Fashion Designer

Edwardian Ball SF 2011 Part 2: The Bazaar

We may have been a bit short on Echoes, but that didn’t stop us from shopping our hearts out at the Edwardian Ball’s grand bazaar. The ‘neath of the Regency Ballroom was nearly overflowing with dark delights …
Vest and Tie By the 5 & Diamond Collective
We attended the bazaar the afternoon prior to our first ball which allowed it to be a fine preview of the evening ahead. Over 6000 square feet of hand-manifested brilliance insured that there was something worth coveting in whichever direction you might look.

Equally admirable to the scintillating hats, masks, gloves, spats, shoes, boots, coats, myriad curios, baubles, bustles, corsets, and ingenious ensembles for sale were the engaging merchants peddling their wares in costume and in character. Many of them seemed exceptionally pleased just to be basking in the radiance of adoring consumers’ praise of their creations and it was a sincere pleasure to converse with thems what create these wonders.

While there was a small historical (read: steampunk) contingent shopping the bazaar, I would say the majority of it’s merchants and denizens were decidedly burners, and stylish ones at that. It’s doubtable that another group could run the Edwardian fashion-plate into the punk’d end-zone and score such a radical mutation of the paradigm. Loom woven copper wire gown.

One work in particular that quite fascinated us was this gown (see photo at right) made of woven copper wire that had been patina’d to various corroded shades of green. In our opinion, fashion art such as this is worthy of the museum and the fact that it along with a number of other pieces incorporating this woven wire in various visually striking ways indicates the near transcendental level of artistry that could be purchased for a competitive price at this bazaar.

There was a fantastic vibe which permeated the bazaar. Smiles could be seen and laughter heard throughout the large open rooms. The charming and animated hatter though, was perhaps our favorite interaction at the bazaar. In addition to having on a delightful outfit, she educated us in the proper use of her many springed head sizing device as well as said device’s phrenological applications! The device (pictured below on my companion’s head) allows a plot of one’s brow line to be punched into an index card via pins located atop the device.

Want to see more of what the bazaar had to offer? Visit this gallery at our Facebook page. In the next article, we’ll be talking about the outfits we made for this year’s ball.

Head Sizing at the Charming Hatters' stall

By Dusty Bacon, about: Bazaar, Bustle, Copper, Corset, Costume, Couture, Dark, Edwardian, Edwardian Ball, Edwardian Ball 2011, Edwardian Ball SF, Fashion Designer, Gown, Handmade, Hatter, Macabre, Regency Ballroom, Shopping, Sinister, Vendor, Vest

Killbuck’s Kostoom Art, Beyond The Buck

Iron top hats, futuristic dinosaur masks, militant Santa jackets, and an artistry tempered by the fires of over a decade in BRC. Come with us as we sample the twisted fruits of an original Playa-costume frontiersman.
Killbuck Kostoom Gas Mask Steampunk
You’ve seen his work before on the playa. His conceptual drawings and inspirational personae have given form to several of Mr. Jellyfish’s art projects including Mantis. He is a co-creator of Camp Apokiliptika, a regular at the Booby Bar, and now his unique artwork can be yours to wear.

In this exciting episode, “Kernul” Killbuck leads his forces to yet another victory in his campaign against your sense of reality. This time he’s once again marauding along the costuming front by enticing all of us with his beautiful custom couture creations (a few of which are pictured here). With a battle plan of brilliant design, excellent execution, and a willingness to customize to your exact specifications it looks like his victory is assured.

KostoomArts.Com

We’ve been amazed with Killbuck’s artistry on innovative Burning Man art projects for a number of years now. His ability to simulate patina, texture, blaster marks, or just about any other finish on lightweight, mold-able materials is beyond compare outside of Hollywood special effects. Perhaps this is because he grew up in a theater family building sets and designing wardrobes with his father.

Most impressive though is how startlingly original the things his strange mind comes up with are. He’s a creative genius operating with all the ease of someone who was born to generate in-your-face freakiness.

