A night in Paris with ALYCE Paris

ALYCE Paris is a Chicago based brand that caters to formal dresses from homecoming, to prom, to bridal.

Their mission is “to design and market consistently innovative and fresh styles in evening wear that inspire and endow a unique look and personal feel for girls and women experiencing such momentous occasions as the milestone rites of passage of prom, marriage, graduation and other special life events.”

The founder Alyce Hamm (formally Alice) was born in France in 1930. In honor of the brand’s founder and where she came from they strive to incorporate French and European aesthetic and sense of style through each gown. Some gowns may be more revealing than what royalty would have worn but one step into these gown and I’m sure you’ll look and feel like Kate Middleton. You can definitely see the European elegance throughout each gown.

Alyce and her brand has expanded tremendously since starting in 1967. Though she’s no Balenciaga Alyce has still made a name for herself over the years specifically in the world of gowns.

This season and consistent with past seasons are very slim fitting dresses with the exception of some short princess like homecoming dresses. Most dresses are all blinged out in either heavy beading or shiny sequins for a signature look.

Alyce Paris prides themselves on tradition, heritage, culture, dignity, elegance and respect. Their dresses have been worn by Britney Spears, Vanna White and many more.

This brand makes me wish I was 17 all over again contemplating and trying on a million different potential prom dresses. Check out the latest gowns at alyceparis.com

Art Institute sticks out like sore thumb

Featured at Chicago’s disappointing fashion week Style Bias show was an array of designers. From Fashion Geek, to the Leaders, to designer Albert Ray they all had interesting pieces, and not the good kind of interesting either. Most of the designs were screenprint t-shirts but we’re not going to get into that. The most interesting designers, and remember interesting does not necessarily mean good, were from the Art Institute. Through all the ripped jeans, camo and graphic t’s these designer really stuck out like a sore thumb. Though they weren't cohesive with the rest of the show I’m sure the audience didn't mind a break from the DIY like designs, I know I didn’t. During the Art Institute collection, which included multiple unknown designers, a male model made his way down the runway in what reminded me of something Kanye West or Chris Brown would wear. Cut off black jeans were paired with a 3/4 sleeve black tee layered with a cut off sleeve hoodie with rope drawstring detailing and a pair of dirty gray high top adidas, but that’s not what intrigued me. The model had on a black medusa like headpiece that covered the the entire face, even the eyes. I’m not sure what exactly was made designer but the headpiece definitely stood out from the rest of the Art Institute collection. I don't think I’d seen anything like it before. It was a little scary and obviously not wearable but I give the designer cool points for standing out. It gave the basic outfit a little extra push which was very much needed not only in the outfit but the entire show.  

Due to the fact that the show was poorly organized and didn’t include a program I do not know which Art Institute designer made this piece.

A Wedding Dress That Took The Wedding Cake

Javonica-Chicago Wedding Gown

Javonica Sapp of Japonica-Chicago creates elegant, contemporary, and timeless bridal gowns and eveningwear. At Chicago's Fashion Week, Sanford-Brown College Chicago's fashion show presented the 2009 alumnus' bridal collection on October 15. Incorporated into Sapp's gowns are silks, French laces, and Swarovski rhinestones. Her work has already been featured in Chicago Style Wedding's Magazine after launching her bridal collection in 2013. 

The above Javonica-Chicago bridal gown was a standout piece because of it's elegance and timelessness. The fitted chest is balanced by the fullness of the ruffles. The tea-length gown lengthens into a floor-length dress, which adds a sexy appeal to the shin of the legs. The gown would suit any body type because of its silhouette. Sapp created a gorgeous gown for a magical chapter of a woman's life. 

Standout piece: Revolution Fashion Show

Cheap material mixing and tacky embellishments: the indirect fluidity of the student and alumni fashion show practically screamed. Just when you thought it couldn't get anymore tasteless the seemingly Candyland inspired gown stole the show, or the stock of red pleather at your local fabric store. With a questionable aim to shock the audience, the wrapped pleather, use of gold silk as a peek-a-boo to the train, the wrap-neck Dracula style collar, and attempt to incorporate poppy-like embellishments resulted in a scattered cheer and applause that could have been a result of the craftsmanship and idea or lack there of. 


Although the theme revolved around revolutionary fashion, which could be considered outlandish, the cheap leather and pearl embellishments to resemble poppy's just topped the cake as the wackiest fashion show to be seriously organized. Contemplating whether this was in lieu of the Halloween season or intentionally meaning to cause disbelief, the gown caused an instantaneously scattered applause to which made considerable audience members look to see if the designer came out to be acknowledged. Feeling as if this piece was rushed in production, specifically the wrapped materials outlined in a pearls made one reminisce of a piece featured in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.  


