started Le Belle Moi. The meaning behind Le 

Belle Moi is, “The beautiful me.” Ronita creates clothing for real 

women. She shared, “If you see my show, I have models from size 

00 to 26. Short and tall; everyone is beautiful in their own skin. 

Just because you are 5’4” does not mean you cannot rock the runway. 

In fact my model Ijeoma (the runway diva) being a size 22, 

can out walk anyone! I also wanted clothes that fit me. My waist 

is a size 7 and bottom is a size 12; no one makes clothes like that!” 

Ronita describes herself as “a fashion junky!” She enjoys touching 

the fabrics, listening to textures, sketching the looks, discovering 

the shapes, sewing, and dressing the models. She loves to mix 

and match prints and colors that are not normally matched. 

Jewelry provided by CanDid 

Art Accessoires by Candice Cox; 

Location, The Studio Too; 

Makeup by Naudja Bynum for 

Naomi Azure Project; 

Hair by Rachel Garay 

Lalena Hughes 

Le Belle Moi cropped 

hooded vest $65 

FauxLeather trimmed shorts $45 

Where to buy 

www.Lebellemoi.com 


Kenisha Bogans 

Le Belle Moi bronze and 

black leather crop jacket 

$185 with a black and 

bronze leather trimmed 

chiffon mulit short $95 

Where to buy 



Nicole Bonifacio 

Le Belle Moi chained backless vest 

matched $45 with. Two toned drawstring 

pant $65 

Where to buy 


When talking about inspiration for 

her designs, Ronita says, “It’s weird; 

the fabric talks to me. I sit in my 

sewing room and look at my fabrics, 

start to sketch, and designs just 

pop up. I also get inspired by the 

people I dress. I make clothes that 

fit ones personality and body type.” 

Ronita created a black and white ¾ 

length coat with a body of white, 

high neck, black and white pattern 

on the sleeves with a different black 

and white pattern belt. This piece 

was her greatest accomplishment as 

far as design, however; she is starting 

to be recognized for her jumpers. 

Ronita shared that she would 

love to have her merchandise sold 

on rodeo drive in LA and Atlanta. 

In the future we should look out for 

Le Belle Moi as they are preparing 

to hold an official launch party featuring 

the J. Cain collection inspired 

by the actress, Jonez Cain, the full 

spring line, a peek into the children’s 

line, and more. Ronita shared that 

this event will be filled with fashion 

surprises! As we wait for this event 

to take place, Ronita Wheatfall encourages 

us to, “always follow your 

gut, stick to your voice, and work 

hard.” 


La Shay Marie 

Le Belle Moi army fatigue and gold 

suede jacket $255. Bronze and black 

leather short romper $ 195. 

Where to buy 



Harveen Veenu Gil 

Le Belle Moi high waisted hand 

dyed print pant $95 

Where to buy 

36 | Fashion www.Lebellemoi.com 

Xchange Magazine | Blanc Noir & Couture



Lindsey Peck 

Le Belle Moi butterfly print 

lenninwide leg jumper. 

$145 

Where to buy 

www.Lebellemoi.com

Jalesa Anderson 

Le Belle Moi faux fur trimmed 

jean hooded vest $75 and leather 

trimmed linen elephant pant $125 

Where to buy 



HELL COLLECTION 

Photography, Editing and Wardrobe by Topher Adam 

Models: Amy Lefevre, Anthony Vacanti, Besjana Dakake, Jenn Autry 

Makeup by Got Hair Deana, Makeup: Ferelene, Gabriella Rose Lamboy 


Topher Adam 

and The World Of Dark Beauty 

By Rachel Riot 

It’s no secret that the fashion industry is an extremely competitive and cut throat 

business. 

Images of 

enraged 

designers and 

supermodels 

throwing 

lattes and cell 

phones at each 

other quickly come 

to mind, and in 

our modern world 

of “fast fashion”, 

carefully tailored 

pieces that convey 

a unique aesthetic 

are often forgotten 

and underappreciated. 

Thankfully, 

there is a community 

of people that fight against that mentality, and at the 

front line of the battle, you’ll meet incredible artists like Topher 

Adam. He is the “creative weirdo” (his words, not mine!) 

behind the legendary and powerful Dark Beauty Magazine, 

and a ruler in the world of underground art and design. 

Topher created Dark Beauty Magazine in response to being 

criticized by the judges of Project Runway during his audition 

in 2010, and the overall misunderstanding of edgier art and 

fashion that depicts a different perspective. After struggling 

with the many limitations of the mainstream fashion industry, 

he shifted his energy toward creating a platform where 

unconventional artists and designers could showcase their 

work to viewers that would embrace and support it. He 

compiled and released the first issue of Dark Beauty Magazine 

in August of 2010, and it immediately sold 200 copies. 

Since then, Dark Beauty has flourished and gathered a huge 

following. Topher describes the magazine as “the ultimate 

look book” and a doorway into his creative soul that shows 

the public how he perceives the world. To him, Dark Beauty 

is the moment that triggers the ‘Ah-ha!’ when an artist or designer 

realizes that what they think, feel, and consider to be 

fashion, becomes 

a reality through 

their creations, and 

ultimately shows 

who they are and 

what they stand for 

so that the world 

will understand 

their work. 

As an independent 

artist and entrepreneur, 

Topher knows 

the struggles of 

releasing your 

work to the world, 

but his philosophy 

to reaching success 

all boils down to believing in yourself, having confidence in 

your work, and telling your unique story through your artistry. 

We discussed the misconception that some artists have 

about pursuing their career and starting their own business, 

like thinking it will be easy, and that everything will be handed 

to them on a silver platter. As Topher explained why that 

is absolutely not how things work, he quoted an inspirational 

piece of advice he received years ago: 

“Someone once said to me, Topher, you can either become 

successful tomorrow, and it may last for a few months, or a 

year, or a few years, or you can slowly grow in to your success 

and blossom, and exist for a lifetime.” 

Those guiding words opened his eyes to see how important 

it is for an artist to never sell themselves short, and that the 

focus of your work should be driven by passion, rather than 

money. Topher is very adamant in expressing that Dark Beauty 

supports the passion in fashion, not the commercialism. 

He emphasized that knowing your value is crucial to your 

success, but that value is not always measured in money. An 

artist needs to know the difference between working for free 


“Someone once said to me, 

Topher, you can either become 

successful tomorrow, and it 

may last for a few months, or a 

year, or a few years, or you can 

slowly grow in to your success 

and blossom, and exist for a 

lifetime.” 


and being taken advantage of, opposed to collaborating with 

other artists to create a support system and grow into success 

together. 

Being the rebel that he is, Topher also finds it essential to never 

let others control your designs or make you feel that you need 

to fit into a “mold”. He believes that your art should always 

stem from who you are, your past experiences, and what you 

stand for. He reiterated the importance of an artist understanding 

their potential and staying true to themselves to establish 

a unique style and discover an appreciative and supportive audience. 

He explained that as long as an artist stays focused on 

those key elements, it will show in their work no matter what 

type of art they are creating. Topher does everything under the 

“art sun”- he’s a photographer and film maker, he paints, draws, 

designs clothing and accessories, composes music- the list 

goes on and will go on forever! However, he creates everything 

with a specific aesthetic and a focus on telling a story through 

his work, and that is what has shaped his own unique and 

recognizable style. 

“There’s nothing wrong with saying I am and believing in your 

success. If you live in a world where you believe what you want 

to do is possible, it will happen…if you cannot believe in yourself, 

you cannot be an artist.” 

Topher Adam is the epitome of inspiration, and a blessing to 

the world of underground art. His success story and artwork 

nurtures the entrepreneurial spirit, and encourages perseverance 

in the face of cliché trends and doubtful critics. His world 

of Dark Beauty has become a sanctuary for misunderstood 

artists and designers, and has opened a path for them to find a 

light in their struggle, and use it to empower their work so that 

their message will finally be heard. 

To see more of Topher’s beautiful work and Dark Beauty Magazine, 

visit: 

www.topheradam.com 

www.facebook.com/TopherAdamArt 

www.darkbeautymag.com 

www.facebook.com/darkbeautymag 

He added that it is also imperative for an artist to understand 

where they’re coming from, so that their audience will understand 

as well. “If you can’t identify with the artist that you are, 

how can you call yourself an artist” he asked. He continued to 

explain that the key to success lies within knowing your value 

and having confidence in yourself. 


Features 

the 

spiritual 

and artistic 

Inspirationof 

Colleen Quen 

by Ivanna Woods | Photos by Robert Silver 

Inspired by the brilliance of 

nature’s motifs, influenced by the 

vivid colors in Matisse's oil 

paintings and intricacy of Chinese 

calligraphy, San Francisco 

Couturiere Colleen Quen continues 

to create contemporary fashion, 

thirty years in the making. 

Creative Director: Ivanna Woods 

Models: Victoria Jasper, Rumiko McCarthy, Adeline 

Chichi, Khloe Andrea Elkins 

Makeup by Tamiko Carrillo & Gracie Ziegler 

Hair by Tony Elizondo 

Quen is proud to be a fourth generation Chinese 

American, a pride that is emulated in her artistry. Born 

in Alameda, California, this Bay Area native is a naturally 

talented artist that took her gift to the next level 

through exemplary education. She graduated from the 

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in 1986 

with an Associates of Arts in Fashion Design and upon 

completion, she fashioned an impassioned career on a 

ten year foundation for Wilkes Sport for Wilkes Bashford, 

Eileen West, Gap, Jane Tise / Karen Alexander and 

Joan Walters. 

Upon realizing how transformative obtaining the 

highest level of education would be for her career, 

Quen then applied to study at Simmone Sethna School 

of French Couture and graduated with a certificate in 

French Couture in 1996. She went on to solidify her 

business savvy by opening her own couture design 

company, Colleen Quen Couture, Inc. in 2000. 

Colleen Quen has known she wanted to be a designer 

for virtually the entirety of her life. “I realized I wanted 

to be a designer when my mom took me to my 

favorite fabric store to choose the dress I wanted her to 

create for a party when I was five years old. My mom’s 

fabric cabinet was like a treasure box of crayons for 

me. From 5 to 52 years old presently - over 47 years of 

inspiration” she shares. When asked about the style her 

line exemplifies, ‘strength, elegance and inner natural 

beauty’ are the descriptive terms Quen chose. Colleen 

Quen Couture, Inc. falls under ‘fashion as wearable art’ 

she says. She creates evening wear, cocktail, bridal, 

travel, and artwear disciplines through commissions 

only. ‘I am an artist creating work through instillations, 

equaling harmony in design.’ 

