Obi Belts – Also popular as the sash belts, these beauties are spotted all over the runways this year. There is a huge variety that you can explore in regards to pattern, color, and fabric available in these belts that gives you a distinguished look. Modern obi belts immediately bring attention to your waistline and should preferably be a minimum of three inches wide.

Corset Belts – There is something about this style of belts that somehow makes people associate them with romantic imageries. Perfect to compliment your classic Victorian dresses and edgy steam punk, corset belts exude a vintage appeal because of their unique features, like lace ribbons, floral tapestry fabrics, and other detailed work that are usually amiss in everyday outfits.

This week I, Midwest Fashion Week blogger Sheeba, wanted to spotlight a young aspiring designer, from Fishers, Indiana, who is taking her designs into her own hands and just showcased her work for the first time ever at the Fashion Design Society of Ball State University’s Designer’s Showcase. Mayer was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to talk to us at Midwest Fashion Week about her big day.

Q. So, Kathy what is your design background?
A.“I grew up around a grandmother who could trace a silhouette on paper and create an outfit just from that. My mom always says I got the design gene from her. My first memory of sewing was with a Little Mermaid cardboard sewing card (which I proceeded to poked my eye with). In high school I started taking sewing classes which progressed into college, where I majored in Fashion Merchandising and Apparel Design.”

Q. What started your interest in fashion design?
A. “When I first started college at Ball State, I was just interested in fashion merchandising. Like most students in merchandising, I didn’t have patience with sewing and was really terrible at any kind of illustration. At junior level, one of my teachers asked, ‘why did you pick up the merchandising assignment sheet, aren’t you in design?’ I wasn’t, and thought hey, if my teacher has confidence in me, I can have confidence in myself. I started taking design classes the next semester.”

Q. What is your favorite aspect of design?
A. “I can’t really point out a specific aspect of why I like design. It’s more of a feeling. It is fun, exciting, and always changing. When I recently looked at Theyskens’ Theory Fall 2012 collection, I almost had tears in my eyes. I know that sounds crazy, but the collection as a whole was so beautiful. Design is an art form, and like all types of art, emotion is part of it.”

Q. What pieces did you have showcased during the fashion show?
A. “This fashion show was put on FDS (Fashion Design Society) at Ball State. They did an extraordinary job with producing this show, which was a Designer Showcase. Any student could put their work in. The pieces I chose were two garments I made during the summer of 2011 and one garment that I made as a New Years Eve dress in December 2010. The two draping pieces are my favorite garments I have created so far, and this was the first fashion show I have had stuff in… very exciting!!”

Q. Can you talk to me a little about your design philosophy and the idea of your designs?
A. “I am really inspired by the 50s and 60s and that definitely shows in my designs. Going to flea markets or thrift stores are the best places, because you can hunt through clothing, magazines, and vintage finds just to get inspiration. It’s really nice right now because a lot of the big designers such as Mui Mui and Prada are channeling vintage inspired looks as well.”

Q. What are you doing now in the fashion industry?
A. “Right now I am working at Nikki Blaine Couture as an intern. Working with her is really great because although she is a local designer she is gaining a lot of attention in the industry outside of Indy. She just got back from New York for a fashion show. The last few weeks have been pretty hectic putting the collection together, but she came back with only good news. Next step is to create a look book for her fall/winter 2012 collection.”

Q. How has your internship helped you with your own design work?
A. “Nikki lets me know about her every move, so I do learn a lot about the industry. I am learning little things about sewing, which I may have been doing wrong in the past (whoops). There is not a day that goes by when I don’t think, ‘my god, this industry totally keep me on my toes!’ Working with Nikki inspires me to think about my own designs and what I want to be doing in the future.”

Q. What do you see as the next steps in your career?
A. “Like any industry, there are so many departments and outlets in fashion. Because I have double majored, more doors are opened to me. Right now, I am continually making a list of pros and cons, for myself, of the industry and its outlets. Hopefully one day, very soon, as I graduate in May, I will become more confident about what area I am truly in love with and where I want to work. But it is a process and I am ready to start at the bottom and work very hard to make my way up, wherever that may be.”

