SheBreathes™ | Fashion + Culture

Inspiration | Adolphus Opara Photography

Nigerian-born photographer, Adolphus Opara has been inspiring me with his work for a while, and while I would normally share this on my old decor/inspiration blog, I could not resist sharing his Emissaries of an Iconic Religion series on here. All of the photos are inspiring me for a new project. The saturated colours, the power of each image, the subjects all inspired me to sketch in-flight, and I immediately shared his work on tumblr. For me, this his how inspiration begins, and I'm sure as I flesh-out my ideas I will come back to the images often. How does inspiration begin for you? Image, words, sound? Do share.

More on that project soon, but for now enjoy and do visit Mr. Opara's website to explore his entire collection of amazing photos.

Fotos Courtesy of Adolphus Opara.

McQueen for a Night

On Friday I attended the McQueen for a Night event at the MET, hosted by the College Group at the MET. it was in honour of the Savage Beauty; Alexander Mcqueen exhibit, but it was a bit more than that. The MET invited college students down, and a few members of the press; to not only view the exhibition, but to partake in the many activities of the night, like a panel with fashion consultant, Julie Gilhart. Everyone was encouraged to dress-up either in McQueen or something inspired by him, and trust me plenty of us did. We were able to see the runner-up pieces made for the Parsons design contest, and learned who won - it was Paula Cheng, which Creative Coordinator of Alexander McQueen, Trino Verkade announced she had won. We also got to hear from the curator of the exhibition, Andrew Bolton, who went through the entire exhibition with ease, beauty, and knowledge. There was music by DJ Justine D, beverages, and snacks. It was truly an extraordinary night for all who attended.

If you have the chance to see the exhibition, please do — it's breathtaking. There are quotes by McQueen throughout, and you learn what each collection was made-of, and the inspiration behind them. I even saw my 2003 shoes on display, which made me so happy, but now I'll never sell them. The exhibition also includes the collection that Ms. Sarah Burton finished, encased in glass, and while you're not allowed to take photos during the exhibition, you can buy the book, which will last you a lifetime. And, if you're in college I implore you to join the college group, because they host fabulous events throughout the year.

The topper for me, was meeting so many wonderful people, like Ms. Trino Verkade {who rocked a look from the S/S 2010 collection, and was down-to-earth}, Ms. Gilhart, who helped me with Ms. Verkade's name, Ms. Shelly Fox, who was as jubilant as a kid in a candy store, and a host of amazingly talented people who I'm sure I'll be hearing more about. Below is a peek into my evening and what I saw, enjoy.

I only had my iphone and point-and-shoot, because I knew that photos were allowed to be snapped at the actual exhibit, but I knew at the event I could, so below the pieces from the runner-ups, and the winning design.

And the winner . . . Paula Cheng. She'll receive a 4 week internship at Alexander McQueen.

The winner — Paula Cheng with Creative Coordinator of Alexander McQueen, Trino Verkade.

This was the line to see the exhibit, but thankfully we received passes, so we didn't have to wait. If you plan on going to the exhibit, expect a wait, but it's worth it!

Fotos © SheBreathes.

Certified Breathable | Favela Painting

Back in January, during Berlin Fashion Week, we were invited to the gallery showing of Favela Paiting. We got to see artistic duo, Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn's work in the favelas of Brasil, up close.

Favela Painting, started with two murals in Vila Cruzeiro, in Rio — one of the more notorious favelas in Rio. It was a community driven project that involved the youth of the favelas, and has expanded to Santa Marta, also in Rio. In fact, you can see some of their beautiful work in the movie Fast Five, which was filmed in Rio. It truly is something to see in person, which I did last year during Fashion Rio. To say I was thrilled, is an understatement. As a Brasilian and lover of culture, I completely support Favela Painting, and so can you by visiting, exploring, and donating. For now do click the images for a larger view, and enjoy the cultural movement.

Fotos © SheBreathes.

