In conjunction with this season's New York City Fashion Week, República was recently invited to preview the debut line of Dominican-born, American designer, Emilio Sosa. The collection was presented at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The Ford-sponsored event brought out the city's brightest and best-dressed for a night full of color and soulful House music--two things that Emilio boasts, truly inspired the unique line titled: Urban Geisha.

The result is a stunning collection that's based on classic American sportswear silhouettes, Japanese aesthetic and vibrant hues of blue and red.

The following is a series of "genetic portraits" by artist, Ulric Collette, who captured members of his family and spliced their images together via Photoshop. The result is a stark look at how they share similar facial features and traits. Strange, but pretty awesome if you ask us!

Freelance Israeli shoe designer, Kobi Levi, specializes in artistic-styled footwear. Check out his "bird series" that draws inspiration from the recognizable shapes and colors of swans, mallards and toucans. Levi goes on to explain how the shoes somewhat have a life of their own:

The piece is a wearable sculpture. It is alive with/out the foot/body. Most of the inspirations are out of the shoe-world, and give the footwear an extreme transformation. The result is usually humoristic with a unique point of view about footwear.

Unconventional Chicago-based artist and purveyor, Dzine, links up with The New Museum in New York City and a few accomplices (The Standard Hotel and Salon94) to present Dzine's Pinky Nail Edition--an in-house nail salon that pays homage to the custom culture of fingernail design. Visitors that stop by the launch reception this Thursday, Sept. 8th (7:30PM-9:00PM) will have the opportunity to enter in a raffle for a free nail session. Seeing as how all of the sessions are already booked for the duration of the exhibition, it's quite the coveted prize! Don't sleep.

Now here's something you don't see everyday. High-end Dutch jewelry designer, Ted Noten, mashes beauty with espionage in a slick piece dubbed "Dior 001." It's a ceramic spy gun equipped with make-up essentials, a usb flash drive, pill compartment, and real gold! We absolutely can't imagine any genuine Bond girl not having this stocked somewhere in their stash. Fresh!

[via Fubiz]

 

By B.E.

I spend many of my Saturday nights in front of a computer scouring the internet for images and creating galleries for a website that hires me for 6 months at a time. This seasonal work has allowed me to have a bit of a safety net financially, work with some amazing people I never would have met otherwise and come into the office nights and weekends in any semblance of fashion or level of hygienic state I deem fit. Saturday was no exception.

After going running in the afternoon I literally took a moment to ponder whether or not today was a good day to wash my hair. In an attempt to keep my chestnut locks glistening I have been foregoing the everyday washing and today seemed as good a day as any, as my computer never seems to mind my funk and getting off so late at night often rules out social engagements.

It was not until I sat down in front of my office computer, hoodie on, frizzy fringe pinned back with bobby pins and makeup free that I got that call. That call that everyone has gotten at some point in time. The call to engage in social interaction for which you are ill prepared, be it wardrobe issues, or just having a bad hair day.

An old friend from home whom I have not seen in years but who I spent my first weekend in New York with was in town for one night only. Despite my graveyard inspired hours, we made plans to meet up.

As soon as I set the phone down after a quick chat about getting together, the wheels started to turn. I look awful. How do I remedy this? Should I go buy mascara? Dry shampoo? Patronize one of those easily located but overpriced dress shops that are scattered all over lower Manhattan?

What girl has not been in that moment when you are hot and heavy with the hombre du jour and it dawns on you, that you were remiss and neglected your Lady Bic that morning? Who hasn’t on occasion run to the local Starbucks to pick up a coffee in bleach stained sweats and no bra only to randomly encounter your high school nemesis or, as is the case with me, have an old friend unexpectedly come into town and you are 170 blocks from home with 2 books, your camera and an extra scarf in your bag, yet no concealer or lip gloss to be found.

Over the past several years I have had a special friend. This Special friend travels a lot and comes in and out of New York as often as most of us change our socks. When made aware that SF is in town I always attempt to look my best and be ready at the drop of a hat. There was a time when SF was in town so often that I made it a point to be on point all the time. I was able to maintain this strive for perfection for many months. It had become routine, like my daily runs, to properly wash and depilate and carry the appropriate aesthetic-enhancing tools.

Much like a work out routine, once interrupted it is hard to stay on track and I will admit, I fell off the wagon. This lapse leaves me here: dirty and certainly not looking or feeling my best with several hours of work to go and a potentially awkward encounter on the agenda for the evening.

I suppose this situation teaches me yet another life lesson. Don’t risk it. Always tweeze your eyebrows, always put on a cute outfit and, most importantly, always wash your hair.

--

B.E. is a photographer and aspiring freelance writer residing in New York City.

It may be a surprise to most, but no secret to others, that a large portion of fashion world news and history has been culturally misrepresented in terms of diversity. It has in fact, according to historian and fashion expert, Minh-Ha T. Pham, been represented "almost exclusively in terms of the experiences, histories, and bodies of bourgeois white women." Pham, however, strives to change all of that through her site, Of Another Fashion--a project dedicated to "expanding the narrow view" of American fashion via pictures, memoirs, and other relics pertaining to the significance of women of color. Powerful!

A Parisian line of contemporary bags from Slavonic and Latin designer, Amalia Mattaör, is capturing the imagination of bag aficionados on the dance floor. The curious "dancing bags" are the product of function, style, and luxury, as they are ergonomically designed to be adorned in action! What, a hand-bag that you won't have to leave at the table? Sold!

[via High Snobette]

Anybody can contribute to fighting breast cancer. But can they do it in over $12K worth of pink sapphires? Jewelry designer, Shery Shabani, can! In fact, the diamond heir, who's father is a precious stone manufacturer, designed a 3-piece collection intended to help support the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Pricing, you ask? How about $4,000.00 for the necklace, $4,200.00 for the earrings, and a whopping $6,600.00 for the illustrious, 14.5 carat bracelet!

[ via Luxist ]

Salon super-brand BaByliss recently collaborated with famous car-maker Ferrari to create a high-performance hair dryer known as the BaByliss Pro Volare. The luxury dryer is equipped with an AC V12 engine that generates an airspeed of 80 mi/hr. Now available in two sizes, regular and compact, and in two colors, black and red. This will give a totally new meaning to the term "having your wig blown back!"


[ via Luxury Launches ]