Quen’s sculptured garments showcase all that she is 

inspired by (nature, color, calligraphy, French culture), 

married with luminous volumes of textiles that 

fulfills her artistic expression. “I am an Asian American 

designer - which gives inspiration through my ancient 

Chinese culture and also with my San Francisco 

/ Northwest American values as well as the essence 

of design and refinement that is French culture. I feel 

I am a melting pot of diverse perspectives - from this 

mastery of wisdom I can create infinite style that is well 

received internationally.” 

Her aforementioned design inspirations do not cease 

there. Quen goes on to say that she is ‘particularly 

inspired by nature and how it can be formed on the 

human body - how my design can transform the inner 

spirit when a human wears my work. External + internal 

design. Form + formless. Fluid + Femme + Architectural 

+ Masculine. ’ This is how the ethereally dynamic 

design powerhouse continues to design year after 

year. She applies an artistic practice of layering colorful 



White Empress Coat - Silk Gazar 

Where to buy 

www.colleenquencouture.com 


movement of fabrics and textures, 

creating a strong visual expression 

of beauty and art combined which 

keeps private clients and museums 

desiring her work. Colleen 

Quen defines her own interpretation 

of fashion - and it’s brilliant. 

Fashion created by Colleen Quen 

is nothing less than magic. “My 

fashion represents my soul, my 

language, my poetry, my style and 

my passion. My goals are to keep 

speaking through my art globally, 

whether its through fashion 

design or painting. My next goal 

is to incorporate clay, sculpture 

and ceramics into my medium for 

creation” the couturiere extraordinaire 

declares. When asked what 

she’s currently working on, we 

learn she is further embodying 

her painting into her artistry. “I 

am working on an exhibition and 

installation of work embodying 

my painting and emergence of 

fashion as sculpture. I hope to 

exhibit this next year on 2015. I am 

deciding on locations but most 

likely I will exhibit outside of San 

Francisco. I want my art to reach 

a global scale” Quen states. “The 

poetic feeling to my designs is 

connecting with nature and humanity. 

My creations reflect lightness 

and illumination through my 

fabrics and colors, as well as the 

balance of structure and defined 

organic shapes.” Quen always plays 

with the mixture of masculine and 

feminine design lines in her work 

and places a lot of focus on the 

movement her creations make. For 

her, it’s all about the intellectual 

cut of the design which makes it 

unique and representative of what 

her aesthetic is all about. 

With over thirty years of experience 

in the fashion and artistic 

industry, Colleen Quen’s opinion 

of the fashion industry at large is 

highly respected. We at Fashion 

Xchange Magazine simply had to 


Colleen Queen Couture 

White Dandelion Dress - Silk Gazar 

Where to buy 

www.colleenquencouture.com


Manhattan Dress - denim stretch 

Where to buy 



ask what her perspective of the 

state of the fashion industry today. 

Quen genuinely feels that there 

is ‘too much abundance’ and not 

enough awareness of wastefulness 

in the industry. “Awareness of our 

planet - preserving and bringing 

quality and meaning to fashion in 

a purposeful way to benefit our 

Earth, our community and our future 

is what is important.” Her advice 

for emerging designers spins 

off of her belief in sustainability. 

She advises that emerging designers 

‘create purposeful designs to 

help be a positive aspect to our 

earth and to our lifestyle.’ There 

is much beauty, purpose and inspiration 

behind art of all forms, and 

Colleen Quen is an inspiration and 

is inspired by the world. 


Chicago Dress - denim stretch 

Where to buy 



To learn more about Colleen Quen 

the designer and her designs, you 

may find her at: 

www.ColleenQuenCouture.com 

www.ColleenQuenArt.com 

Facebook: Collen Quen 


Instagram: Colleen Quen 



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Blanc Where Noir & to Couture buy | Fashion Xchange Magazine | 49 



Nude blouse & Culotte pants 

- silk nude organza (blouse) & 

grey wool 

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& Couture | Fashion Xchange Magazine | 51



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& professionals that embodies the success of the fashion industry. Beyond mere product placement, with a goal of delivering informative content, we’re 

focused on giving in-depth reporting & analysis of the ever changing fashion industry trends. We enlighten our readers with the necessary tips & advice 

on how to create and maintain a sustainable career in the industry. Whether you’re a model, fashion designer, photographer, student or a fan of fashion, 

Fashion Xchange Magazine allows our readers to gain knowledge often only revealed behind closed doors. 



F irieS 

& 

Sirens 

Sue Wong at Style 

Fashion Week 

BY CAITY SHREVE // PHOTOGRAPHY: DEREK RODGERS 


I STILL REMEMBER THE FIRST SUE 

WONG DRESS THAT I EVER SAW 

AS A TEENAGER – IT WAS DAN- 

GLING FROM A VELVET HANGER IN 

A NORDSTROM DRESSING ROOM. A 

STRAPLESS COCKTAIL FROCK THE 

LIKES OF WHICH I’D NEVER SEEN 

BEFORE. 

Embellished with sequins and a white feathered hemline, 

I couldn’t help but reach out to touch the beautiful fabric 

that hung before me. Years later Sue Wong’s feminine, 

dramatic designs still have the power to stop me in my tracks. 

The LA-based designer has been a fixture on the fashion scene 

since the launch of her eponymous label in 1984. From Prom 

to Hollywood red carpet step-and-repeats, her glamorous 

frocks are favored by women of all ages and are available on 

websites and in stores all around the world. 

Staying close to home, Sue Wong recently conquered Los 

Angeles fashion week – Opening the Style Fashion Week with 

a Fairies & Sirens-themed collection of dazzling and striking 

dresses. After her resounding triumph, Fashion Xchange was 

able to get some precious time with the jet-setting designer to 

chat about her sartorial inspiration and endless love of fashion. 

FX: Seeing your designs at the Style Fashion Week event 

was such a highlight – What made you decide to join that 

particular event during LA Fashion Week 

SW: I have been hosting my own fashion shows for years. I 

constantly reinvent myself and the chosen platform on which 

I unveil my Collections. I wanted to open up Los Angeles Style 

Fashion Week with something spectacular and operatic. My 

designs are transformative and healing. They connect every 

woman who wears a SUE WONG with the Feminine Divine. 

When a woman wears a SUE WONG gown, she experiences the 

living mantra that I embed in all my gowns: BEAUTY ~ MAGIC 

~ TRANSFORMATION. 

Unveiling my Collection and opening SFW afforded me the 

opportunity to present this message to a larger and more 

diversified demographic. I am all about seductive, poetic, 

lush, romantic textures and contours – all of which contribute 

towards the anthem of elevating a woman’s body and mind 

to levels she never knew possible. I wanted to bring Beauty, 

Magic and Transformation to SFW. 

FX: What was the highlight of SFW for you this season 

SW: It’s quite a daunting task opening up a formidable, much 

anticipated fashion event such as SFW. The expectation was 

challenging, but I gladly rose to the occasion. I welcome 

challenges, they very much present opportunities for me to 

live my quantum potential. My Spring 2015 Collection runway 


show “FAIRIES & SIRENS” received (and almost a month later 

continues to receive) resounding accolades that are synonymous 

with my superior standards of excellence. To be invited to 

open up SFW was a great honor, but the immeasurable highlight 

was to deliver on the high expectations successfully. 

One works so very hard on such a much-anticipated event; 

then to see it physically unfold in real-time was a surreal experience…a 

powerful dream sequence within which my gorgeous 

models transformed into inter-dimensional archetypal Goddesses 

on the SUE WONG runway! The 900 capacity venue was 

oversold and it was extra special to have esteemed domestic 

and international dignitaries, a sea of press and media, celebrities 

as well as my close friends and collaborators witness the 

rock opera unfold. What moved me incredibly was that I could 

literally hear resounding gasps from the audience over the 

powerful music and sound levels as my Runway Goddesses 

presented each SUE WONG look. 

Experience my inter-dimensional, archetypal Goddesses majestically 

ruling the runway at www.vimeo.com/109288112. 

FX: The Sue Wong brand is all about glamour and making a 

statement – women put on your designs and feel like Cinderella. 

Do you have a particular woman in mind when you 

create a new collection 

SW: I have created a very unique, one of a kind SUE WONG 

look, inspired by the old Hollywood Golden era. I don’t merely 

design clothes; I create and design transformative gowns of 

empowerment for all types of women. My gowns allow women 

to get in touch with their feminine Divine/inner Goddess. I 

therefore never design for a particular woman in mind. To 

awaken the inner Feminine Divine Goddess that resides in each 

and every woman is to design for all women. Every woman’s 

transformation can be equated to that of Cinderella, which incidentally 

is a fairytale of transformation. Coincidentally, I’m very 

honored and excited to have collaborated with Disney Studios 

in creating my Cinderella Line which is a tie-in with the much 

anticipated, up-coming film being released in 2015. While 

I design to liberate the Goddess in all women, you certainly 

don’t need to give the kingdom away in purchasing one of my 

transformative gowns. I create couture gowns with impeccable 

workmanship available at Prêt-à-Porter prices, for all women. I 

consider myself to be the Every Woman’s couturier. 

For greater insight into my brand, please view my brand reel 

www.vimeo.com/100371207. 

FX: We love the story of your early introduction to fashion 

and sewing dresses for yourself for school dances while 

you were growing up in Los Angeles. Do you have a favorite 

fashion memory or a favorite piece that you made when 

you were younger that you still remember today 

name is anything but that very superior, high standard that I 

have fought for and maintained throughout my entire career. I 

never get stuck in the moment. I am highly appreciative of every 

moment of success, but to live in the moment and then let 

it go so you can forever evolve is crucial to your success walking 

that fine line between Art and Commerce. While I am unwavering 

on the artistic integrity of all my pieces, I am obligated 

to make the cash registers ring, otherwise there would be no 

Art/Vision. I am therefore always forward-thinking and never 

allow any moment, no matter how profoundly-affecting on my 

career freeze, because that would simply stifle my reinvention 

and continual growth as a successful designer. Ever since I can 

remember, I was making my own clothing--beads were in my 

destiny because I made my own prom dress, and I hand-beaded 

the bodice!! 

FX: Your story is one of persistence and determination – 

Creating a successful fashion franchise is clearly not for the 

faint of heart. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations 

for businesswomen and designers who look to you 

as an example and a mentor 

SW: Do not compromise on your vision. Do not allow others to 

derail, nor undermine your commitment and clarity and the 

clarity of your Vision and goal. Be true to your essence; to the 

essence of the overall design and to yourself…especially since 

the one reflects the other and we are what we eat; we become 

what we adorn our bodies with. 

Never take no for an answer. Never allow other people to limit 

your possibilities by accepting the projections of their very own 

limitations onto yourself. Never feel simply satisfied at any given 

moment in your journey. Remember that you are a work in 

progress. In wanting to help others, you first need to make sure 

you have helped your very own healing/awakening process; 

then you can share this life lesson through your art with others 

that chose to enter the dance of Life with you, through experiencing 

your creativity. 