Offered for sale on his new site are stunningly adorned hats, masks, coats, epaulettes, goggles, spats, and utility belts. Examples of each are pictured in excellent detail and there’s also a gallery showcasing a number of his other works at the very bottom. Click here to get there and see for yourself what happens when an already deviant man inhales a bit too much playa dust and starts using his powers for DOOM!

By Dusty Bacon, about: Apokiliptika, Booby Bar, Burning Man, Costume, Couture, Doom, Fashion Accessories, Fashion Designer, Handmade, Hat, Jellyfish, Mad Hatter, Mr. Jellyfish, Reno, Steampunk, Victorian

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The Wild Times March 17, 2010

Top Five Fashion Accessories of 2009 Vol. 5

It’s not over yet! One of the burner underground’s newest sensations Jordan Miller of Red Dirt Fashion puts her radically unique style on display for our collective inspiration in this Top Five. Prepare to SQUEEEEE Beautiful young woman (the guest author) in a blushing type pose wearing a very colorful bandana and pink hat.

Guest author and fellow Faux Fur Freedom Front Fighter Jordan Miller is the sole-proprietor of Red Dirt Fashions, one of the most radically re-inventive fashion labels we’ve had the pleasure to discover. Now, heeeeerrrre’s Jordan!

Bandannas… Sure, we only have the threat of finding ourselves in a dust storm about a week out of the year, but for that week, bandannas are an absolute must. Not only do they make you look much more fabulous, but they have functionality as well. And for those of us who maintain style notoriety the remaining 358 days a year, a bandanna can be an asset to any ensemble. Even though we do not wake up everyday with the fear of finding ourselves face first with an infamous playa white out, the rest of the year, a bandanna can double as a handkerchief, a napkin, or even a bib for those messy eaters—just remember to wash it regularly (with a fourth a cup of vinegar in the washer to keep colors their brightest)!

Two young ladies all decked out for a phat party. One is wearing a custom DIY hoodie and arm warmers.

Arm Warmers… Anyone who does not wear faux fur for moral implications has felt the consequences from the cold desert night more than others. And even though there are bulky alternatives, for us fashionistas, enduring Mother Nature’s bite is the bitter but more fabulous alternative. My solution for this problem has always been to layer multiple arm warmers underneath my sweaters. This way, one still looks cute and petite in their sexy playa wear, and can endure the pain of below freezing temperatures in style.

Suspenders…. Have you ever found yourself waist deep in a pair of pants that were a size or two too big and could not find a belt anywhere? Burning Man 2009, the morning after we arrived, whilst sizing up my luggage, I realized that I left my only belt at home. A devastating blow for anyone who thinks the pants-below-your-ass look was overdone by the 90’s. However, fate was on my side because I still had my suspenders. Fabulous fashion functionality came to my rescue because, once again, I found the perfect blend of style and utility.

Hobo gloves… For someone who has poor circulation, I have always found that a major concern of mine while out and about is my core temperature. So, as mom always insists, gloves are a must for the winter climate. However, whilst embarking on adventures of the social manner, gloves do not fare well. Encompassed in a thick layer of fabric, while although warm, can become troublesome for fingers when someone has activities to partake upon. So, my solution has always been to cut the fingers off for a stylish and functional hobo glove. Although they are not quite as warm as their uncut cousin, they are way more reasonable since they do not entail constant removal anytime one is doing something that requires nimble fingers

Henry, my fake plastic turtle on wheels… He might not seem like an actually fashion accessory, but I can count the number of mornings that my outfit was completed with his cheerful smile as I drug him along behind me. He is perfect for those saucy mornings after a night full of partying when synapses are not firing rapidly, for he is a great conversation starter. And you can talk about a fake plastic turtle on wheels for a good amount of time with very little work from your cerebral cortex—a must have item for hangovers!

Jordan will soon be relocating to attend the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. Click the Follow Along links to the right to be kept up to date on her latest fashion revelations.

Montage of pics showing pink fingerless gloves, green-yellow-purple striped suspenders, and Henry the fake plastic turtle on a leash.

