Mariya Milovidova and Her Art of Colorful Transformations.

Mariya Milovidova's wearable art surprises at first, then intrigues, then you fall in love with her creations. “ I express myself through fashion,” - says Mariya. In her creations, art always goes first supported and backed up by fashion.

Though applauded at Paris fashion week by press and critiques, having her art work at the private collection of Ben Stiller, and being mentioned by Madonna on Twitter, she does not let success go to her head. She is humble, easy-going, always ready to help beginning photographers by lending them her creations, and always there to participate in local community events.

When I think about the designer Mariya Milovidova, the words that come to my mind are : art, transformation and color. As if presenting evidence to my thoughts, Mariya appears in a dress-transformer, though in black, she highlighted it with a bright eye-catching orange lipstick as we meet each other at her house in San-Jose, CA.

“ I love this transformer dress. I bought it in Paris while I was there for the fashion week,” Mariya stated exuberantly. Later she shared with me that she loves her native city, Odessa, partly because of its resemblance to Paris.

Thinking of Paris...A famous French actress, Isabelle Carré who was born and is currently living in Paris, was once asked in an interview “What is your worst drawback ?” replied “I say sorry a lot. That is why, by the way, I do not have my driver's license : I am afraid of responsibilities, to be in charge of people with me in the car and those outside the car”. Mariya does have her driver's license, but does not drive and says sorry a lot.

Photo credit: Rue1 Showroom

Tell me one phrase about yourself: I am an artist.

by Mariya Milovidova

Was it always your dream to become a fashion designer?

As an artist, I was always looking for ways to combine art and fashion. My mom is an artist, my grandma, now retired, taught physics but painting was her hobby. My grandparents collected books. I grew up in this artistic environment, being encouraged by my parents to create. I went to Art School and later graduated from San Jose State University with an Art and Textile degree.

When I was a child, I remember watching Versace's, Yudashkin's defiles (Valentin Yudashkin is a famous Russian fashion designer). I was always fascinated by the artistic side of fashion, not materials. Somehow I was always looking for ways to combine art and fashion. Some designers paint on silk but I like to combine different textures, different types of fabric, and I love to work with leather. For my second fashion show in New York last year I created a collection combining printed elements, digital printing and painting. I also have some dresses with original paintings.

Leather dress from the Horoscope collection (Sagittarius)
Photography: Valentina Sadiul
Model: Karina La Mar 

You are originally from Odessa, Ukraine. Do your origins influence you work ?

Yes, I grew up in Odessa, a beautiful, romantic city, resembling Paris, governed by duke of Richelieu in 1803 (The grateful Odessites erected a bronze monument in his honor in 1828. The famous Odessa steps are crowned by a statue of Richelieu).

I think I have been influenced a lot by European literature, especially by my favorite writers namely Alexandre Dumas, Georges Sand, Oscar Wilde, Pushkin, especially Pushkin's Eugene Onegine. I am also influenced byAmerican and British culture through music of George Michael, Madonna, Witney Houston and jazz music.

Odessa's Memories by Mariya Milovidova

What inspires you ?

Music, books, movies, fashion.

Do you think Ukrainian women are different from Americans in terms of style and fashion ?

Yes, sure. Ukrainians are like European women, in general. I would say that Europeans pay more attention when it comes to fashion. If we go out, we would spend more time dressing and applying makeup. I just can't go to events wearing flats, only platform or heels. Even my sneakers have a platform. It is in my blood. I came to the United States as a teenager but still can't manage to change it. But what I like about California is we are all different here.

 A.M.B. Georgi Wedge Sneakers

What items are must-haves in your closet?

I am all about prints but having a little black dress is a must-have.

What would you never wear ?

Sneakers if I am not in the gym, sweatpants for the party. But actually I think it all depends on the occasion, and when you go somewhere you have to dress right: no high heels on a picnic, for instance. I would only wear my sneakers with platform (laughing).

What else? I would never wear baggy clothes. No. Actually, I take my words back. We want to show our best assets but you can choose what to show. I am thinking about colorful tunics I created. You can wear them in different ways such as with pants or as a dress, or even to the beach, for casual events or with heels. I used lacing that helps adjust tunic and can fit any size. When I create dresses, I always try to include different elements like lacing, for instance, to make it flexible. Flexibility is important.