I strongly believe the following 3 personal traits help one become 

a successful entrepreneur: 

· Having a vision! 

· Holding that vision! 

· Being true to that vision! 

Always redefine yourself (as I do creatively every single season) 

constantly…expand and grow as an artist. That’s what I was 

born to do and that’s my quest in my life…to be as self-realized 

as I possibly can both as an accomplished artist and as a human 

being: to grow spiritually and acquire wisdom along the way; 

and to fulfill my ultimate destiny by ever evolving into my 

Higher Self. 

SW: I am a maximalist and perfectionist. Each and every piece 

I design, I invest with my utmost integrity and fierce passion. 

Nothing that leaves my studio and that carries the SUE WONG 



Le Jolie 

It’s a wonderful thing when you discover 

a shop that has everything that you’re 

looking for in one place. That store you 

just can’t walk past without stopping to 

peruse the new merchandise or ooh and 

ahh over their striking window display. 

by Caity Shreve | Photos by Derrick Rodgers 

While co-sponsoring Los 

Angeles Fashion Week this 

past month, Le Jolie Boutique 

participated in Style Fashion 

Week by sending looks from 

their personal collection 

down the runway. 

Le Jolie Boutique is 

one of those rarified 

stores. Their 

perfectly curated 

collection of 

goods includes 

clothing and 

accessories for 

men, women, and 

children, as well as 

a fashionable home 

décor selection. 

Their mission to help 

you find just what you’re 

looking for means that they 

carry a wide variety of brands and 

designers. From high end designer goods to fabulous 

pieces from new up-and-coming designers that you 

need to know to killer vintage finds that will quickly 

become the highlight of your closet. 

In addition to offering all of this on a lovely, 

easy-to-navigate website with speedy delivery options 

so that you can have your prize in your hands in no 

time, they also offer something wholly unique. Flexible 

payments. Yes, you read that right. Le Jolie Boutique 

is now offering a unique approach to shopping that 

allows you to set up a monthly payment plan that suits 

your personal budget. 

What I love most about this concept is that it makes 

high-end fashion and designers whom a consumer 

might feel are out of their reach, readily available. It 

makes high fashion accessible and levels the playing 

field. If you’ve always wanted a certain monogrammed 

bag or have been in love with a vintage Chanel pearl 

necklace for as long as you can remember, Le Jolie 

Boutique is here to make that dream come true. 

In addition to making online clients blissfully happy 

with their online shopping experiences, Le Jolie Boutique 

has made the decision to branch out this season 

and indulge their love of fashion in a physical setting. 

While co-sponsoring Los Angeles Fashion Week this 

past month, La Jolie Boutique participated in Style 

Fashion Week by sending looks from their personal 

collection down the runway. 

And I can assure you that this wasn’t just some typical 

fashion show. No, this was a bold black and white extravaganza 

that left spectators entertained and ready 

for more. First out on the runway were graceful ballet 

dancers in Black Swan costumes, only to be followed 

by a fun, high-energy show featuring black and white 

looks for men and women. Down the runway danced 

everything from glamorous beaded cocktail dresses 

and sleek suits to accessories, separates, outerwear, 

casual weekend wear, and even children’s clothing. 


FX: Presenting Style Fashion Week is quite an honor – How did you get 

involved with SFW this season Does Le Jolie have a history with Los 

Angeles Fashion Week 

SW: We met with the owners and it evolved from there. It was our first experience 

with Los Angeles Fashion Week but we definitely plan on doing more 

runway shows in the future. 

FX: What was the highlight of SFW for Le Jolie Were there any particularly 

memorable moments this season that you’d like to share with our 

readers 

SW: The crowd’s reaction to our show and all the positive reviews and feedback 

we’ve received. 

FX: The Le Jolie boutique has a wide range of really lovely pieces, from 

cocktail attire to swimwear to gowns. How did you narrow down the 

selection for the SFW presentation 

SW: Le Jolie is a lifestyle brand, so the fashion show displayed outfits that 

can be worn daily and transition from day to night. 

We selected very wearable pieces that can be mixed and matched and that 

anyone can pull off! 

FX: The Le Jolie business model is unique and really fills a great need for 

fashion lovers. How was this great concept created Was there a personal 

experience that helped lead to the launch of the website 

SW: Yes there was, COO Adie Meiri actually came up with the idea of Flexible 

Payments while at a grocery store in Israel. They have a similar payment plan 

for food, so why can’t we do the same with clothing 

FX: Can you tell the readers of Fashion Xchange how Le Jolie curates its 

exclusive collection of pieces for the website How do you determine 

just what deserves to be included 

SW: Since many of our designer pieces are dated by a season or two, we 

closely follow what’s currently trending in the fashion world and only choose 

those items to sell on the website. 

FX: Is there anything exciting on the horizon for Le Jolie that we should 

keep an eye out for Any big plans for 2015 that Fashion Xchange can 

look forward to hearing more about in the future 

SW: More billboards across the country, fashion shows at the upcoming 

fashion weeks around the world, and even daytime television features! With 

Le Jolie, the sky's the limit. 

Clearly, Le Jolie Boutique is ready to take the fashion world by storm – So be 

sure to check out their website and keep an eye out for their next show! 


Mister Triple X 

Erik Rosete 

Los Angeles native Erik Rosete is a natural when it comes to being a 

‘triple threat’ in the fashion industry. Approximately five years ago, he 

started managing models in NYC and then returned to Los Angeles to 

work in entertainment but ‘got sucked back into fashion.’ 

by Ivanna Woods | Photos by Derrick Rodgers 


Rosete’s world spreads across several different facets of the 

industry. From designing, management and producing, 

Mister Rosete is virtually a one stop shop when it comes 

to handling business in this whirlwind of an industry that 

is fashion. Founder of RMG Talent, Art Hearts Fashion and 

Mister Triple X, his responsibilities range vastly - from 

development to retention and strategic planning for all 

his clients on a global scale, to overseeing and managing 

Rosete Management, it’s easy to say this is a man with his 

calendar chocked full of business and events. How this 

successful array of specialties came together Let me allow 

him to explain. “I was friends with beautiful people whose 

careers were in need of change. I decided to manage their 

careers and shifted my work from LA to NYC. After a year of 

being in NYC, I decided to return to Los Angeles and focus 

on entertainment. I started working with a film director 

and a few actors, one day an old friend of mine approached 

me about attending his fashion show in Los Angeles and I 

attended. He had heard of my work in NYC and asked me to 

manage him. From there, fashion was once again my forte 

and we worked well together. Through my work with these 

amazing artists I launched an event to feature all of them 

under one roof. That is where “Art Hearts Fashion” was born. 

I was able to feature designers, models, musicians, artists, 

and photographers all under one roof.” 

Finding out the inspiration behind what our featured artists 

do is important to us at Fashion Xchange Magazine, and 

Erik’s is very interesting. “I have always been inspired by 

helping others and figured out a way to create a platform 

that benefits great causes and great people. Through that 

I created my own fashion line “Mister Triple X” to also tell 

my own story through fashion. I remain inspired because 

I think that fashion is a great way to tell one’s story, and

I am blessed with having the opportunity to not only tell my 

own story, but to help others in telling theirs as well.” The RMG 

brand and his event “Art Hearts Fashion” has been held coast to 

coast in benefit of numerous charities such as = Women’s Cancer 

Research, AIDS Project Los Angeles, The Hurricane Sandy Relief 

Kitchen and AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Celebrities highly 

support Art Hearts Fashion events and thus it has become an 

incredible platform for designers and artists to showcase their 

work. Erik was inspired to create his fashion line ‘Mister Triple X’ 

through his charity work and zeal for fashion. His line has headlined 

major fashion weeks throughout the country, including 

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week New York and Style Fashion Week 

Los Angeles. 

Upcoming events for Rosete Management will focus on the 

expansion of his event “Art Hearts Fashion”. It is his goal that 

through Art Hearts, he will help dozens of designers and artists 

tell their stories and showcase their collections at the top 

platforms in the world. “Not only will I help designers and artists, 

but also showcase hundreds of models that have a certain “it” 

factor. This past season I had the honor to showcase a group of 

very special models in my Mister Triple X show. War Veteran Alex 

Minsky lost his leg while serving our country and has managed 

to turn his tragedy into success. I had the honor of customizing 

his prosthetic leg this last season for him to walk my runway. 

I also featured Nadia Mejia who’s show Suave Says debuts on 

VH1 December 3rd, Jourdan Miller winner of Americas Next Top 

Model, Dale Moss from the NFL, Cody Saintgnue from Teen Wolf, 

and Carlo Mendez, actor and brother of Eva Mendez. Not only 

did these great stars come out to walk my show but I also had 

Colleen Shannon, the ‘worlds sexiest DJ’ open for my show, and a 

performance by British chart topper Katy Tiz.” 

What is your opinion of the state of the fashion industry and 

your advice for emerging designers/ management / models 

trying to break into the industry, I asked Mister Rosete: “Fashion 

is at a turning point where people are starting to realize 

that beauty does not just belong to the stick figures we have 

been accustomed to seeing on the runway. For example this 

past season my event featured an amputee, an albino, and 

a few plus size models as well as great celebrity personalities 

and amazingly talented artistic designers. My advice for 

emerging designers and Models: Contact me if you're good 

and let me work my magic! Management: Find a personal 

manager that believes in you to fight for you and make that 

personal push. Big agencies are amazing, but when you are 

just starting out you can tend to get lost if you end up with 

a bigger agency. Once you are developed your manager can 

place you in a larger agency. My advice is to never give up 

and never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. I 

did not find my path until I was 33 and I see so many teenagers 

stressing about the rest of their lives. Never give up, but 

be realistic about your expectations as well. I am 5’11 and tell 

boys if you are shorter than me you are not walking on my 

runway, but maybe you will do well in print or commercials. I 

tell girls if you do not fit into my sample size, find a designer 

that caters to your size range or focus on the commercial side 

of the biz. There is just as much money if not more in commercials 

than there is in fashion, and personality and character 

play a much bigger role for people wanting to model in 

that part of the industry.” 

Next year will be huge for Mister Rosete. His event will once 

again headline Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week NYC in February, 

and will expand to a week long fashion events in Los Angeles, 

making them the premiere fashion week platform for Los Angeles! 

Our Mister Triple X website is under construction and 

will feature customizable clothing for 2015. Mister Triple X 

has become the premiere Bespoke streetwear brand catering 

to rockstars and fashionistas alike. If you like anything from 

our runway contact us at Info@MisterTripleX.com and let us 

customize the item to your size and specifications. 