By Dusty Bacon, about: 2009 Top, Arm Warmer, Bandana, Best of 2009, DIY, Fashion Accessories, Fashion Accessory, Fashion Designer, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Fashionista, Faux Fur Freedom Front, FFFF, FIDM, Handmade, Henry Turtle, Hobo Gloves, Jordan Miller, Red Dirt Fashion, Sexy, Style and Utility, Suspenders, Top Five

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The Wild Times January 26, 2010

Top Five Fashion Accessories of 2009 Vol. 4

Are you already dreaming of what items you’ll be rocking this year as the festival season takes shape? Calendars and closets are filling up with intentions that will soon manifest in the ever glorious moment! Three Pairs of Disembodied Forearms/Hands Model The Braided Gauntlets. Pale skin on black background.

It is with great pleasure that we welcome back our favorite co-author of 2009, Mairin the beautiful artist and owner of Kareli Kairos. Not only does Mairin have a reputation for being one of the most creative fashionistas in our local tribe, she also generously gives of herself in helping others with their couture projects and experiments.

<- Braided Gauntlets/Arm Warmers – I started making these in 2009, in every color I could find, and they are a great way to add edge to anything. They play with negative space in an interesting way; there is something very sexy about skin that shows in patches. They are tribal and geometric at the same time. They can also be worn layered over solid arm warmers, making them super-versatile. Headshot of pink haired woman looking at you with large gossamer winged Faerie headdress that has white fur and other miscellaneous accents.

Faerie-Headdress -> This is probably my favorite thing I made last year. I created it on top of a commercial “fairy hat” base, and added two pairs of small costume wings, flowers, beads, lights, etc. I created different clip-on accessories for it that allowed me to wear it for several occasions, including it’s incarnation as the Poinsettia Faerie’s crown for the Santa Crawl. It is dramatic, different, and reminds me of Art Nouveau illustrations. A headdress makes one feel theatrical in a transformative way that is liberating and very fun.
Headshot of a woman smiling coyloy at you models her shockingly pink hair with black striped accents. The colors contrast remarkably with her soft pale skin and large blue eyes.

<- My hair – This might be a bit of a stretch as an accessory but I got two really incredible, colorful haircuts in 2009 that rocked my world. Having hair that looks amazing is great, even if the rest of one’s ensemble is less than awesome, the hair is there, ever vigilant in expressing your style sensibility. I also dress up to my hair on days when I am not very inspired; having pink and black stripey hair encourages me to commit to the rest of my look with the same vigor as my hair.

Close up of woman's piercing big blue eyes framed on the outer corners by shockingly bright turquoise and pink feathers that stick out above and below about three inches from her sockets.

Feather Eyelashes -> Feather eyelashes created quite an impact for me 2009. They come in a wide range of colors, and instantly make one look “made-up,” even if one isn’t wearing any other make-up at all. Drawing attention to the eye is the major reason for wearing make-up to begin with, and boy do these do the trick. One’s eyes will be noticed. They are whimsical and otherworldly; every blink becomes the wing-beat of an exotic bird.

Fur Crop Jacket – Sometimes it gets cold, and one wants to stay warm, yet not cover up one’s whole outfit (or lack of one). The best solution I’ve found is the fur crop jacket. Having one’s arms and shoulders covered in super-warm fur goes a long way to keep the whole body warm, even if the rest of it is scantily clad. Also the cut of a crop jacket makes one’s shoulders look bigger, which makes one’s waist look smaller (generally figure-flattering), and in a football player sort of way, makes me feel like a bad-ass. There’s something about a crop-jacket that says, “Don’t mess with me.”

Our sincere thanks to everyone who wrote in so far with their top 5. Rest assured we will be bringing this popular and interactive series back at the end of this year!

Tall sexy pink haired woman with her hands on her hips and an impressive purplish-pink fur crop jacket sitting high on her shoulders gazes down on you with a blank yet vaguely authoritative expression.

