Champagne bottles popped in celebration of the New York Fashion Week at The Living Gallery last Saturday, and Bushwick’s very own Fashion Night. The evening was an interesting experience, one that I doubt I would ever have encountered if it weren’t for my love of The Living Gallery. Hosted by the fabulous Nyssa Frank, owner and curator of The Living Gallery, BYO Fashion had it’s own take on the glitz and glamour of New York fashion week. Participants were encouraged to wear their own designs or the designers they love and are inspired by, similar to students at Academy of Art University .
Throughout The Living Gallery hung ten designers precious pieces. Colorful, gold chained earrings made by Jazo of Jazzabelss Boutique. Jewelry made by conventional and unconventional materials (including doll parts!) by Samantha Jo. If you want to walk around the city wearing clothing with doll parts, there was Chiffon tops made with Barbie legs and a skirt with doll torsos and legs to accompany the doll head necklace. Coon hats made with real fur brought to us by Chrissy Kovacsics (please keep this hush-hush from the PETA members). Other designers who had their work on display were; Christina Walthall, Kristy Elena, Mike Garcia, Brandon Sines, Vanessa Gill, and Taylor Bowen.
Dressed in her own clothes, Nyssa’s virginal attire was, well, to die for. Drawn on the white dress was a skeleton outline and mythological creatures. Her face was also a piece of art. White paint around her eyes and bright red lipstick to contrast the white. During her performance with the band CUM BLOOD, she changed outfits to a paint splattered, lace dress and made the performance even more entertaining by unzipping her dress and rolling around the floor. Her makeup changed for the evening, as she had her face covered with red face paint. I’ve always wondered how long it takes her to get the paint off. I suppose some things shall remain a mystery.
BYO Fashion Night included performances by Dream Council, Cum Blood, Fantastic Planet, Jacob Zero, and impromptu freestyle by a gentleman whose name I can’t recall. Dream Council’s performance was accompanied by a live painting by DMT. Their sound is slightly reminiscent of Cocteau Twins and you can hear the influences of Depeche Mode.
Following Dream Council’s performance was Jacob Zero, whose experimental scratching got the whole room’s attention. Everyone stopped their conversations and listened closely to the gentleman in the striped shirt and leather jacket handling a turntable. His performance included him rapping and playing a saxophone.
Nyssa Frank began the tradition of Bushwick fashion night in September when she paraded around Bushwick with designers and artists, held a runway in the gallery and displayed the pieces as grand works of art. If you missed it, stay tuned for The Living Gallery’s next fashion show in September.