For Fashion Xchange Magazine readers that wish to follow 

Mister Triple X on his incredible journey in the fashion and 

mangement world: 

Learn more about Art Hearts Fashion visit www.ArtHearts- 

Fashion.com 

Instagram #Art Hearts Fashion 

Facebook.com/ArtHeartsFashion 

Twitter @ArtHeartsFashion 

To Learn more about me 

Instagram #ErikRosete 

Facebook /ErikRosete 

Twitter @ErikRoseteMGMT 

To Learn more about Mister Triple X visit www.MisterTripleX. 

com 

Instagram #Mister Triple X 

Facebook.com/MisterTripleX.Clothing 

Twitter @MisterTripleX 


DAR SARA 

THE CROWNING GLORY 

OF ANY WARDROBE 

Atelier Dar Sara was launched in 2000 and since the company’s 

inception, the designer and her team have worked tirelessly to produce 

dramatic, eye-catching garments for the glamorous modern 

woman who want to make a sartorial statement. 

by Caity Shreve | Photos by Amy Graves 


Images from Style Fashion Week || LA Fashion Week SS15 

The Lebanese founder, Joumana Al 

Hayek, has an expert eye for details 

and initially put her considerable 

talents into creating an exclusive 

bridal collection featuring luxurious 

materials brought in from France and 

Italy. Classic silhouettes and one-of-akind 

detailing helped these creations 

make a splash in a market oversaturated 

with cookie-cutter wedding dresses. 

Following the success of the Dar Sara 

bridal gowns, the brand expanded 

their female demographic by launching 

both Ready-To-Wear and eveningwear 

collections. In recent years they’ve also 

created a children’s line which includes 

some really beautiful formalwear 

pieces for children that are perfect for 

events. 

To date, Dar Sara’s sumptuous pieces 

have been featured in runway shows 

from Dubai to the United Kingdom. 

Luckily for us, the brand recently 

brought their skills to the United States 

for their second showing at Los Angeles 

Fashion Week. 

Fashion Xchange was front and center 

when Dar Sara closed Style Fashion 

Week. The frocks that were sent down 

the runway ranged from intricate gold 

cocktail dresses with feathered headwear 

to sleek, somber-hued evening 

gowns. 

After the show, Fashion Xchange was 

able to catch up with the brand to chat 

about their experience at Style Fashion 

Week in Los Angeles and their plans for 

the future of Dar Sara. 

FX: Closing the SFW show is quite the 

honor – How did you get involved 

with Los Angeles Fashion Week and 

decide that SFW would be a good fit 

for your brand 

SW: One of our projects previously was 

to participate in SFW show, its one of 

our achievements that our brand was 

highlighted twice in LA in year 2012 

and in year 2014. 

I thank each person who has tried 

to make this happen and our brand 

collection for this year fits the fashion 

show as it shows different cuts and 

materials that would suit many famous 

celebrities, and as we all know LA is the 

city were all celebrities care to buy and 

pick customs suitable for their shows. 

FX: What was the inspiration behind 

the Spring/Summer 2015 collection 

that was shown at SFW 

SW: It’s a fusion between elements of 

the past and the wardrobe of today. 

Their creative team members under 

the direction of Ms. Joumana Al Hayek 

created designs that have modern 

edginess but still possess Egyptian 

influence. Considering the thin border 

between fashion and costume. That 

explains the presence of accessories: 

From neck pieces, cuffs, wigs, and even 

shoulder harness abound throughout 

the collection. Without these add-ons, 

the garments are still stand alone and 

wearable pieces. 

The team forte being on embellishment, 

whipped some heavily embroidered 

pieces that are surely show stopping 

and attention worthy. Majority of 

the pieces are made from light weight 

silk, chiffon, tulle, and, leather. Unconventional 

materials such as rice sack, 

curtain fringe, suede strips, and PVC 

plastic sheets were utilized to come up 

with extra ordinary pieces. 

Finally, edgy and non-conventional yet 

still fashion-savvy are Dar Sara's design 

DNA. Being a forefront of Middle- East 

Fashion. Joumana Al Hayek says: "Dar 

Sara's unique approach to fashion has 

carved a niche in this tiny but complex 

world of fashion". 

FX: Dar Sara pieces always feature 

intricate, eye-catching details. What 

kind of woman do you have in mind 

when you’re starting a new collection 

SW: The imagination has many 

elements but all I can say is that to the 

woman I have in mind, I always aim to 

showcase her in a very classical and 

differentiated look that all woman aim 

to have and would dream to wear. 


FX: Dar Sara branched out to include a fun, wearable 

children’s collection – What was the thought process 

behind expanding the brand to reach such a different 

demographic than the bridal and couture pieces that you 

were previously designing 

SW: I always care to serve not only women and young ladies, 

but my aim and target is to serve all who comes with the 

bride and this segment will make us achieve better as it’s a 

direct marketing for our brand when in a wedding most of 

the ladies even the children would be wearing from us this 

makes us be a unique brand in the occasion itself. 

FX: Since the launch of Dar Sara in 2000, the brand has shown 

everything from beautiful evening wear to couture gowns to 

bridal collections. What can we expect next from the brand 

SW: We always have different projects to work on, and soon 

we will be showcasing our new collection of Bridal in Moscow 

Bridal Fashion Week 2015. 

It’s our main target to achieve for our brand and this target is 

to make it known worldwide. 

Fashion Xchange is looking forward to keeping an eye on this 

innovative brand and seeing what’s in store for them next. 


Mario 

De La Torre 

Hair by Kenney Bohorquez 

Makeup by Margie Cruz Kimbrough 

Models Ieva Kibare, Andrea A. Myles, 

Hannah Gossack, Breana Hughes 



Designs by Mario De La Torre

Designs by Mario De La Torre 









Chronicles of Couture 

An in depth analysis of the history of some of the world’s most divine 

artistry and its place in society’s current apparel marketplace. 

by Alexa Rae Palacios 

T 

he ways, doctrines and adaptations of 

the worlds’ past continually becomes 

revamped and revitalized to fit into 

current culture with each generation. Fashion, 

which is arguably the most important factor 

when studying these past worlds, is no different 

and is seemingly subject to change more 

often that not, especially in the landscape of 

today’s marketplace, which is based on “fast 

fashion.” 

Haute Couture is also a part of the consistent 

generational structure change and is a far 

fetch away from the creations of the founding 

father, Charles Fredrick Worth and his 

larger than life couture dresses that stormed 

the Parisian fashion scope and scene in the 

ninteenth century. 

In the reigning days of Napoleon III in Paris, 

Worth came to fame during a time where the 

empire insisted on Paris becoming the elaborate 

realm of luxury that we associate it with 

today. The desire for this luxurious fashion in 

Napoleon’s empire reached points it previously 

never had and in this time, Worth built what 

would soon become his own empire in the 

world of fashion. Designing for royalty and 

the wealthy from varied parts of the world, 

Worth began a niche in the marketplace filled 

with almost fantastical exuberance and also 

began the surge of haute couture. 

Soon after, the world Worth had created 

through Haute Couture, Le Chambre Syndicale 

de la Haute Couture was founded to 

create guard rails around high fashion and 

couture. Only those designers who were 

deemed as worthy could label themselves as 

couture designers. 

Following this reign of kingdoms and luxury, 

the Great Depression hit in America, France’s 

economy was heavily impacted and war 

stricken and such changes began in financial 

stability and in fashion. Daywear, work-wear, 


OVER TWENTY YEARS LATER IN 1947 WHEN FRANCE’S ECONOMY AND APPAREL INDUSTRY 

RESURGED FOLLOWING THE WAR, “THE NEW LOOK” CAME ALONG Á LA CHRISTIAN DIOR AND 

THIS NEW LOOK INDEED KEPT THE LUXURY AND ARTISTRY CHARLES FREDRICK WORTH BE- 

GAN, YET TOOK A MORE MODERN, SLEEK AND ELEGANT TAKE WITH CINCHED WAISTS AND 

FULL MIDI SKIRTS. 

and womenswear changed dramatically 

and the severe departure from 

the once elaborate dressing transformed 

into functionality for so many, 

although haute couture continued to 

maintain a presence in the industry. 

Over twenty years later in 1947 when 

France’s economy and apparel industry 

resurged following the war, “The 

New Look” came along á la Christian 

Dior and this new look indeed kept 

the luxury and artistry Charles Fredrick 

Worth began, yet took a more 

modern, sleek and elegant take with 

cinched waists and full midi skirts. 

This new look laid the foundation 

for the new wave of couture designers 

including Yves Saint Laurent, 

who opened the first free-standing 

couture boutique in 1966 and was 

followed by designers royalty such as 

Emanuel Ungaro, Pierre Cardin, Andre 

Courreges and Ted Lapidus. 

in 1970 from 106 in 1946 to just 19 

for many cultural and economical 

reasons that continually plague the 

realm of couture today. Only twelve 

haute couture designers currently 

show today during Paris Fashion 

Week including powerhouses Chanel, 

Balmain and of course, in a new adaptation 

of the “new look,” Dior. 

The re-interpretations and revivals of 

the haute couture industry continually 

alter and advance as generations 

pass, but the spirit of luxe and the 

level of creativity that began with the 

first couture design seem to remain 

stable through these changes. It will 

be interesting to see the development 

of the genre in this wave of 

technology and the fusion of it and 

fashion, as there is a wealth of opportunity 

for the fusion of the tech and 

couture worlds. 

Although this new look was a new adaptation 

of Haute Couture, the number 

of actual couture houses dropped 


La FeuillE 

De 

Route 

The Roadmap of 

Oscar de la Renta 

by Rickie Lee 

"Things never 

happen on 

accident, they 

happen because 

you have vision, 

you have 

committed 

and you have a 

dream!" - Oscar 

De La Renta" 


Oscar de la Renta was born in the Dominican republic July 22nd, 1932 to a loving middle class 

family. Oscar’s love for the arts started at a young age and he quickly developed a love for 

painting. His parents cultivated and encouraged Oscars’ talents, so when he decided he wanted 

to move to Spain at the age of 18, his parents could not be more elated for their son. Oscar 

moved to Spain and found a job as a fashion illustrator for a local magazine. This would allow 

him to make steady paycheck as well as continue his passion for drawing and painting. 

While working as a fashion illustrator for the magazine, Oscar began to sketch his own designs 

just for fun in his spare time. Oscar became obsessed with sketching and designing gowns so 

much it caught the eye of a friend who showed his sketches to the acclaimed Cristóbal Balenciaga. 

Balenciaga absolutely loved Oscars’ sketches and immediately offered him a position in 

his fashion house in Spain. 

Oscar quit his job at the magazine and began training at the exclusive House of Balenciaga. His 

training included cutting fabric, assisting with fittings and pinning. This kind of training was 

customary for someone just starting out but Oscar wanted to do more - he wanted to design! 