By Dusty Bacon, about: 2009 Top, Arm Warmer, Art Nouveau, Best of 2009, Braided Gauntlet, Crop Jacket, DIY, Faerie, Fairy, Fairy Hat, Fashion Accessories, Fashion Accessory, Fashion Designer, Fashionista, Feather Eyelashes, Flattering, Fur, Fur Coat, Fur Crop, Fur Jacket, Head Dress, Headdress, Kareli Kairos, Mairin Kareli, Peek a boo, Top Five, Whimsical

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The Wild Times January 12, 2010

Top Five Fashion Accessories of 2009 Vol. 2

Welcome to the second installment covering some of the top five fashion accessories of 2009. Volume two focuses on those accessories that were popular in the alternative fashion scene(s) this last year.

A reclining woman's sexy legs are adorned from ankle to just below the knee with corsetted, lace-fringed, black & charcoal textured spats. Truly stunning!

Thanks to Ash of Mechanic Organic Clothing for being the first to write in with these five favorite fashion accessories of 2009. Check back to see more of her designs (like the underbust corset in the bottom-most picture) when her website launches this spring. We’ll also be doing posts on the other two designers pictured!

#1 – The quirky ‘mini-hat’. Crowns, tophats, bicorns & fedoras… the mini-hat is likely the cutest head-adornment the world has ever seen. Worn by steampunks, lolitas, burlesque dancers, & festival freakers, this head piece lets you get your antics up without the hat-hair.

#2 – No longer for running around and waging war… spats keep the ankles of post-apocalyptic artists clean & protected! Running to photograph deep in a swamp, hopping fences to fancy-up a dull warehouse wall, or simply to keep your ankles warm while dancin’ in the rain. Fashion and function, spats got it all.

A bearded, mustachio'd man with a dreamy expression, a bright blue circle on each cheek and a black fadora is crouched modeling a decidedly feminine black dress-like vest with aqua blue accents and identically coloured velvety arm warmers.

#3 – Vests for everyone! Over a collared shirt, tank top, t-shirt, blouse or straightup on its own, vests can pull off a huge variety of different looks! What’s your style? Equestrian? Teacher? Faery? Victorian? Scenester? Freaker? Everyone needs one of these bad-assed badboys!

#4 – The leather utility belt. A ‘fabric’ becoming more and more widely accepted as eco-friendly, and by far the most sustainable as it only gets more supple and formed to your body with age. The meat industry isn’t dying out anytime soon, and our leather is simply making use of a byproduct. While caravaning across dusty plains, trippin’ around a summertime festival, or merely going for coffee – the purse and backpack can prove bulky, they can throw out your back, and just plain become a nuisance. The utility belt solves all your carrying needs in a stylish, and comfortable way.

#5 – Underbust corset. Not much need be said. Comfortable to wear, keeps your back straight when sitting for long periods of time, and all will agree: bloody sexy.

We’re excited to continue this series on your top five favorite fashion accessories of 2009 so email us with your words and pictures at the email address below the Follow Along links.

A sassy blonde model walks the runway during a fashion show wearing a tan tunic like corset that is short in the front and long in the back. Symetrical cords connect the corset to grey fur trimmed shoulder pads. The model is also wearing a grey chain-mail like bikini top. Brown panties peak through the tails of the corset and a gartered tan stocking top on one thigh completes the ensemble.

By Dusty Bacon, about: 2009 Top, Alternative Fashion, Best of 2009, Burlesque, Fashion Accessories, Fashion Accessory, Fashion Designer, Lolita, Mechanic Organic, Mini Hat, Spats, Steampunk, Top Five, Underbust, Underbust Corset, Utility Belt, Victorian

9 Comments

Style Transcendental December 11, 2009

AYYA Avatar Liberating Wear

What is fashion capable of? Can what you wear manifest the surfacing of something deep within you? Or enshroud a vision that unveils a new path? Whatever the possibilities are, AYYA is expanding them.

A 3/4 view of armless headless white torso manequin wearing a reddish brown fur trimmed collared vest of many different colored and textured leathers in a symmetrical, organically chaotic symphony.

