TRENDSETTERS
Andrew Christian | Shawn Collins | Cruz Azur | Karl Simone
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Andrew Christian
(Fashion Designer)
A massive cross-country promotion has launched titled the Music To Wear Tour 2008 (www.musictoweartour.com) with DJ Kimberly S. and presented by Andrew Christian, has launched touring to a dozen fashion forward locations such as Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, DC. The music meets fashion fusion is underway with tour producer Tango Blues Entertainment, bringing product and branding to gay bars and dance clubs around the country. The event includes a custom branded CD compilation mixed by DJ Kimberly S titled Music To Wear Vo. 1, fashion shows and when avaiable meet-and-greets with Andrew Christian and the models from the new campaign, as featured on the Oxygen Network's The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency. Brand awareness is implemented by handing out the exclusive limited edition CDs, AC branded wristbands, underwear, and various "eye candy" neckwear accessories to bar patrons and staff.
Los Angeles based clothing line, Andrew Christian, has been designing and producing contemporary collections of urban inspired menswear since its inception in 1997. Featuring underwear, swimwear, edgy tees, woven bottoms and accessories, the unique line can be found in exclusive boutiques such as Kitson Men (Los Angeles), Patricia Field (New York), and online retailers Universal Gear and International Jock.
This year the company will be releasing it's first women's line and a line of "bamboo" and "color block" men's underwear. The always popular Gothic, Sport, Fashion, and Basics-themed lines are available in a range of styles from low and super-low-cut briefs, boxer briefs, and jock straps. Each style is intricately designed using nail-head studding and printed graphics, utilizing innovative fabrics such as sports mesh, sheer, and baby thermal.
Fashion forward and out-of-the-box thinking has allowed Andrew Christian to exclusively develop a line of "tech" swimwear and t-shirts, featuring a pocket and special eyelet specially designed to fit the iPod Nano™.
Andrew Christian clothing has been spotted on celebrities such as J.P. Calderon from CBS hit show Survivor: Cook Islands and Oxygen Network's The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, Logo's 2006 #1 video recording artists Jason & deMarco, and stars of the recently released feature film Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds. Media includes covers of MGD News in Sacramento, Instinct Magazine and many more. |
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Shawn Collins
(Fashion Designer)
Shawn Collins is an intriguing study of contradiction; his laid-back casual American attitude is effortlessly fused with a strong European sensibility for luxury and the finest craftsmanship.
Shawn likes jackets in traditional Scottish wools featuring oversized snap buttons that are mixed with military inspired coats in pure Melton lambs wool or classic English all-weather cottons. His cashmere sweaters are spun from the finest quality Todd & Duncan yarns and are decorated with brightly colored appliqué designs inspired by skate and street wear. He wears his tuxedo with a cashmere thermal and a pair of Chucks. Shawn's pants are loose not baggy, and offer an easy alternative to jeans. Chunky six-ply cashmeres are fastened with large YKK zippers or masculine woven leather buttons. Formal jackets are impeccably constructed and finished, yet left unlined for ease of wear.
Shawn Collins likes the easy luxury of modern men's sportswear. He is heavily influenced by the more than eight years he spent in Paris working with a number of designers including John Galliano, but he is inspired by the casual glamour of living in L.A. His clothes are for the man who is confident and enjoys luxury but isn't looking for anything fussy or overtly trend-led. The result is luxe, clearly masculine, modern and relaxed.
Shawn Collins launched his first menswear collection in 2005. He was on of the few young designers selected and personally bought by Junya Watanabe for inclusion in Dover Street Market, the first multi-brand store opened by Comme des Garcons in London. Since moving to L.A., he has become a favorite of the film and music set, designing a number of unique pieces for Oscar-winning actors and Grammy award-winning musicians.
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Cruz Azur
(Jewelry Designer)
Cruz Azur is the creation and fulltime passion of New York born Austin Smolka. This collection of jewelry is the embodiment of many styles, cultures and influences from throughout the world. Each piece in this collection of men’s jewelry expresses Smolka’s restless fascination with the symbols of world cultures. “Traveling has always been an integral part of my life” says the UCLA business graduate, “and my collection of jewelry has been driven by the allure of cultural icons.”
This enquiring energy inspired the first collection in Spring 2006. The pieces brought together a piquant mix of: Sanskrit script and Catholic saints; the Celtic and the cowboy; the Incan and the Egyptian. The result is a line of men’s jewelry that is eclectic yet resonant, universal yet personal.
The Cruz Azur name came from the signature piece, a blue Ecuadorian-glass cross, tipped in sterling silver and hung on a black leather cord. “I started with the blue cross because I have lived most of my life in Laguna Beach, California, and I am awed by the cool blue and the vastness of the sea” states Smolka. All Cruz Azur pieces are fashioned in 925 (sterling) silver. “The Aztecs believed that silver was the tears of the moon, and I certainly respond to its magic.”
“I launched the GETCRUZd campaign,” says the Fort Lauderdale resident, “because I wanted to encourage men to wear symbolic jewelry that makes a statement, stands out, gets noticed and is yet affordable. Men’s jewelry is so often overlooked and I wanted each piece to speak to the wearer individually and personally.”
The 2007 collection combines the simple elegance of sterling-silver crosses with an array of rosaries, amulets, coins, ASPCA dog tags, Star of David pendants and Tibetan Prayer beads … an array that satisfies the need to be both traditional and intriguing. The wide cultural references of the Cruz Azur collection makes it equally at home with men from Manhattan to Munich, Miami to Malta. “It is our belief that Cruz Azur designs speak directly to men worldwide, and we hope that wearing our jewelry makes them feel bold, brave, and spirited.”
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Karl Simone
(Photographer)
Karl Simone was born and raised in Toronto, Canada before moving to Miami in 1991 to further pursue his photography career. During the past 10 years his editorial photography has appeared in such publications as "W", "People", "Men's Health", "Ocean Drive", "Brazilian Vogue", "Greek Vogue" and "Genre". Simone's advertising clients include Abercrombie & Fitch, Nautica, A/X Armani Exchange, Loehmann's & Saks.
In the fall of 2004, Bravo turned the world of modeling on its high-heels by focusing the camera on the ever-neglected world of male fashion models with the first-ever search for the hottest male model in the reality program Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model. Simone appeared as a photographer for the final episode of the Bravo series. Simone now resides in New York City and you can view his portfolio online at www.karlsimone.com.
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