Márcia Ganem

Márcia_Ganem_02One of the joys of traveling is discovery. Discovering new food, a breathtaking view, new smellsa new skyan amazing hotel, a new way to see life and in Salvador da Bahia we discovered fashion designer Márcia Ganem. Drawing from the Bahian tradition of handcrafted lace, Marcia brings it into our modern day by constructing garments and accessories out of salvaged seat-belts! I loved how her pieces look to the eye as delicate as the finest lace but in actuality are almost indestructible. I purchased a beautiful jacket whose construction looks like the intricate and delicate skeleton of a fish in white and reminds me of the lightness of this special city and the inspiring artist we met along the way…

My travel companion Kelly and I put our pieces together at the studio on our beautiful muse Macy Nicol, turning her into something like the exotic birds we saw on our journey through South America with that all important touch of African influence whose roots in Salvador are undeniable.

Márcia_Ganem_03

Continue reading “Márcia Ganem”

Exotic Flower

Only a few weeks ago, we were preparing for our epic #onlyinsouthamerica trip (which we are in the middle of right now!), while at the same time, Kelly was readying herself for her incredible adventure through Asia. We were getting so excited about all the things we would see for the first time: new types of vegetation, wondrous natural colors to feast our eyes upon, and new beauty routines from women who walk in different parts of the world, all awaiting our discovery in the coming weeks.

To celebrate and channel our excitement, we collaborated with our friend Bess (remember this romantic shoot?) who always comes over to the studio with the most amazing and exotic flowers you have ever seen. Together, we started our adventure at home in the studio with a color explosion of natural wonders…

more flowers & fashion: The Bohemian / Spring’s Muse / Natural Wonder

Modeled by Jane of MSA Models // Styled by Kelly Framel // Clothing designed by Daniel Vosovic // Hair and Makeup by Ana Sicat // Florals by Bess Wyrick //

Spring’s Muse

When I first met Elizabeth Wyrick, she was walking into the studio carrying a huge bucket of the most exotic and colorful flowers I had ever seen – moss, spikes, fuschia – all while a blizzard was brewing outside.

Together with our porcelain muse, we were able to recreate a colorful, warm spring day in the middle of a winter storm. I watched in awe as Bess created the floral crowns with effortless grace…these small works of art were a beautiful  balance of texture, life, movement, and color.

It felt as though Bess had grown up among the very flowers she twisted and tucked into gorgeous sculptural shapes. When I asked about her connection to nature, it was no surprise to find she is living on a flower farm in California, had spent a semester of college in the forest as part of her master thesis, and is currently running one of the most successful floral businesses in the U.S. Her events range from charity galas for Leonardo DiCaprio to the Governor’s Ball to art installations at the Gramercy Park Hotel.

My favorite part of the day, though, was hearing her inspiration for each of the pieces she created, which you can read below…

  Above: Antonio Berardi top, protea flower crown inspired by Max from “Where The Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak

Above: Alberta Ferretti dress, crown of poppies with a base of grapevine, inspired by the vibrant and eccentric hats of the Kentucky Derby

Above: John Galliano dress, crown of roses and lady slipper, inspired by winged forest fairies and the combination of soft and hard flowers

 Above and top image: Something Else dress, crown of hanging lichen, hellebore flowers and olive branches, inspired by the queens in Game of Thrones

Shot at Ann Street Studio with flowers crowns created by Bess Wyrick, modeled by Colette of MSA, Hair & Makeup by Flippin Faces