The 2012 Leather and Laces party was a two-night event. Night one had hostesses Jenny McCarthy, Carmen Electra and Jenni “Jwoww” Farley. Night two had original Girls Next Door Kendra Wilkinson, Bridget Marquardt and Holly Madison. JWoww especially got into the spirit by sporting leather shorts, thigh high leather boots and a lace corset. Carmen and Jenny kept their looks a little more casual as they rocked sexy party dresses and sky high heels.

Let’s talk about that game! The New York Giants took home a win, the commercials were entertaining and the performers brought the fierceness. Kelly Clarkson premiered a new haircut complete with blunt bangs. Her new sassy cut was extenuated by simple black dress and heels. Madonna, a style icon for decades, did not disappoint during her half time performance. At 53 years old, she still knows how to put on a show. She knows how to put on a show while wearing thigh high, thin heeled boots. She nailed her steps while looking flawless. Madonna, if you’re reading this, what is your secret?! We all want to know!

Photo by Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

Now that the Super Bowl has come and gone don’t worry about that the fashion has left too. In a little more than a month Midwest Fashion Week will be in full swing! So many exciting events will be going on throughout the week and leading up to the actual week. For the first time ever, Midwest Fashion Week will be presenting a concert series with two concerts! To learn more about the events visit Midwestfashionweek.com.

“Like” Midwest Fashion Week and Casey Photography on Facebook to see more pictures and keep up-to-date on all the MFW happenings!

- Amy Williams

Dressing appropriately for this weekend is pivotal, not just because of the optimistic Indiana weather, but because there will be celebrities and musicians you don’t want to be caught looking like a boring “Midwester.” Celebrities like Patti Lebelle, Ciara, Bret Michaels, Pauly D, the beautiful Adrianna Lima and many others are visiting our beloved city and we want to represent the crossroads of America with our best foot and best shoes forward.

For the events occurring over the next few days, the attire will be changing for each event. If you were lucky enough to get tickets to see Jimmy Fallon Live at the Hilbert Circle Theater the 2nd, 3rd, or 5th then you may want to go casual with a hint of flare, you might be caught on TV when the camera pans. That same weekend there will be festivities in Broad Ripple for the Broad Ripple Village Superfest. The bars and shops will be opened special hours, offering food and drink specials in order to usher in the excitement associated with the Super Bowl. The big tailgate party is on February 5th, events start on the 2nd in the village. For another casual event, if you love microbrews then check out the Super Bowl Party with Sun King. For an amazing experience for Super Bowl weekend, a comfortable casual look would be preferred for any football weekend, but adding a twist on the casual would be a great idea for showing off for the tourists.

There will be plenty of parties and concerts going on this weekend, so styling it up after dark will be a game changer. Partying it up with celebs and new friends this weekend will be a blast and feel insanely intimidating, so finding the right thing to wear these events will be tricky. But tips on choosing your attire are these. One, wear what makes you comfortable. It’s going to feel great outside, but inside crowded places the temperature will rise quickly. Be aware of what you feel comfortable with wearing and how easy it will be to take layers off this weekend. Two, be confident. Whatever you choose make sure it makes you feel good. There’s nothing worse than going out and doubting yourself. Having confidence in yourself is hard enough, but having confident in what you’re wearing and how you look is even worse. Three, wear what fits you. One of the biggest things wrong with people today is they choose an outfit that looks good on their friends, but not on them. Try a few outfits on before deciding what to wear and make sure it compliments your body. Some oversized looks are stylish and create dynamic structure; however wearing things too tightly fitted won’t flatter you.

Whatever clothing choices you make this Super Bowl weekend, in the end it doesn’t matter, as long as you enjoy the festivities it brings to Indianapolis. So, let your hair down, pretend its April, eat some delicious food with friends and enjoy the weekend party.