Oscar contacted Balenciaga and asked if he could go work in the Paris House but much to his

One day while painting in the streets of Paris, a Frenchman 

inquired about his work and went on to tell him 

that he had a friend by the name of Castillo Lavin and 

he just happened to be looking for an assistant designer. 

At that time Castillo, along with Pierre Balmain, Cristobal 

Balenciaga and Christian Dior were considered 

some of the most promising of the new generation of 

Parisian designers to emerge after World War One. Once 

again Oscar shined during his meeting with Lavin and 

of course was offered the assistant designer position for 

the House. This is where Oscar honed his craft and solidified 

himself as a designer and accredits his aesthetic 

for his gowns. 

As time passed, fashion was changing and what women 

wanted was also changing. New York had now become 

the mecca for fashion . In 1963 Oscar moved to New 

York and began working for Elizabeth Arden who at the 

time was a huge name in fashion. Even though Arden 

wasn't a fashion designer, she was well respected in 

the industry and Oscar knew if anyone could get out of 

the shadows of other designers and bring him and his 

designs to the forefront it would be Elizabeth Arden. 

The two worked well together and created a very lucrative 

ready to wear line. After only two years of working 

with Arden in New York, a number of internships with 

some of the best in the industry, de la Renta stepped 

out and created his own line...and the rest is history.. 

With a true sense of what the market wanted, Oscar became 

a global brand, going on to design for some of the 

most influential women of our time. de le Renta became 

a staple amongst the first ladies dressing Jaquelin Kennedy, 

Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton and Michlle Obama. 

surprise Cristóbol was totally against the idea and want Oscar to 

develop more training before he went to Paris. 

Oscar knew if he wanted to make a name for himself in fashion 

he had to get to Paris. "If you want to establish an international 

presence you need the consecration of Paris" 

In 1959, against Balenciaga's wishes, Oscar moved to Paris with 

the financial support of sisters. Immediately upon arriving in Paris, 

Oscar started at the top by taking his sketches to Christian Dior 

in hopes of getting a job as an assistant designer. Dior was blown 

away by Oscar's sketches and after much conversation offered 

him a job at the House of Dior with a $150.00 salary. Although he 

didn't get the assistant designer position he was thrilled to have 

landed a job within days after arriving in Paris. 

Oscar fell in love with the city, the culture, the women, the clothes. 

Oscar de la Renta has been one of the most successful 

designers on the market for years now. This is largely 

because he has a keen understanding of what the 

market wants. Equally important, he had more business 

sense than a lot of his competitors. Oscar de la Renta 

on the other hand makes sure that the clothes that he 

designs are practical and something that women will 

actually wear. This has resulted in sales that are much 

higher than most of his competitors have and longevity 

in the business. Oscar did not limit his brand to just 

womens clothing he designed shoes, jewelry, handbags 

a men's line, socks, sheets, towels, house wear, and 

fragrance's. Oscar de la Renta was a designer who translated 

his love of vibrant colors forms and fabric into art 

that can be worn. 

"The most important beauty is not the beauty you're 

born with but the beauty you create for yourself" -Oscar 

De La Renta 


SARMIENTORAP 

A Stylist Highlight 


Interview by Alexa Rae Palacios

1) Please give the Fashion Xchange audience a 

background on yourself and career and explain 

your initial draw to the fashion industry 

My name is Rap and I fell in love with 

fashion at an early age. I was shy when I 

was young but I knew clothes helped me 

speak without saying a word. Like Bill 

Cunningham said, "Fashion is the armor 

to survive everyday life." In college, I studied 

Communication and Clothing Marketing. 

I knew in my heart that the fashion 

industry was the only industry I could 

really be myself. I grew up in the Bay Area 

in the 90s so that really influences my 

personal style and aesthetic. 

Creative Direction & Styling: 

Rap Sarmiento 

Photographer: Damian Wolfgram 

Model: Troy Hines 

MUA: Dominique Berry 

Barber: Sef the Barber 

2) Where did your career in fashion styling 

begin 

It began in college when a good friend of 

mine who is a musician would perform. 

We'd go shopping for outfits and looks 

for her performances. From there it grew 

from performances to photoshoots and 

then working with other artists. At the 

end of 2012, I began styling for 31RAX, 

a vintage store, and then most recently 


I was the lead stylist for 

iCu the Network for a few 

months. 

3) Describe your personal style 

and aesthetic What types 

of styling work draws you in 

most 

Well since my name is Rap, 

my personal style can be 

very gaudy and loud but I 

style it down to be minimal 

and sleek at the same time. 

Some days I feel dapper, 

some days I feel grungy, 

some days I feel glamorous, 

and then there are days I 

roll it all together. Sometimes 

I look in the mirror 

and think to myself "Who 

do you think you are" then 

I shrug my shoulders and 

walk out the door. I dress 

like I DGAF because rap is 

offensive, right 

I'm drawn to styling work 

that take risks and can tell 

that it was styled with intention. 

There's so much work 

“There’s so much work that looks the same, 

so it’s refreshing when an editorial tries to go 

against what is popular or trendy. It could be 

super hot or it might not hit, but the fact that 

the stylist tried something different, I can 

respect.” 


that looks the same, so it's refreshing when an editorial 

tries to go against what is popular or trendy. It could be 

super hot or it might not hit, but the fact that the stylist 

tried something different, I can respect. 

4) What is your take on the brand extensions that noted fashion 

stylist's like Rachel Zoe are engaging in today (ie, apparel/ 

accessory/footwear design, brand collaboration/consultation) 

and where do you see the world of fashion styling evolving to 

in the next few years 

Rachel Zoe really knows her stuff and has cut her teeth 

in the fashion industry for a long time, so I think she 

has definitely earned her place to create her own lines. 

I've consulted with some local brands and companies 

so I get it. I hope to get to a place in my career where I'm 

consulting and producing for big names and houses. It's 

great that stylists have these opportunities to grow and 

expand their brands. 

I see fashion styling evolving to include wearable tech as 

it becomes more and more a part of our everyday lives. 

There's Fitbit, Nike FuelBand, Google Glass, and soon 

the Apple Watch. Some of these gadgets can look kind 

of geeky, so it's these opportunities that stylists have to 

consult with brands on design or work on styling a photo 

shoot on how to make these pieces look stylish. 

5) What is next for your career and where do you see your own 

personal brand extending to in the future 

Styling has definitely been a great platform for me to get 

my name out there. I see myself taking my career into 

photo and video shoot production because it combines 

my passion of styling and professional skills as a project 

manager. It's like putting together a puzzle only the 

pieces are people with different talents and the end 

result is an amazing piece of work. 

6) What advice, tips, or guidance would you give to budding 

fashion stylists 

Really ask yourself how bad do you want it. There's a 

million other people chasing the same dream so you really 

have to want it. There will be days when you're tired 

and you'll want to give up, but it's in those moments 

where you have to decide to power through. Find your 

voice and define your style. It's not bad to be trendy and 

to be on top of them, but it's important that you take 

trends and spin them your way so when people look at 

your work they know it's you. Network, collaborate, and 

surround yourself with like-minded people. If opportunities 

aren't coming your way, create them. Have faith in 

the work you do and work with intention. All in all, keep 

it pushin! 

Raphael Aquino Sarmiento 

(415) 509-9032 | rapsarmiento@gmail.com 


Rules OF The Game: 

Beat The Odds 

by David Michael | Photography by Danielle Rueda 

In a sink or swim industry where one day you're in and the next you're out, the tables can 

turn in the blink of an eye. I learned this early in my styling career. Cards that are dealt aren't 

always you're best hand. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. But at the end 

of the day, if your focus is in the right place you still have a chance to play the game. 


The odds are almost always against you. 

“ 

The odds are 

almost always 

against you. 

“ 

One of the most valuable lessons I learned stepping into the fashion industry is the art 

of networking. The Bay Area has been my home for most of my life where opportunity 

never sleeps. Growing up I was shy, timid, and soft spoken so I had to find a way to 

release the better me. I used art to express my emotions. I had a strong love for music, 

crafts, and sketching, pretty much anything that involved creating. As a young adult, the 

first thing I had to do was get myself out there. I had to make myself known in the San 

Francisco fashion world. I started out walking runways and modeling for local fashion 

photographers at age 17. I grew up playing sports and studied contemporary dance 

in college which helped me develop integrity and people skills. I was inspired to go 

behind the scenes when close relatives began to recognize my talent. One Christmas, I 

received a camera and a sewing machine as a gift to start my journey. Initially, I wanted 

to create my own clothing line entitled,“The David Michael Collection”. I was inspired by 


designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Alexander 

McQueen, Viktor& Rolf, and Donatella. 

I would stay up all night creating different 

silhouettes and mixing fabrics, but the 

world had not seen any of my work. I 

used websites like Facebook and Model 

Mayhem to post pictures of dresses I 

designed. A friend came across my page 

and extended the opportunity to me 

to design costumes for a music video. I 

didn’t have any training in the construction 

of apparel so I offered to style the 

wardrobe, so I did. After the video gig was 

over I then began marketing myself as a 

Wardrobe Stylist. While working at H&M 

in Downtown San Francisco I developed 

my clientele for personal shopping as a 

side job, but my passion for styling was in 

editorial. I knew then I needed to create 

a portfolio so I began directing photo 

shoots with friends who seemed to make 

reasonable models. I took my camera and 

pulled pieces from different shops and 

boutiques to create unique looks. Shortly 

after I built a pretty solid book, I began to 

collaborate with fashion photographers 

and agency signed models throughout 

the Bay Area. I learned techniques 

to editorial styling through projects at 

The Academy of Art University where I 

was lucky to gain publications in Italian 

Vogue and other local magazines. I grew 

close friendships with some of the most 

amazing people even though I was not 

a student . AAU photography students 

Mark Elzey Jr. and Carlos Moscat were 

amongst many talented people I’ve met 

in a short period of time who inspired me 

to continue on my path. 

Not many people know me, but many 

know David Michael and the work he 

produced. 

The most important thing I learned about 

networking is making friends. It’s good 

to have supporters who respect you as a 

person first, then as a stylist. Not everyone 

is going to like what you do, but I 

advise anyone interested in perusing a 

career in fashion to keep open ended relationships. 

Burning bridges with people 


is the worst thing any human being can do to their future. If 

you make it long enough, learning is something you never 

stop doing. I learned just simply by keeping an open mind 

and surrounding myself with like-minded people who inspire 

me. 