What are your favorite accessories ?

Scarves and earrings. I have a collection of scarves. You can wear them as a top or as a scarf. I also like this watch (showing her watch)

Mariya Milovidova wearing SOLZ by Brad Carrick
Photo credit: Rue1 Showroom

What are your plans for the future?

I try to be open to new opportunities. I worked on an orthodox Jewish wedding and it was a whole new experience for me. I designed a dress for the bride, a tie for the groom and dresses for kids. It got me really excited. I have been recently visiting a bridal exhibition as I wanted to check out this new market. I already design cocktail dresses, accessories and want to extend to wedding dresses.

Models: Svetlana Jilenko and Dina Demura
Designer: Mariya Milovidova
Photography: Yana Koifman (YM Photography)
MUAH: Helena Oistacher Grakovsky 
Hair:  Tatiana Rossina
Assistant: Albina Patou-Chebykina (Rue1 Showroom)

Beauty is the promise of happiness. ~Stendhal

I always admire the work of my friends, Yarn & Clay designers. Here are a few pictures of thier creations: graceful colorful earrings, crescent shaped bracelet and more.

Photography by me
Jewelry by Yarn & Clay

 

 

Rendezvous: Africa

"Africa has a thousand ways to get under your skin." - was written in “The poisonwood bible”. Indeed, it has.

A country that inspires many but in such different ways. For someone Africa is a country of safari, colorful sunrises and sunsets, kind and generous people and rare animals. For others Africa is a tortured beauty and an innocent victim suffering for centuries.

African safari was a theme of Theia Grazi's SS 2014 collection. The brand Theia Grazi means “Goodness of Grace”. It offers a selection of elegant dresses, tops and skirts – clothing that would be effortlessly sophisticated yet comfortable.

Q:

In what way have you been inspired by Africa?

Theia Grazi:

We were inspired by African safari where you can have the experience of observing animals in their beautiful habitat. We admired the colors of African nature and animals, and how they harmonically flow. We were trying to incorporate these feelings into our Spring 2014 collection.

With another view on Africa deals Henriette Moreau’s painting “Enjoy your meal”. Originally from Germany, Henriette moved to the US a few years ago. After a trip to Africa in 2010 she fell in love with the continent and has been following its current events since then. The painting – which at the date of the photo shoot was still in progress (In progress and unfinished. Is it indeed Africa itself?) – relates to the African-Chinese relationship. Henriette creates portraits and figurative paintings, often with surreal elements, which are inspired by current events and people who she meets along her creative journey.

Q:

Your painting's title is “Enjoy your meal!” What do you mean by that?

Henriette:

The painting relates to the African-Chinese relationship and the increasing Chinese investments in Africa. While in fact any foreign investment might have good aspects and bring economic advantages to African countries, I ask question of sustainability and suggest to view all foreign interests with some skepticism. It claims that it is Africa’s and all investing nation’s responsibility to make sure every deal is a win-win, economically, ecologically as well as culturally.

Photography: Galina Kuziakova
Idea: Rue1 showroom
Outfit: Theia Grazi
Makeup: Lana Ishanova (makeup by Lana)
Model and artist: Henriette Moreau

About “Rendezvous” project:

“Rendezvous” project was launched by Rue1 showroom and is a meeting point between art and fashion. The goal of this project is to bring together in one fashion shoot a local Bay Area designer's collection piece and a local artist's artwork. Those two fashion and art creations should be somehow linked.

The global goal of this project as of all Rue1 showroom's projects is to showcase local Bay Area designers and allow them to get more visibility through creative fashion shoots, events etc.

Bloggers, fashion enthusiasts, and all, all, all, if you are in the Bay Area, please come and enjoy!

They are my friends! They are talented designers and fashion entrepreneurs. They are Amy and Anya, owners and designers at Theia Grazi Clothing Co. and Isabelle Ciacchella, co-owner and co-founder at frenchitude.net
They decided to team up for this big sales event! If you are in the Bay Area, do not miss it out!

A Woman in a Feather Hat

Here are the results of my first studio shoot. This shoot featuring Theia Grazi, Yarn&Clay and www.frenchitude.net was vintage-inspired with some furtive elements of "heroin chic" as to messy hair and an absent-minded look. I really enjoyed this shoot!