Jennifer Bowman for Bedazzling Boutique & MFW © Sara Baldwin Photography

 This week I had the pleasure of doing a shoot with Rachel Johnson of Bedazzling Boutique, located at 641 N. Rangeline Road in Carmel’s Arts & Design District. The store is quite large and is the home of some amazing pieces.

Rachel describes their selection as 40% new contemporary clothing, 25% handmade clothing & art (lots of it from local artisans), 10% vintage & 25% accessories/home accents. The outfits she styled for the shoot were lovingly crafted and works of art in their own right. Not only that, but this woman had her stuff together. All of the outfits were neatly packaged and then upon arrival at the shoot quickly laid out for the makeup artist, Jessie Braunsdorf, to view. Easily the most organized shoot I’ve done so far. Check out some of the pics -

Jennifer Bowman for Bedazzling Boutique & MFW © Sara Baldwin Photography

I had so much fun with Jennifer – she’s adorable. The weather was great so I even made her go outside.

MFW Crew © Sara Baldwin Photography

Here’s everyone hard at work! Le Wang helps put the finishing touches on Jennifer Bowman as Rachel oversees, while photographer Jeannie Casey gets ready to shoot the catalog shots. In the background, Jessie Braunsdorf does makeup for model Cecilia Hernandez while model Karyl Flegal waits for her next outfit.

Karyl Flegal for Bedazzling & MFW © Sara Baldwin Photography

Karyl and Cecilia were both so easy to work with and hardly needed any direction. Total pros!

Bedazzling Boutique © Sara Baldwin Photography

The next day I visited Rachel at Bedazzling. As I mentioned above, the place is a wonderland. The selection is well-edited and creatively displayed. Rachel takes a very DIY approach to her merchandising and doesn’t believe in ordering manufactured displays. For such a wide selection, the store is not overwhelming to the eye but you could spend hours uncovering unique finds in the far corners of every room.

Here's Rachel at Bedazzling Boutique. © Sara Baldwin Photography

Rachel herself is a legitimate fashionista. After attending fashion school in LA and coming out with a degree in design, she worked for Super Lucky Cat as a designer and gained expertise in vintage and reconstruction. She also had her own line of handmade corsets at SLC.  From there, she moved into vintage retail and built up her styling & merchandising expertise. In 2009 she visited family in Carmel and noticed a huge leap in the local art & fashion scene. Feeling drawn here, she moved to Indiana. While settling into her new neighborhood, she stumbled upon Bedazzling Boutique and offered owner Peg Atherton her help.  Today she does everything from the merchandising & wholesale orders to one-on-one client interaction. She even reconstructs and alters clothing for clients and sells her own line of clothes, Rachel Johnson for Not Just Art, at the shop. Rachel offers sewing lessons through the shop and mentors designers like Carol Toole of Electric Image.

Bedazzling Boutique aspires to be a “destination point in a community of women”. I highly recommend checking it out – you won’t be able to stay away.

More photos to come! Look for them at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/sararrr/sets/72157629150095941/

See you next week,

Sara Baldwin

]]> http://midwestfashionweek.com/bedazzling-boutique-labyrinth-of-curated-fashion-art/feed 0 http://midwestfashionweek.com/mfw-casting-calls-1232012 http://midwestfashionweek.com/mfw-casting-calls-1232012#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:55:57 +0000 Midwest Fashion Week http://midwestfashionweek.com/?p=778 Now that we’re well into the New Year and Midwest Fashion Week is less than two months away it’s time to cast those fabulous models that will be strutting their stuff in one-of-a-kind designs.

Casting calls kicked off a couple weeks ago with the Children’s Casting Call. Held at IntoSalsa Latin Dance Studio on North Illinois Street in Downtown Indianapolis, over 70 young girls and boys filled the studio. If cute could reside in one single place, this was the place for it. These kids brought tons of energy as they expressed their personal style and showed what they could bring to the runway. This casting called for youths with down syndrome seeing as how the Children’s Fashion Show is partnered with Down Syndrome Indiana. You can see these awesome kids at the Children’s Fashion Show on March 11, 2012.