Notably to take on fusing graphic design and fashion to create a "pop art fashion" show sounds provoking but prevailed to serve the audience anything but loud designs, overdone embellishments, neon stripper wigs, bright lipstick, and accompanying picket signs with POW!, BANG!, BOOM! Comic-style thought bubbles. Overall the attempt to create a stimulating fashion show where the aesthetics serve to an unconventional theme, could inevitably be illustrious. However the idea, theme, and way of connecting graphic design and fashion could've served us something more than a sloppy attempt at a fashion showcase. 


The aim of Stanford Brown’s revolution fashion show seemed prevalent to the idea of pushing the envelope with “the future of fashion”, though the creativity seemed rushed and intentionally un-wearable. The transparency for a far-fetched aim made for a Cosplay or new age Disney princess feel, in which the more playful and idealist-based the piece appeared the better.

Dear Edgy, Glamorous, Yet Refined Woman, Meet Your New Favorite Designer for Fall

“She is social, she is charismatic, and as smart as she is, she doesn't take herself too seriously-she is playful when the lights are low… Above all she is diverse and compassionate,” Christina D. Monley explaining who wears her ready-to-wear clothing label, Christina Karin, in a Racked Chicago interview. 

Monley, the principal designer and creative director of Christina Karin, didn’t start her business as some would imagine. She actually received a degree in business and art history from Boston University. Then, she worked in finance on Wall Street. After an uninspiring depth of time spent in finance, she decided to go back to school at the Art Institute of Chicago to study fashion and design. 

In 2012, Monley was chosen to participate as a Designer in Residence for the Macy’s Chicago Fashion Incubator. Since then, she has been designing clothes and remodeling her Bucktown space, which serves as her workspace and showroom for buyers and customers. 

“The goal is for the space to exude everything about my brand: In a nutshell, old Hollywood meets modern-day muse,” Monley said in a Chicago Racked article.  

Monley wanted her fall collection to portray the intimate side of glamour by juxtaposing soft and sparkly with strong and mysterious. Her fall ’14 collection features a cropped blouse and matching high-waisted geometric skirt with black stretch knit and vegan leather detail in bronze. She favored navy blue silk with hints of silk brocade in gold for her blouses, dresses, and skirts. There are smoking jackets in gold lame and navy blue sequins. One of the popular pieces from the Christine Karin collection are the long sleeved draped tunic dresses that are available in sand, cobalt blue, and red.

“I designed this collection with the vision of a woman sitting in a man’s smoking room, surrounded by art, dark mahogany, and swirls of smoke-a feminine allure in a masculine environment,” Monley said. 

Photo credit: Christina Karin website 

A military flight suit, with a feminine edge

A pastel pink jumpsuit with exaggerated shoulders and cuffed sleeves stood out from Boohoo’s mediocre “Imperial” line, which suffered from being too casual. The jumpsuit took after the line’s military style by resembling a chic flight suit.

A leather jacket was tied around the waist, seeming displaced. The thickness of the jacket seemed clunky around the feminine suit and took away from the overall swanky and polished look of the ensemble. Without the leather jacket, the garment is simply brought in at the waist with a belt of the same fabric tied into a bow. 

Strappy heels elongated the outfits shape creating a dainty look, which accompanied some of the masculine accents that take after a military flight suit.

A plunging neckline created by a wrapped front is cinched at the waist creating pleated details making the one piece intriguing yet simple. The garment creates an hourglass shape with a broad top and loose fitting bottom. However, the ankles are fitted keeping the legs from being too baggy and unflattering. The straight leg also contributes to the femininity of the garment by playing with the silhouette of the typical military flight suit.

Although trendy jumpsuits are usually made to look sleek and polished with chiffon like materials, this suit went against the grain with a cotton polyester blend and a heavy knit, resembling the texture of sweatpants. The breathable fabric does not take away from the garment’s polished factor. However, it contributes to the softness and dainty look of the suit.

The standout piece

ART INSTITVTE CHICAGO stands out by the amazing designs among the whole show. Although it is a street style show, I feel it was like high fashion show.

A modern and mysterious mask got my attention. “Maybe I am in the Alexander McQueen’s show,” `I thought. The mask used messy lines. The strong ultramodern shocked me. Though the mask, the model’s vision is sharp and blurred. The top is super simple; it is just a black and sleeveless camisole. The camisole is made of skill and chiffon. It looks light and free because of the material. The model put hands in the pocket of the black pant, which has a high waist and skinny legs. High heels matched the official feel into the lazy sense.

Street style is not only about unruly but unique. In normal street style is full of random mosaic pattern, holes and complicated layers. The designer used the opposite way to explain this style. Usually, people chose the street style to show their desire of difference. That is why designer likes to use the creep cutting and bright colors. But the designer gives us another choice.