Often times, people ask me what my motivation is. It has 

forever been one concept, that is to maintain the ability to 

think and speak for myself. Fashion is the language I use to 

tell my story. Once I dedicated my life to pursuing a career 

in fashion, I got accepted into the Visual Communications 

program at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising 

San Francisco. In the peak of the recession, college tuition 

was too high and shortly after my college enrollment was 

canceled. My financial advisor told me that I would never 

reach my goals if I canceled my plans for school, boy was she 

wrong. My success has always been measured by what makes 

me happy based on the thing that I accomplish no matter 

how big or small. I knew that as long I never stopped trying, I 

have already won. At times I had no support in my decisions 

to pursue fashion and I began to feel a little discouraged. I 

saw my friends graduating with BA degrees in Fine Arts while 

I was getting an AA degree in Liberal Arts. Till this day I’m not 

sure exactly what that is. However, I used all of the knowledge 

I learned to take another route. I was self motivated. I 

taught myself trend forecasting, color theory, and the steps to 

starting a personal business. I kept searching for new ways to 

speak my mind through styling. 

My brother taught me to acknowledge my abilities and be 

proud of my special gift even if no one else was watching. 

When he was murdered, I stopped proving to everyone and 

started proving to myself to me. It seemed almost impossible 

to find motivation looking around at everyone telling you 

that you can’t. I had to beat beat the odds. Something in me 

told me to suck it up, stop making excuses, and do what I 

was born to do. I knew I had to be better. I had to be better 

than me. I look at myself in the mirror every morning saying 

to myself, “I am my only Competition.” Every day I look forward 

to amazing myself and accomplishing something that I didn’t 

think I could do yesterday. I ask God to guide me in the right 

path keeping me humble and blessed to speak to the world. 

There are many talented people floating around us, but if you 

do not develop the skills you need to survive in the business 

you may be hurting chances at great moments. 

I can only speak from experience, as each story has its own 

fate. Trusting in God to bring me one step closer to my 

dreams is all I can do. Everyday is a new challenge and it took 

for me to find my purpose through the obstacles at hand. 

The passion I have for the need to create comes from a dark 

place. That dark place was only in my own mind. I searched 

high and low for my big break only finding myself disappointed 

in my results rather than establishing myself in the process. 

I had to accept the fact that my passion will find me before 

I find it. My need to create is as powerful as the blood thirst 

of a vampire. Pioneering my way through adversity as young 

black male has taught me one lesson; Love yourself and love 

what you do. All that I have experienced is only the beginning 

of what is yet to come and I give all thanks to those who have 

inspired me to be a better me. Believe in yourself no matter 

what your art form is and inspire others to make the rules of 

their own game. 


Fashionable 

Couture Art 

Oksana Tanasiv 

Not only was it an incredible surprise for Fashion Xchange Magazine 

to be invited to New York Fashion Week this Fall, but it was a pleasant 

experience to have met Ukrainian fine artist Oksana Tanasiv at one of the 

incredible shows we covered. 

by Ivanna Woods 

What immediately caught my eye about Oksana’s artistry is 

that she creates couture art. A lot of her fine art is dedicated 

to fashion, and develops within the forum of creating couture 

designs on canvas in 2-D, 3-D format, bringing the level of 

fashion illustration to a higher level - to the level of fine art. 

Interestingly enough, as talented as Oksana Tanasiv is, she 

spent her educational years obtaining a Bachelor degree in 

Business and Psychology. She is not educated in the techniques 

that either fashion or art require, but her work in 

immaculate. “After I immigrated to the United States in 2004, 

I dedicated more time to my artistic career. I clearly realized 

I want to be a professional artist, so I put a lot of time, effort, 

and energy to do my best in reaching this goal. It took me ten 

years to be transformed from non-English-speaking immigrant 

into an artist exhibiting on international level,” Tanasiv 

explains. 


She has been 

drawing women in 

beautiful dresses 

since kindergarten 

and slowly began to 

transfer her illustration 

ideas from 

paper to canvas. “I 

was curious how I 

could better draw 

the figures, faces, 

and dresses with 

using oil, acrylic, and 

many other different 

medias on a new 

surface - canvas, not 

just pencil and paper. 

I also discovered new techniques that helped me to create 

more incredible fashion designs on canvas such as using 

Swarovski® crystals, sequence, different kinds of fabric, tulle, 

veil, oil, stitching over fabric and canvas. All these techniques 

are artistically individual ways to bring fashion to the level of 

fine art.” Tanasiv designs using oil on canvas techniques, step 

instillations, watercolor on paper, beautiful couture fabric 

on canvas and brilliant Swarovski crystals to embellish the 

artists design. 

Oksana is inspired by many designers that ignite the fire of 

creativity underneath her to continue to create in the form 

and fashion she does. “I like so many designers who are 

incredible, I can’t chose only one! I adore the designs of Eli 

Saab. The way he works with fabric and crystals is fantastic. 

I’m also fascinated by the collections of Zuhair Murad. I even 

dedicated one of my art pieces from his couture collection 

and transferred his idea to canvas. I love the way he works 

with fabric, lace, crystals... I adore other designers such as Valentino, 

Karl Lagerfeld, Alexander McQueen, but my favorite 

designer I feel is John Galliano. He is undoubtedly a genius 

of fashion, who uses historical, theatrical and artistic images 

in his collections. I love how talented he is in creating a new 

design based on these images”, she expresses. 

understand your goals and move towards reaching them no 

matter what! You have to believe in your success and work 

very hard every day; through practice, improving skills and 

developing your talent you can get what you want. Also, you 

should try your talent in the opposite direction everyone else 

is going. It means you have to discover totally new, different 

styles, ideas that nobody else before you created. It will give 

you as an amazing recognition,’ Tanasiv states. 

All of her future plans and goals are directed into improving 

her artistic skills, developing new techniques and innovations 

in fashion and fine art. She has many ideas that I would 

love to implement, turn many of my sketches into pieces of 

fine art, installations, sculptures. It takes time and energy. In 

the very near future i plan to start a couple new collection 

that will feature my new techniques, materials, media, and 

new subjects for my art creations. 

If you’re not located in Norwalk, Connecticut and wish to buy 

an art piece, you can do so online and she / her team will 

provide you with the best assistance. Potential buyers may 

also visit her art shows on Fashion Week in New York, International 

trade-show ArtExpo in NYC, or visit one of the galleries 

presenting my art. Information about the list of galleries as 

well as exhibition schedule is on her web-site www.oksanatanasiv.com 

Oksana Tsnasiv’s next art show, “Roads and Bridges” is January 

3rd - February 1st 2015 at Loft Artists Studios + Galleries 

at 575 Pacific Street, Stamford, CT 06902. The opening reception 

on January 3rd is from 4:30 - 6:30pm. Gallery hours are 

1-4:30pm, Saturday and Sunday. 

Our readers can find images of all her art collections, information 

about her life story, and interviews on her official 

web-site Also, you can follow her updates on Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/OksanaTanasivArt, Twitter 

https://twitter.com/tanasiv, or her YouTube channel https:// 

www.youtube.com/user/oksanatanasiv 

For all of our aspiring Fashion Illustrators or artists looking for 

a new creative medium, Tanasiv finds inspiration for her new 

creations in the works of other artists, in museums and art 

galleries. “I am inspired by the art of 20th century artists and 

illustrators such as Erte and Rene Gruau. I love to find new 

ideas in books, fashion magazines, interesting vintage art 

and photographs, even in the movies. I also find my inspiration 

in the fashion shows I visit and in new collections of 

fashion designers.” It seems much like most artists, inspiration 

is in the air, the water and everywhere this woman looks. 

“One of my latest collections ‘Odeur de Chanel’ is my tribute 

to the timeless style of Coco Chanel. And Coco’s style, talent, 

and elegance were the inspiration to create this collection.’ 

Her wise words of guidance to other artists are that ‘the key 

components of success are very similar, no matter what 

industry you are working in. It is very important to know and 


The Dark Elegance 

that is 

Manic Designs 

by Ivanna Woods 

I Photos by Robert Silver 

The story behind the inception of designer Rachel Riot’s 

interest in fashion, which subsequently lead to the birth of her 

clothing line Manic Designs, is virtually as interesting as the 

woman herself. Today at 25 years old, Riot is a young, vibrant 

and ambitious woman full of zest for life and for the career she 

spearheads alone; she’s a one person operation, making each 

of her uprecedented designs by hand. 

Creative Director: Ivanna Woods 

Hair & Makeup by Stephanie Chatfield from 

Bedlam Beauty & Barber in San Jose 

Makeup Artist: Gabriela Lopez from MAC Cosmetics 

Jewelry Designer: Raven Jade from Creations by Raven Jade 

MANIC DESIGNS by Rachel Riot 

Model Tiffany Marie wearing 

The Sesilee Sweater - $180.00 

The Marlene Pencil Skirt - $95.00 


Years ago as a schoolgirl, she awoke one 

morning not feeling well, so her mother 

allowed her to stay in her room occupied 

with a Vogue magazine and a box 

of tissues. Thus Rachel’s designer spirit 

was born. When her mother checked on 

her later, she was astonished to find a 

row of Barbies wearing detailed imitations 

of Christian Dior and Vera Wang 

gowns made from folded tissue paper. 

Ingenious! 

Sewing came very naturally to her - she 

fell in love at first stitch! “Growing up, I 

came to realize that sewing was a dying 

art. I remember watching older films 

with my mom and sister when I was little 

and soon enough, I developed a love 

for the classy vintage styles from the 

40’s through the 60’s. I decided the next 

step in my future career was to bring 

those timeless styles back.” 

She advanced in her tailoring and went 

on to study at The Fashion Institute of 

Design and Merchandising in San Francisco. 

After graduating with an Associate 

of Arts Degree in Fashion Design 2009, 

hit the ground running towards making 


Model Tessa Spangler wearing 

The Yvonne Dress - $350.00 



Model Tessa Spangler wearing 

The Yvonne Dress - $350.00 



Model Nicole Bonifacio wearing 

The Sienna Tee - $90.00 

The Christine Draped Skirt - $180.00 


her lifelong dream a reality and established Manic Designs 

by Rachel Riot in 2010. “I have always loved metal music 

and fashion; ever since I watched Billy WIlder's’ Sabrina and 

listened to my first Slayer album. They had me at ‘La vie en 

rose’ and ‘Angel of Death - monarch to the kingdom of the 

dead! Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, that is at the base of the 

style that I want to bring back, easy to wear, classic pieces, 

timeless silhouettes. But I also want to bring heavy metal 

into it, to add that edgy, dark detail,” she says. “Later in life, 

I started listening to Metal and realized that not only is it a 

wildly misunderstood genre in society, but it’s also lost in an 

abundance of punk and goth imported clothing lines in the 

fashion world. As a designer, I have taken it upon myself to 

show the public how beautiful heavy metal really is by interpreting 

the complexity of the composition into intricate 

garment details that are fashion forward, yet wearable for 

the everyday woman,” she explains. 