“These are the Wild Times … “

Born of a continually evolving collective mission to create a life worth living from the disintegrating raw materials of the dominant paradigm, AYYA is one living example of community in action. Magnetized by the festival cultures of the NorthWest, they have been working together for many years, across many continents, creating clothing, performance, environments, and events all on a mission to evolve culture.

“We must be able to make our home in the mystery.”

AYYA regards each article of clothing as a container for a unique story that can only unfold when someone puts it on, and begins to create their own adventure. One of the ways they choose to act out this philosophy is by allowing for a significant level of customization when ordering. If you want to get an idea for just how much you are encouraged to customize your order, take a look at the color combo options for their Spiral Tabi Boots. The clothing of AYYA is created with the pure intention that each garment provides a portal for its wearer to enter into a magical narrative of their own creation.

“… the choice to step into our gear is also a commitment to a life of humble power and integrated offering.”

Side view of one boot clad foot taking a step. The boots are an antiqued grey leather with black tribal tatto-like accents and leather laces criss-crossing antique brass hooks down the side of the calf.

AYYA doesn’t adhere to any one organization’s trade regulations, they sense their own truth. Their Eco Policy and utilization of Possum Fur are both controversial and a good example of what makes them a conscious company that you can trust. Their production is based in Bali, where they are exploring how to transcend “fair trade” by creating scholarships for children to attend college, collaborating on health and wellness programs, participating in ceremony together, and learning from one another. They have a commitment to continually researching and developing a truly sustainable, eco, thriving business/apocalyptic survival strategy.

“And yes, we’re gonna need something to wear.”

NOW is the time to order from them. Their website has just been updated AND their holiday coupon code is in effect! See their front page for details. *Co-Authored by AYYA

A mysterious and sexy woman with her back towards you crouches on a bed amidst large orange and crismson pillows wearing a red lace mask, a head-piece of red roses with a pair of three foot long red and black striped turkey feathers arching out. A high collared red and salmon pink striped vest with red lacing. A beautifully carved dark mahogany headboard and red curtains occupy the background.

By Dusty Bacon, about: AYYA, AYYA Wear, Buyer's Guide, Character, Costume, Coupon Code, Couture, Custom, Custom Clothing, Custom Footwear, Custom Shoe, Eco Policy, Empowerment, Fashion Designer, Festival Culture, Haute Couture, Humble Power, Integrated Offering, Magical Narrative, Manifest, NorthWest, Possum Fur

4 Comments

Paradigm Shiftin' December 9, 2009

Playa FATshion: Luscious Ladies

Last weekend a group of large and in charge fashionistas hosted a rawkus celebration of couture designed with the plump woman in mind. Sexxxy got brought by the babes with the most back to the delight of all.

A 6'4" tall beauty of a woman with black hair, pale skin, and red lips models an emerald green lace-up bodice with long frontless emerald gown revealing black ruffle panties and fishnet tights stretching down long almost endless legs. A dark brown fur shrug accents the ensemble with elegace.

The Lucsious Ladies of the Fat Girls fashion show took back control of the runway and in doing so manifested the re-envisioning of everything a sensual woman can be. These incredible feme-fatales walked the room in an array of off-the-rack and custom sewn creations, that highlighted the reality of their beauty, power, and energy.

Lauren Mari Hufft Gifford of Prism Magic and Meredith Tanzer of La Bussola brought together a tremendous stable of talent for a revolutionary show that incorporated Burlesque, Lounge Singing, Belly Dancing, and Body Painting performances in addition to epic fashion. An especially notable highlight was the most over-the-top, steamiest, sinful cupcake eating performance we can imagine!

There was a deep sense of knowing surrounding the paradigm shift our community was manifesting that night. Amidst the laughter and wild cheering we all seemed to know that this happening was bringing a much needed counter-balance to the over-sold and brutal “ideal” image of the female form that western culture is currently plagued by. With their own sexual energy and clothing our voluptuous vixens shed the omnipresent awareness of the body a woman is “supposed” to have and transcended all comparisons while giving the finger to any who would scheme to alienate them from their own bodies.