In this show, the designer, a student from STEAM STUDIO, only showed four pieces. The designer is one of the three designers of ART INSTITVTE CHICAGO. The most obvious hallmark is the special head accessories. Exceeding exaggerated head keeps the light on the dark clothes. Sometimes high fashion is not only meaning expensive fabrics or special cutting. You even cannot feel the high quality by the masks and clothes. But the confident models and the designer’s idea told you “That is high fashion!”

Standout Review: "Revolution" Fashion Show

Like a worn down Halloween costume that barely resembles the look you carefully pieced together before leaving your apartment, this red leather duo looks like a discount Bond girl after she’s blacked out at 2 a.m. Luckily, the offender responsible for this travesty will remain anonymous because of the show’s glitchy video screen that never once projected designer names in-sync with what walked down the runway.

Leather is an incredibly difficult fabric to work with, especially when attempting to properly tailor it into a structured jacket and slim, cigarette trousers. If executed well, leather can look like a smooth, second skin, but here, the result is shapeless and boxy, giving the model unwarranted creases. Red and black alone are two powerful colors, but together, they’re costumey and cliché, like an angry teenager filling her closet with mall Goth clothing from the local Hot Topic. Lace and leather could be sexy if used sparingly, but here it’s overwhelming on the model, screaming at the audience like a wasted, uninvited party guest.

The styling doesn’t help the designer’s case. Every model throughout the show sported bright, bobbed wigs to loosely coordinate with the evening’s weak, ’60s pop art theme. As the production progressed, however, these wigs became more disheveled. The model’s real hair is peeking from beneath and the purple, artificial locks look terribly unkempt, like the Party City wig you shoved into the corner of your closet, untouched from last Halloween.

Like a shameless serial killer, the outdated black heels show no mercy. The height seems a touch outdated, while the rounded toe is unfortunately reminiscent of a lawyer's go-to shoes in the early ’90s. These must have been a donation from a student designer’s mother, who probably wore better heels to the event than anything that was sported on the runway. When the audience members look better than the models, there’s clearly a problem.

by Justin Moran

Designer Profile: Dana Reed

            Chicago native Dana Reed is just one of many jewelry designers who will be featured throughout Chicago Fashion Week.

            If you have never seen a piece of Reed’s jewelry you might describe it as “Hand-forged jewelry is an effortless marriage of sophisticated minimalism with a hint of urban edge,” well that’s at least how Reed describes it on her website.

            In her early years Reed studied graphic design in school with pursing jewelry making as only a hobby. Reed eventually found her way in Rome where she found her artistic motivation to start her business.

Reed’s style has evolved throughout the years from beaded work to metalsmithed jewelry. Reed would describe her style as, “Combining the exotic elements of many cultures with art deco influenced geometrics and ultrachic textures.”

            All of Reed’s jewelry is handmade and comes at all different price points. A small silver square with a lone diamond hangs from a medium sized silver chain with various beads throughout the chain links goes for $138, the same necklace in gold goes for $198. The price is a bit steep for such simple designs. But the craftsmanship of every one of Reed’s pieces is exquisite.

            Reed’s work can be found all throughout the United States, including our very own Macy’s on State Street. She also claims to get great inspiration for her work from the Chicago Skyline.

            According to Reed’s website, “Her jewelry is for the woman who wants to set herself apart from others.”

Source List:

http://danareeddesigns.myshopify.com/

https://www.facebook.com/danareeddesigns/info

Designer Profile: Eva Pazola

Photo from: stylechicago.com

Walking down Michigan Ave., the wind is catching the fabric on the dress just right, making it flow almost perfectly behind you. Eva Pazola, a Chicago fashion designer, creates clothing for any woman who is a Chicago native.

            According to Pazola’s biography on evapazola.com, she has more than 20 years experience and understands cut, shape and construction of garments that allow women to feel comfortable. She also finds her inspiration by the women she meets every day and also from European destinations and visits to Bali and Brazil.

            According to her website her aesthetic is inspired by texture, color and movement, which you can see in her Spring and Fall collections.

            A dress in Pazola’s spring collection has a halter top made of a gray silk fabric. There is a defined waistline and the hem on the dress reaches below the knees. The focal point of the dress, is the sheer fabric over the skirt that is graphically pleasing to the eye.

            Pazola creates clothing that flatters a woman’s body and has unexpected colors and textiles that become and staple to who her and her designs are. According to her website the colors and textiles are a distinguishing characteristic of her designs.

            Pazola is known for always evolving her designs. Her website states that she keeps elements from the past while moving forward the fresh, innovative and the creative.

            In her testimonials an image consultant said, “Eva's designs are gorgeous and unusual, and her expertise in fabrics, color and fit is unparalleled.”