Vintage-inspired hat by Yarn&Clay
T-shirt by frenchitude.net
Skirt by Theia Grazi
Model: Ksenia Pachurova
Photography: Albina Patou-Chebykina for Rue1 showroom

Black and White: Two Sides of a Woman

White is a color of milk and fresh snow. Black is a color of coal and night. Black traditionally symbolizes darkness while white represents light. I like both white and black colors. But I do not know why, one day I would wear white and another day I would choose black color. Yes, it is true that sometimes my favorite white top is wrinkled and I don't have time to iron it or my nice black pants are still in the laundry basket. And of cause, I will not wear white for a wedding (unless I am a bride) and I would better wear black dress for a cocktail party or a night at the opera. But beyond all the rules, sometimes I am in the mood for wearing black or for wearing white. A woman, wearing black or white, wants to show "her different sides".
White is the beginning. Black is experience.White is innocence. Black is elegance. White is a question. Black is an affirmation. White is “Why Am I like I am”? Black is “Be yourself. Be who you are”.

As it is the beginning, let's get started with the White Mood:

Top by Ines Bauden
Model: Maria Elterman
MUA: Olena Kulik
Photography: Albina Patou-Chebykina (Rue1 showroom)

Here is my "Woman in Black":

Jumpsuit by Ines Bauden
Model: Maria Elterman
MUA: Olena Kulik
Photography: Albina Patou-Chebykina (Rue1 showroom)

Rendezvous: When Art and Fashion Meet. “Mystery” look by Mariya Milovidova.

Fashion is changing, art is everlasting. Fashion requires compromises, art is uncompromising. Fashion is designed for people, art is for mankind. But sometimes fashion and art meet, exchange, communicate, collaborate and create together.

Basically, the dialogue between art and fashion can be seen in two different forms: inspiration or collaboration.

1. Inspiration:

By inspiration I mean that a fashion designer was inspired by existing artwork, as was the case with the classic and iconic Yves Saint Laurent 1965 dress, inspired by the artist Piet Mondrian:

Yves Saint Laurent's "Mondrian" 1965 dress

or Nicholas Kirkwood, inspired by Keith Haring's illustrations:

Kirkwood has used Haring's classicslike Safe Sex and Radiant Baby in hisfootwear collection

2. Collaboration:

By collaboration I mean that a fashion designer and an artist work together to create a wearable piece of art.

To mention a few, Robb Pruitt and Jimmy Choo:

Artist Robb Pruitt's signature pandathroughout Jimmy Choo collection

Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton:

Collection of bags Takashi Murakamidesigned for LV fashion house

Richard Prince and Louis Vuitton:

Prince's nurse paintings came tolife on the Paris runway and beyond

But sometimes, a fashion designer and an artist is one person, and the boundaries between art and fashion are removed. Mariya Milovidova, a Bay Area designer and artist, owner of Mariya Milovidova Art and Fashion, is an example of this merger.

Her dresses' designs are inspired by her own paintings.

When I asked Mariya about the way she creates, she answered:

“I create my painting and artworks at the same time. The way I designed my latest collection, it consists of a 3-step process. First, I come up with a painting. Then, I come up with the design and the fabric that would go well with the painting. To me, the texture of the fabric has to match the feel of the artwork. The last step is the production process.”

Then I asked Mariya whether fashion or art were more important in her creations, and she simply said: “To me, art is fashion and fashion is art.”

When you look at her creations, you understand why she could not have answered differently.

All pictures by Galina Kuzyakova
MUA: Makeup by Lana
Dress and artwork: Mariya Milovidova
Idea: Rue1 showroom

All pictures by Eugene Polyak
MUA: Makeup by Lana
Dress and artwork: Mariya Milovidova
Idea: Rue1 showroom

About the “Rendezvous” project:

The “Rendezvous” project was launched by Rue1 showroom and is a meeting point between art and fashion. The goal of this project is to bring together in one fashion shoot a local Bay Area designer's collection piece and a local artist's artwork. Those two fashion and art creations should be somehow linked. The global goal of this project, as it is of all Rue1 showroom's projects, is to showcase local Bay Area designers and allow them to get more visibility through creative fashion shoots, events etc.