SAME SKY bracelets at his b michael America Fall/Winter 2011 Fashion Show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. The lovely bracelets were made by women from Rwanda.
Here’s what b michael says was his inspiration for the collection:
If it is true that one’s creativity is a manifestation of their state of being … then my collection for Fall/Winter 2011/12 is about positive energy, passion for life and a New Modernity, which means a combination of the accomplishment of the 21st century threaded together with old fashion human touch and protocol. This collection is relevant for modern women who understand the New Modernity of a hand written note in lieu of an email or a telephone call and not a text. It is in the 21st century a choice for the luxury to be the New Modernity.
I am inspired to create clothes that are modern and romantic. Very ladylike dresses and suits for day … a nod toward the dressier. Imagine traveling in a chic day dress or arriving at a meeting in a beautiful suit. I’ve heard it said many times how it once was fashion protocol to dress. One of my favorite quotes is from Josephine Premice as stated in her daughter’s memoir — “They used to dress in this town” — Always Wear Joy, author Susan Fales Hill.
For formal evenings timeless elegance is always stellar: then and now. The dress and the woman create a total statement. The dress should never overpower nor understate the wearer. I prefer luxurious fabrics that drape and silhouette, beautifully illustrating the seams which create form; for me the woman and her jewelry should be the “glitz” factor. The overall effect should be the drama.
The palette ranges from warm rich browns, deeper shades of grey, stand-alone black or with white added occasionally for subtle surprise. I also added jewel tones as the color presence and the metallic is subtle antique gold.
The fabrics are a combination of wool and silk that have body and [are] luxurious to the touch. Rich textures combining various yarns give dimension to elegant silhouettes.
I encourage the woman of this New Modernity to fully embrace her feminine mystique.
Cocktail dresses reflect the days of the little black dress when gathering at friends’ homes for cocktails and dinner parties often ending in music by the piano or lively discussions on current events, a.k.a. gossip. The cocktail dresses in this collection inspire such evenings. several little black go-to pieces in the mix and one or two very simple long dresses that epitomize the New Modernity. –yvette caslin
The b michael America Fall/Winter 2011 Fashion Show was also used as an awareness event for the The DreamYard Action Project, the largest arts education provider in Bronx, New York, reaching 8,500 students from grades K-12.
The beauty look was modern glamour. The hair was created by Laura Ziba with Faces Salon, makeup by Michelle Virtue for Damone Roberts New York and jewelry was provided by Joan B. Hornig Jewelry.