From Trash to Treasure | Waste Land

In an effort to balance out the fashion with a bit more culture {expect more of this}, I wanted to introduce Waste Land, a film directed by Lucy Walker. It's a documentary that highlights the catadores {human scavengers}, that rummage through the Jardim Gramacho in Rio — the largest landfill in the world. The film spans three years and follows several individuals, that you'll be inspired by. Many of these catadores live in the favelas in Rio, and are paid a commission for their finds. The film also documents Brooklyn-based Brasilian artist Vik Muniz’s project of creating over-sized portraits of the catadores out of the recyclables that they spend their days collecting. It explores what happens there, but more importantly it reveals Brasil’s poverty without the Cidade De Deus {City of God} flair, which to me is the most important aspect. I can only hope people who see this film are inspired beyond what they've heard, or hear about Brasil and povery, because there is plenty to chew on. I had the pleasure of seeing this film last Friday when it opened at the Angelika Film Center in NYC. As a Brasilian it brought tears to me eyes. Finally, there is a film that I believe speaks what I know to be true about millions of Brasilians — that beyond the fantasy they are resilient and beautiful, despite their socio-economic status. And that art has the power to transform an entire nation.

Visit here for a list of screenings. Do let me know if you've seen it, or will.

Fotos Courtesy of Vik Muniz/Waste Land Movie

Beautiful Strokes | Camila do Rosário

I recently shared the work of Brasilian artist/illustrator Camila do Rosário on tumblr. Her work has inspired me for a year now, thanks to my cousin Milly. Camila's work always pops off the page. It's filled with vibrant hues, and her subjects have some of the most realistic characteristics I've ever seen on paper. You can see more of her work here, but stay tuned because a longer piece on this amazing artist, is coming soon via Sejais.

Fotos Courtesy of Camila do Rosário

Discover | Marzia Rossi

I haven't done a "discover" feature in a while and I love doing them! I'm always amazed that even in the age of the interwebs and my extensive travels, I still find amazing artist and designers to share on here. Artisan jewelry from Italian designer Marzia Rossi is one such discovery. She shows her pieces in art galleries throughout Europe and deserves a global audience. I was most drawn to her Stones collection, despite the hard surface she adds delicate elements, which is like a breath of femininity running through each piece. Her work is simply breathtaking and deserves to be explored, so visit and discover more.

These beautiful works of art from her Bubbles and Flowers collection.

All Fotos Marzia Rossi. 

Beijinhos.

Certified Breathable | Ana Bravo

As you know SheBreathes is more than fashion it's culture too. I love highlighting amazing emerging and established artists under the Certified Breathable series. So today I'd like to introduce you to Mexican artist Ana Bravo whose work caught my eye when I spotted it on her Myspace page. Her Cruda Series captured me immediately because it incorporates beautiful elephants in lush settings and painted in lovely splashes of pink and grey. What amazed me more about this series is this was Ana's first foray into painting — inspiring! So without further ado . . .

Name:

Ana Bravo

BackStory:

I started drawing and painting in my early 20's. Since then I've gotten my BA in Fine Art and pursued it part-time. I have been relatively successful given the amount of time that I've actually been doing it.

Fun Fact:

I once co-starred in a feature film about four girls who run away from a group home and become private dancers (thank god it never came out!). I'm actually in the process of getting my Masters degree in Library Science.

Inspiration:

People, Music, Nature, and other Artists.

Most memorable moment?

Since I was a little girl I've always wanted to move to NY, so when I moved into my first apartment in Brooklyn and heard scratching in the ceiling (mice) I was horrified! After the horror had passed I became oddly at peace and thought "aah. . . I'm home" followed by a big exhale!

What's on your Certified Breathable short list?

Mercedes Salazar jewelry, SIEMBRA by Willie Colon & Ruben Blades, orange juice, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, which is one of the most beautiful artist communities in the world!

CD or Vinyl?

Vinyl! I love album cover art especially David Stone Martin's Jazz album covers.

Favorite Artists?  

Louise Nevelson, Egon Schiele, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Kehinde Wiley, Takashi Murakami, Marc Jacobs, Ndebele Art.

Words you breathe?

It's never too late.

Photos from Ana's Cruda Series . . .

And more. . .