Riot has put much thought into knowing exactly who the 

Manic Designs woman is that she designs for. “Whether she 

listens to heavy metal or not, she has a quiet intensity about 

her. It’s the ‘It’s always the quiet ones you have to watch out 

for’ theory.” She’s very aware of those heavy metal cliches 

- pleated skirts, spikes, studs and the like and she’s simply 

not interested in those been there done that styles. While 

she uses basic colors such as black, dark and light grey and 

some neutral she decides to ‘focus a lot more on textures 

than prints or colors,’ she says. Riot is set on incorporating 

subtle touches to her garments such as a wrinkle here, a 

pin tuck or a cut out there to an otherwise basic yet classic 

look. This is what makes up the stylish mix of classic fashion 

and heavy metal menace that is Manic Designs. 

Rachel Riot is a young woman that knows how she defines 

herself, her brand and how she wants to develop it. She’s an 

avid lover of underground heavy metal music and perhaps 

surprisingly, vintage fashion. An unlikely marriage - perhaps...but 

not to the creative sage of Manic Designs! Riot 

has taken it upon herself to show the world how symbiotic 

heavy metal music and vintage fashion can be by interpreting 

the complexity of the compositions in metal music 

with intricate garment details that reveal classic silhouettes 

from vintage fashion. The juxtaposition of dark elegance 

breathes new life into her timeless styles in a way that’s 

fashion forward, yet wearable for the modern woman with 

a edge. 

She participates in vendor and trade shows as well as popup 

shops on a consistent basis. And you can consistently 

see her manic designs showcased on runways throughout 

the Bay Area as well. Rachel Riot is still a one woman army 

and makes each of her pieces by hand. Her future goals are 

to get her designs in boutiques throughout Santa Cruz and 

San Francisco. To shop Manic Designs or to follow Rachel 

Riot throughout her blossoming career, visit www.etsy.com/ 

shop/manicdesigns or follow her on Facebook at https:// 

www.facebook.com/manicdesignspnref=lhc and Instagram 

http://instagram.com/manicdesigns. 



Model Tiffany Marie Hill wearing 

The Ophelia Sweater - $180.00 

The Hip Bone Skirt - $180.00 


MANIC DESIGNS by 

Rachel Riot 

Model Tessa 

Spangler wearing 

The Ella Sheath 

Dress - $300.00 


Model Nicole Bonifacio wearing 

The Nikki Tank Top - $120.00 

The Gemma Maxi Skirt - $120.00 



EVENTS 

2014 

San Francisco 

Fashion Awards 

Year 7 

Photos by Michael Moore & Robert Silver 

Best Female Model 

Mellissa Gray 

San Francisco fashion and entertainment industry will came together, to pay 

tribute, and recognize the work of the individuals who exemplified, embodied, 

and contributed to the fashion industry by pushing it to the next level of 

creativity. 

Hosted by the new CARBON Lounge SF, San Francisco Fashion Awards TM honored 

the relevant talents that have contributed innovation and social change 

through the ongoing fashion evolution of San Francisco. 

The evening began with cocktails and spirits cash bar in a plush luxurious 

setting, followed by an award ceremony, runway fashion show and an exclusive 

fashion party to remember. Fashion Xchange was honred to have been 

nomiated Best Magazine. 

Best Male Model * 

Hazer Ozcan 


Best Emerging Designer 

Maricella Olaque 

Best Make Up Artist 

Kenya Aissa aka Ruby Envee 

Best Marketing * 

Camelia Skikos SS14 @ https://www.youtube.com/watchv=raKFUnwOIe8 

Best Boutique or Store Front * 

The Red Square Boutique @ http://www.redsquareboutique.com 

Best POP UP / Trunk or FashionTruck * 

Urban Air Market @ http://www.urbanairmarket.com 

Best APP * 

Shopseen @ https://www.shopseen.com 

Best Start UP * 

CUYANA @ http://www.cuyana.com 

Best Blog/Blogger * 

'Colors of Chic' by Kimberly Leia @ www.colorsofchic.com 

Best Make Up Artist * 

Kenya Aissa aka Ruby Envee @ http://www.rubyenvybeauty.com 

Best Hair Stylist * 

James Anthony @ https://www.facebook.com/KaboomDesigns 

Best Stylist * 

David Michael https://www.facebook.com/DavidMichaelSFfref=ts 

Best Photographer * 

Robert Silver Photography @ http://www.robertsilverphotography.com 

Best Magazine * 

Dark Beauty Magazine / http://www.darkbeautymag.com 

Best Fashion Event * 

Pret-A-Porter SF 2014 @ http://pretaportersf.com/ 

Best Producer * 

Owen Geronimo / SFFAMA @ http://sffamainc.org 

Best Creative Director * 

Richard Hallmarq @ https://www.facebook.com/RichardHallmarq 

Best New Faces * 

Ariele Jones @ FRISC Models@ FRISC MODELS / http://www.delgeronimo.us/ 

frisc-models 

Best Male Model * 

Hazer Ozcan @ http://www.lookmodelagency.com 

Best Female Model * 

Mellissa Gray @ http://www.citymodel.com 

Best Accessory * 

Kate Knuvelder @ http://kaatjedesigns.com 

Best Emerging Designer * 

Maricella Olaque @ https://www.facebook.com/mgolague 

Best MEN’S WEAR Designer * 

BETABRAND @ http://www.betabrand.com 

Best Women's Designer * 

DEXTROSE BY DEXTER SIMMONS @ http://dextersimmons.com/fashionvideo 

HONORARY AWARD 

Candice Cuoco / CCUOCO @ http://ccuoco.com 

Best Photographer 

Robert Silver Photography 


Style 

Fashion 

Week 

Spring/Summer ‘15 Collections 

Los Angeles 9th 

Season Showcases 

World Renowned 

Designers On Their 

Magnificent 

Runway 

October 25th, 2014, LA FASHION WEEK 

- STYLE FASHION WEEK shows began 

with a bang as California’s own Sue 

Wong graced the runway on Wednesday 

night, October 15th. Before the show, 

musician Dave Navarro and actor Vincent 

De Paul presented her with a Tiffany’s 

Lifetime Achievement Award. The notto-be-missed 

spectacle included over 75 

looks down the runway. Her “Fairies and 

Sirens” collection consisted of exquisitely 

embellished embroidered silks, lavish 

beadwork on organza dresses, and 

capes matched with beautifully crafted 

headpieces by Lisa Maranucci, Kicka Custom 

Designs, Miss G Designs and Fiori 

Couture. During the 30-minute show of 

absolute amazement, models made their 

way down the catwalk to music produced 

by Dave Navarro. 

Following Sue’s show Friday, international 

designer Badwin Cheung of Just 

For Tee, flew in from China to make his 

United States debut. Calibio Skincare 

sponsored Just For Tee and made this 

journey to the US possible. The beautifully 

orchestrated showcase opened with 

mini-and-mid length dresses and tunics 

over high-water pants on the ladies. The 

Gentlemen were in beautiful suits, some 

in reverse! The collection consisted of 

the subdued shades of black, white 

and grey with a pop of bright red. The 

acclaimed Asian fashion line completed 

the looks with flip-side pockets, 

cutouts and neatly placed flaps 

blowing down the catwalk. As the 

event made its way into the weekend, 

many more fashion collections took 

the stage showing what is in store for 

Spring/Summer ’15. 

Kicking off the shows Thursday 

evening was Dr. Dre’s son, Curtis 

Young. Young showcased his new 

collection Signature Young. The collection 

represented a sensible depiction of 

style and set new heights by creating an 

entirely rare element and mood through 

the entire tent. The models walked in 

bold designs emblazoned with strikingly 

exotic rhinestones that sharpened and 

reflected the contrasting cuts on the 

models. This special night called attention 

to and benefited charitable southern 

California cancer research hospital - City 

of Hope. After finishing previous shows 

in Dubai and New York, designers Control 

Sector and Judith and James showed for 

the 3rd time- to make STYLE FASHION 

WEEK LA their grand finale for the season! 

Closing the night out was one of fashion’s 

top-selling designers, Donna Mizani, who 

showcased her sexy/chic, body-hugging 

SS15 collection. 

Friday night began with back-to-back 

shows featuring the newest swimwear 

fashions from A’qua Swim, Dolcessa 

Swimwear, and Kinsman Swim. Kinsman 

took her design inspiration from the 

bedroom to the beach for her SS15 collection. 

From faux fur and leather bikinis, 

the runway was slamming with dropdead 

models scantily clad in an island/ 

tribal fringe & feather motif. Next was 

fashion-forward apparel for the person 

on the go featuring XCVI, who showcased 

their new active-wear line and Club Wear 

followed with their golf inspired designs. 

Altaf Maaneshia presented a mystic garden 

inspired high-end fresh and contemporary 

collection, roused by structured 

lines and fashion forward cuts and had a 

special appearance by newest Bravo-lebrity 

- Asifa. Designers Pedram Walter 

Mendez and Andre Soriano each did an 

elegant eveningwear show to close out 

the Friday night lights. 

Rosario by Mario De La Torre opened-up 

the Saturday night show with beautifully 

draped fabrics in bold singlecolored 

pieces that looked classic, sophisticated, 

youthful and yet dignified at the same 

time. JM couture showed an incredible illuminati 

inspired selection, called Illuminarium. 

The inspiration embraced symbols 

of elements, planets, ancient Egypt 

and mythology. Intricately hand-beaded 

pieces in vivid colors on silks and leather 

proved to be the convergence of design, 

alchemy and fashion. Project Runway 

season 6 designer, Gordana, showcased 

an elegant display of eveningwear meets 

lingerie for her newest GOGA Collection. 

With party-style, bright lighting and 

music, Le Jolie sent their models down 

the runway in a select mix of their highend 

designer brands including Prada, 

Chanel, Missoni, Valentino, Versace, D&G, 

Tom Ford, Balenciaga and Miu Miu to 

close out the Saturday show. Adding to 

the energetic ambiance was Le Jolie’s full 

blast balloon drop, and a special guest 

appearance by fashion’s very own first 

supermodel, Janice Dickenson. 

The last day, Sunday the 19th, featured 

four designers. Alexis Monsanto returned 

to the runway to show – 

releasing models in a ‘Game of Thrones’ 

inspired collection doing dramatic poses 

in striking colors and designs. Skintone 

clothing showcased their incredible 

resort wear line next. Designer, Karen 

Mcbride’s raw, hand-woven, eco-friendly, 

ready-to wear designs translate beautifully 

from runway to the closet. Quynh 

Paris’ east-meets-west esthetic in her 

newest collection is a mix of her exotic 

Vietnamese heritage with a futuristic 

and modern twist. Dar Sara closed out 

the week with ‘Ballerinas by way of 

Bollywood’ sending ballerinas down the 

runway followed by youthful silhouettes 

in jumpsuits, leotards and mini-dresses 

in elegant creams and golds. After the 

shows, attendees headed over to kick off 

the official STYLE Fashion week after-party 

at PROJECT in Hollywood. 