Casting calls continued for adults this past weekend for the other various shows throughout the week. Also held at IntoSalsa Latin Dance Studio downtown, over 70 men and women arrived to show their talent and passion for fashion. Models were asked to come in simple clothes; jeans, fitted-tees, and heels for the women. Between everyone that showed up there definitely was no lack of attitude and sass as these models worked their walks. More casting calls will be taking place after the Super Bowl (another very exciting event to be happening in Indianapolis!). No official date has been set.
To see adorable pictures of all the kids and fierce pictures of the other models taken by Casey Photography, or to find out when more casting calls will be, “like” Midwest Fashion Week’s page on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

To learn more about Midwest Fashion Week’s shows and to purchase tickets visit their webpage at MidwestFashionWeek.com.

- Amy

Lots of fashion shoots have already been taking place! My first experience photographing with MFW a few weeks ago was a lot of fun. We paired up with local resale shops Carmel Consignment and The District Exchange to prove that you can have your couture cake and eat it, too!

We found lots of gems at these consignment sister-stores and with the makeup expertise of Jessie Braunsdorf, we created some lovely looks.

Cola Shavonne for Carmel Consignment & MFW. Photo by Sara Baldwin

Toward the end of the shoot, we got a call from the gorgeous Amy Beers wanting to join in on the fun. Makeup artist Jessie had already parted ways, but luckily we have many talented people on the MFW team.

Anastasia Briggs, one of our very own Event Coordinators, who was also modeling and helping with styling, did Amy’s makeup for the last leg of our shoot. Jeannie Casey of Casey Photography, who was also photographing, helped with Amy’s hair.

The shoot was an all-around team effort. It was a ton of fun & the results were amazing.

Amy Beers for The District Exchange & MFW. Photo by Sara Baldwin

For more photos, see my flickr set and the Casey Photography website.

See you next week!

-Sara

12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Runway Shows begin at 7 p.m.
Free Admission

Come experience shopping at its best!  This is the one stop shop to do your spring shopping in preparation for the next season. Shop Midwest™ was created to support local boutique venues while consumers experience an amazing shopping event and MFW promotional savings.

Boutiques showing:

AH Collection
Secret Ingredient
Bedazzling Boutique
Carmel Consignment
District Exchange
The Snappy Dresser

Roqstars House Boutique

Designers showing:

N’cole Feroce
JealousyJane
Electric Image
Poppy Seed

Interested retailers please email info@midwestfashionweek.com for more information.

11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Adult- $30 and Children under 12- $15

Partnering with Down Syndrome Indiana, Midwest Fashion week has created an event for children of all ages!  Celebrate the joy of being a child through a colorful presentation of contemporary children’s fashion. Featuring youth fashions and children’s wear boutiques, this event will move your soul as the children take the stage.  The event includes a featured runway show and tips for dressing children to express their personalities, as well as shopping and door prize opportunities.

Prior to the fashion show, a VIP reception offers attendees a delicious Sunday Brunch, a silent auction of children’s toys, and an opportunity to take fun family photos on the posh red carpet. Complete with a cartoon character host, this event is designed to entertain and delight the whole family.

Please email info@midwestfashionweek.com for more information on how to participate as a designer, model, or vendor.

Purchase Tickets Here:

Children’s Fashion Show at Bella Vita, Mar. 11, 2012

Admit 1 adult $30.00 USD Admit 1 child $15.00 USD

6 p.m.   (VIP & Press 5:00 pm)
Tickets: $35 General Admission

Back by popular demand, Monday Night Fashion will take place Monday, March 12 at the Indianapolis Colts Pavilion. This event combines work and play with business networking, golf simulations, spirit tasting, cigar lounge and a fashion show showcasing NFL/ Indianapolis Colts themed apparel with athlete-modeled sportswear. The event will feature a silent auction with sport-related items including memorabilia, tickets, and more, as well as an autograph signing, signature drinks, and hors d’oeuvres.

Please email info@midwestfashionweek.com for more information on how to participate as a designer, model, or vendor.