Fotos Courtesy of Ana Bravo for usage on SheBreathes.Fotos of artist Photograher John Walder.
I'd like to thank Ana for being apart of this series. Please be sure to visit her at the following places and explore more of her world:
www.anabravo.com
www.myspace.com/baby_bravo
www.facebook.com/anabravo.art

Fashion + Textiles | Karen Nicol

After learning that London-based fashion, interiors embroidery, and textile designer Karen Nicol, collaborated with designers Clements Ribeiro, I had see more of her work. Ms. Nicol's entire portfolio is inspiring, and below is a snippet of the pieces I dig. Visit and explore more.

 

The lace . . .

And some more of her work, love the details of each piece . . .
 
Fotos Karen Nicol.

Beijinhos.

Limited Edition | Melissa + Esther Mahlangu

I've been a long time fan of South African artist Esther Mahlangu, so I was thrilled when I learned about her collaboration with one of my favourite Brasilian footwear brands, Melissa, dubbed "Afromania". I've sent off an e-mail to the good folks at Melissa to get more images, but for now I found some via Diane Pernet's Shaded View on Fashion {she's always 20 steps ahead of the pack}. I love this because Mama Esther's work needs a global audience! You can pop over to Love + Dreams {which is an extension of SheBreathes} to see more of Esther's art. Below are fotos of the artist Esther + a model in the limited edition shoe for Melissa, taken during SPFW. I really wish I could've seen her when she visited Bahia — the things I miss.

And the shoes . . .

Fotos Diane Pernet|A Shaded View on fashion, Style, + Melissa.

Beijinhos.

Vivid Details | Gabriel Moreno

Spanish illustrator Gabriel Moreno's work is vivid + rich with details. I love the depth of each drawing and how there is a lot going on without being busy. Everything is inspiring + makes me wish I had taken one of the advanced courses in illustration {to refresh my skills} at the SVA this semester. I would love a piece of his work on my design studio wall, because I'm amazed by his skills. Be sure to visit Mr. Moreno's blog, because he shared a lot of his creative process on it.

Fotos Gabriel Moreno {Click to enlarge}.

Beijos.

Beads of Paradise

I've always wanted to share Beads of Paradise, because they remain a constant source of inspiration for me as a designer. This place has everything, from Ethiopian artifacts to Mexican textile. They offer jewelry classes {that I've never taken}, and it's just what the name implies, a paradise of beads, and I think a great place to go if you need a little inspiration. So, if you're ever in NYC visit them. And after you've overdosed on beads + art, visit Havana Central, or Chat n' Chew for some good food. They're two of my favourites places in this area.

Fotos Beads of Paradise {Click to enlarge}.

Beijos.

The Poetics of Cloth: African Textiles/Recent Art

I love being back at NYU, because there is always something amazing going on, well besides finals and the cost {smile}. There is an art exhibit at the Grey Art Gallery entitled "The Poetics of Cloth: African Textiles/Recent Art, which I plan on attending soon. It will be at the gallery until December 6th, you can get more info here. Partial press-release below and a review by the NY Times here. There is also a similar exhibit at the MET until March 22nd.

There are some really amazing photographers on display like Malick Sidibé, Seydou Keïta, and the loveliness of photographer Nnontsikelelo "Lolo" Veleko. Some of her work is below. She was doing "street style" photography in Johannesburg long before it became a trend. The images below are between 2003-2007, from her "Beauty is in the Eyes of a Beholder" series, which you can see more of here.

Fotos via AfroNova.

The exhibition presents some 60 contemporary paintings, sculptures, videos, and photographs by artists living in Africa and abroad alongside a selection of mid- 20th-century and recent African textiles. The Poetics of Cloth: African Textiles / Recent Art, which will be on view at New York University’s Grey Art Gallery from September 16 through December 6, 2008, illuminates the connections and continuities between past and recent modes of African artistic expression. The exhibition also draws attention to vital and often exuberant African textile traditions which have too often been relegated to the long shadows cast by classical African sculpture.

Some of the African textiles on display.

Fotos via NY Times.

Beijos.