A large, well proportioned brunette with pinkish olive skin and smiling eyes models a salmon pink piece covered in red brocade print, corset attached sleeves with fur cuffs. The top also has black leather accent panels on the abs and lower sides. Crimson silk bloomers and fishnet tights complete the look.

We citizens of Black Rock City are familiar with the conscious act of taking control of our image. Burning man has always been a deliciously deconstructed platform to reform how we see ourselves. Radical self expression is a common description of what we are up to out on the playa but perhaps Larry Harvey said it best in the 2000 SUMMER NEWSLETTER Burning Man Journal ” … participants commune with themselves, … regard their own reality, that essential inner portion of experience that makes them feel real, as if it were a vision. I like to say that visions aren’t defined by light which falls upon them, but that they shine forth with their own light – they radiate outward, they illumine the world, they redefine reality.”

Special thanks to our co-author for this piece Mairin Kareli, Artist and Owner of Kareli Kairos www.karelikairos.com
Mairin’s unique insights can be attributed to her background as an extremely intelligent luscious lady, visual artist, business owner, and fashion designer, as well as multiple other pursuits she is engaged in many of which she excels at beautifully.

Two large, made-up women bare their fangs and mug the camera. One is brunette with silver eyelash extensions a black bead necklace and a pink corset with black boning. The other is fair skinned with orange dyed hair and retro white framed glasses, she wears a mottled rainbow mohair jacket and sparkly red mini-top hat.

By Dusty Bacon, about: Counterculture, Empowerment, Fashion Designer, Fashion Show, Fat Chicks, Fat Girls, Fatshion, Kareli Kairos, La Bussola, Larry Harvey, Lauren Mari Hufft Gifford, Mairin Kareli, Meredith Tanzer, Prism Magic, Reno, Sexy

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Classic Posts Paradigm Shiftin' September 28, 2009

Burning Man Storms Milan Fashion Week

Angela Missoni, a top fashion designer in the default world, debuted her 2010 Spring/Summer line to great fanfare at fashion week in Milan. While her creations shimmered up and down the runway, Missoni dropped a bold Fashion Week 2009 A hint at a main source of inspiriation: her daughter’s attendance of Burning Man. (Telegraph Article Here)

But it seems some of the world’s other top designers are taking their inspiration from playa-riffic sources as well! Scope these snapshots from the recent fashion weeks in London, Paris, and New York.

Christophe Decarnin of the Balmain label designed the fashions shown on the left and right of these words. They are dubbed “military” by the default fashion world but seem to be more a very sexy take on Steampunk mixed with a little post-apocalyptic desert organica. It’s easy to imagine a Black Rock Citizen rocking either of these on Playa. Some playa dust might get these models smiling too! Fashion Week 2009 B

Of course we’re not implying that these fashion designers are “stealing” designs from off the playa. That wouldn’t be nearly so thrilling as the truth of it: that there are beautiful similarities emerging between what is considered avant-garde at the heights of default world fashion and what has always constituted beauty in our own dusty couture community.

There is a paradigm shift occurring and the particulars of who did what or took inspiration from whom are losing significance, giving way to the beauty of synergistic and spontaneous combustions of human creativity without judgment or the need for credit. That’s what this site is all about! Sharing ONLY the intention to inspire and provide helpful tools that will assist you in manifesting the fashion experience you choose to create for yourself and others with no judgment or concept of authority.

The fact that we arrived at the idea for this blog just days before this story broke is a great example of the metaphysical mechanics at play. A nod in our direction from the global fashion industry verifies that we are not alone in feeling this shift. Stay with us and share in the creation of a fashionably new paradigm by clicking on the Subscribe links to the right.

By Dusty Bacon, about: Angela Missoni, Couture, Desert, Desert Organica, Emerging, Emerging Paradigm, Fashion Designer, Fashion Week, Milan, Missoni, Organica, Paradigm, Rodarte, Sexy, Steampunk

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