STYLE FASHION WEEK opened its doors 

to host their 9th season October 15-19, 

2014. Presented by luxury online-retailer 

Le Jolie, the event took place downtown 


at the STYLE FASHION WEEK Tent at The Reef, 1933 s 

Broadway, Los Angeles, CA, 90007. This time around 

STYLE FASHION WEEK has taken their past production 

accomplishments to the next level. They built their own 

tent in an open space in the cutting-edge, chic garment 

district, where LA fashion is created, shown, and sold to 

stores everywhere. The opening reception for the event 

was held on Tuesday night at the Association downtown 

and turned out to be an awesome evening of 

mingling and networking between industry insiders. 

Check out more runway pictures at http://www.fashionxchangemag.com/#!style-fashion-week-ss15/c8a9 

Fashion’s first supermodel, 

Janice Dickenson walking the Le Jolie show 

Sue Wong 

JM Couture 


Art 

Hearts 

Fashion 

The New Era Has Arrived 

Mister Triple X 

Artistiix 

(Los Angeles) Wednesday, October 15th, 2014—This week, 

the impeccable 2-day event, Art Hearts Fashion, ushered in 

the new era for LAFW. Boasting the most impressive designer 

line-up in years, Art Hearts Fashion brought admiration and 

innovation back to the runway. Sparkling garden fountains 

and opulent chandeliers at the Taglyan created a fantastical 

environment, setting the tone for the incredible 

shows hitting the runway. Guests, celebrities and star athletes 

including Terrell Owens, Deandre Jordan, No Doubt’s Stephen 

Bradley, Courtney Stodden, Joe Simpson, Bobby Brown, star 

cast of Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, MTV 90’s VJ Jesse Camp, 

Members of Cypress Hill, Anna Easteden, Candice Cayne, and 

playboy playmates, packed the venue, enjoying art and installations 

by Sham Ibrahim, Joseph Jasso, and Eugene Huffman 

before the evening’s shows. 

The star-studded shows were full of fantastic celebrity models 

including: NFL Player Dale Moss, Actor Carlo Mendez brother 

of Eva Mendez, Guess Girl and Winner of America's Next top 

model Jourdan Miller, ANTM superstars Kiara Belen and Reina 

Hein, Sam Sarpong, Skylar Diggins and Nadia Mejia Star of 

VH1's Suave Says, as well as Playboy Playmates Carly Lauren, 

Val Keil, and Stephanie Branton. 

Opening Day-Monday, October 13th 

A 6 designer showcase opened the evening. VIGGOFashion 

was first to the runway debuting their latest collection of 

unique designs combining both fashion and art. Next, the 

highly constructed futuristic designs of Dan Richters demonstrated 

a creative ingenuity that left guests in awe. The innovative 

and feminine collection of Noia took the runway, showcasing 

the lines thoughtful execution and unrivaled 

design aesthetic. Courtney Allegra brought to life a chic 

high-energy line of inspired swimwear. Kami Shade' presented 

vibrant plus size designs on the runway. Full of attitude and 

confidence, the models embodied the spirit of her designs. Designer 

Kenneth Chang debuted his latest collection of Consort 

62 edgy menswear as well as a daring collection of womenswear 

for Miss Consort. Closing the show, the 

lovely Crystal Hefner delighted guests with the debut of her 

fun and flirty swimsuits and separates. 

Pop-fashion icon Tumbler & Tipsy opened the second half of 

the show with their bold and adventurous 2015 collection. 

Raising Asia star, ASIA MONET RAY stole the show and the 

hearts of everyone watching with her spunk and sassy runway 

walk. Next on the runway was the impeccable collection of 

luxury designer Hallie Sara. With unrivaled craftsmanship and 

fine detailing, Hallie Sara had guests 

mesmerized and all eyes locked on the runway. Before the finale, 

a Tribute to Couture Dance Performance presented by the 

Academy of Couture Art Beverly Hills took center stage, combining 

dance, runway poses, and synchronized movements in 

a spectacular runway routine. 

The evening’s finale began with celebrity designer Maya 

Hansen, her inspired collection graced the runway, charming 

guests with the line's delicate detailing. Next, celebrated Filipino 

fashion designer Jun Escario took the runway. A master of 

sophistication, Jun Escario infused each design with elegance 

and femininity. Zhang JingJing closed the evening with a collection 

of handmade dresses featuring the 

designer's signature exquisite embellishment. 

Closing Day-Tuesday, October 15th 

Opening Tuesday’s event was a shared show featuring Nancy 

Vuu and Jaime Elyse. Nancy Vuu’s kidswear collection of oneof-a-kind 

custom-made couture wear and headpieces took off 

down the rose lined runway. Jaime Elyse put on a spectacular 

show with her collection of whimsical custom bridal gowns 


Noia Courtney Allegra MT Costello 

receiving a standing ovation. 

The 7PM show opened with Artistix Jeans. Created by Greg 

Polisseni, the unisex designs are the expression of a true artist. 

The Launch of Blindado followed on the runway to cheers from 

the guests. Next, Twala Intimates showcased their line of intimate 

apparel, featuring delicate and creative designs to put a 

giggle in your mind and a smile on your partner’s face. Sachika 

took centerstage with their 

“Enchanted” collection, showcasing feminine silhouettes, 

bringing a mystical presence on the runway. balance between 

effortlessly wearable and statement-making, a balance 

SACHIKA is known for. M The Movement closed the show with 

special guest model Bobby Brown. The eco-friendly designer 

streetwear line for men and women is one of the hottest in the 

nation. 

Before the finale show guests enjoyed a special DJ set by Playboy 

Magazine's 50th Anniversary Playmate Colleen Shannon. 

Opening the finale show for Mister Triple X was special guest 

Alex Minsky, U.S. Veteran Marine amputee who rocked the 

runway in the edgy streetwear line. Mister Triple X is designed 

by Art Hearts Fashion creator Erik Rosete and is a staple in the 

fashion world coast to coast. Next on the runway, chic ready-towear 

brand R. Michel’le showcased the line’s sophisticated twist 

on young contemporary 

womenswear. With timeless elegance and subdued color palate, 

R. Michel’le’s designs define the new style for the modern 

woman. 

Guests were treated to a stunning 2 song performance by the 

beautiful and charismatic British pop singer Katy Tiz. 

runway featuring the collection’s unapologetic aesthetic that 

redefines luxury. Sexy dark and edgy silhouettes sauntered 

down the runway filling the room with a palpable energy and 

excitement. Famed designer Michael Costello closed Art Hearts 

Fashion with his most brilliant and iconic collection to date. The 

devastating beauty of the designer’s custom gowns entranced 

everyone watching, eliciting cheers with every piece. 

Kicka Custom Design presented a live costume installation in 

the garden courtyard. The dramatic and intricate designs evoke 

a fantastical and timeless sense of extravagance. 

DJ Boombox Bri created the musical environment enjoyed by 

guests throughout the mega 2-day event. Guests enjoyed specialty 

cocktails by tea-based liqueur TATRATEA, while The Wine 

Caterers provided a delicious tasting of some of their fine wines 

and Moreno Champagne poured delicious welcome glasses. 

Throughout the event, Fannie Lash presented their luxury line 

of fine false lashes. My Angel City Boutique charmed guests 

with their brand’s fun and flirty chic accessories. 

Founded in 2011 by designer Erik Rosete, Art Hearts Fashion 

provides designers a platform to showcase heir work in a 

unique art-fashion inspired environment while still maintaining 

the integrity and elegance of a traditional fashion week runway 

show. The Art Hearts Fashion Art Gallery boasts a lineup of influential 

artists from around the world showcasing their pieces 

throughout the garden courtyard of the Taglyan. 

Art Hearts Fashion is proud to partner with the AIDS Healthcare 

Foundation and support their important work. 

The lights dimmed before MT Costello (Stephanie Costello’s 

line in collaboration with brother Michael Costello) took the 


project 

Ethos 

Over 1,500 guests attended to support emerging art while 

Standing Up To Cancer during LA Fashion Week 

With over 1,500 attendees, Project Ethos supported Stand 

Up To Cancer during their annual LA Fashion Week event 

Tuesday night, October 14th at Avalon Hollywood presented 

by Glendale Infiniti. The night of fashion, music and art, 

powered by International luxury nightlife brand French 

Tuesdays with additional partners Midori, Java Monster, 

Jin&Quinn, Always Awake, official stylists TNT Agency, Shop 

Ethos, LA Weekly and CA Apparel News was hosted by Katie 

Cazorla, star of TV Guide’s Nail Files. The evening raised over 

$5,000 for Stand Up To Cancer, a program of the Entertainment 

Industry Foundation 501(c)(3) charitable organization, 

and is still fundraising through an online donation page 

until the end of the week. 

A special midnight presentation by headlining designer 

Nicole Miller along side DJ sets fromHelena was a crowd 

favorite, keeping attendees around until the early hours of 

Wednesday morning. 

Spring/Summer ’15 emerging designer fashion shows 

took place at 8pm and 9pm with DJ sets byVal Fleury and 

Digital. Designers featured include a luxurious twist on 

Indian-American wear byChynni, laser cut leather by Liberty 

Garden whose line supports Doctors without Borders, feminine 

silhouettes by San Diego designer, Isabel Vianey and 

black and white hues from The Ashley Michaelsen Collection 

with shoes by Charles David. In conjunction with the 

Fashion Merchandising and Design program at California 

State University Long Beach, Project Ethoslaunched the first 

annual Fashion Designer Scholarship for graduating seniors. 

Winner Jennifer Luong premiered her boho-chic collection, 

Tandy Stone featuring easy-to-wear separates followed by 

hard-core chic clothing by MS Scandal, eco-friendly suits by 

Amour Swimwear and playful prints by Oober Swank. 

Bardot hosted a live art gallery presented by Midori featuring 

10 local artists battling with their brushes on wood, 

canvas and live models to win a $1,000 grand prize, which 

went to Eddy Leefor his ethereal female painting. 

Vendors at the event included the debut of luxury skin care 

brand, Gilded Cells, a nail decal station by The Painted Nail, a 

pink themed dessert bar by Platinum Event Decor as well as 

Speckfeaturing Candywirez. 

Notable attendees included Sara Ramirez (Grey’s Anatomy), 

Kelly McCreary (Emily Owens, M.D.) and the cast of East Los 

High (Hulu). 



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on how to create and maintain a sustainable career in the industry. Whether you’re a model, fashion designer, photographer, student or a fan of fashion, 

Fashion Xchange Magazine allows our readers to gain knowledge often only revealed behind closed doors.

Blanc Noir & Couture: Issue No.9

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