De Vie de la Bohème

So March is here and so is spring, even though the weather here in New York still feels like freezing January, I am excited to announce, that I have finally launched my Spring/Summer 2011 Collection. Another great news is that I now have a new camera that I can take decent pictures of my pieces (haha). To make a small presentation of my latest favorite piece, the turquoise and chain necklace, I took some pictures over the weekend that kind of inspired me to bring the Bohême out of me again. Enjoy!

Long Live Kurt - a homage to the king of grunge

Today I dedicate this post to my favorite rock star of all times; the one and only: Kurt Cobain. Today he would've been 44 years old. I first heard of Kurt when I was in 3rd grade, I used to sit behind this rock kid named Tiago in class and he was obsessed with Kurt all I would hear is Kurt this Nirvana that, little did I know I would become a sick fan later on in life. Kurt to me is an inspiration, a writer of strong and profound lyrics that changed an era. If I could tell him something today it would be "We'll float around and hang out on clouds then we'll come down and have a hangover ...".

Happy Birthday Kurt and long live the king of grunge!

Hey

                               (picture from my new favorite blog Downtown from Behind)

Hey Everyone!!

I am renovating the blog and Oir, pictures will follow soon with pieces I'm working on and let me tell you I'm really excited for this one, it's just beautiful. All I can give out is colors; lots of it, chains, chains and more chains and skulls of course. Stay tuned for updates and "like" us here on Facebook.

Nat

Welcome to the Freak Show!

The Box is the name of the place. You walk into the spot to be welcomed by the really nice hostess that wears a long sequin turquoise gown. The decor is like a small old fashion burlesque theater and they even serve popcorn to the crowd which comes in cube shaped paper bags. We sit. The show starts and "oh boy" was I not ready for what I was about to see. It starts off by a guy dressed in a dog costume and he starts dancing, few minutes later he is taking off his clothes, yep he shows EVERYTHING! We are greated by this beautiful burlesque hostess that starts to present the shows we are about to see. There was the hula hoop dancer, the acrobat that piles up chairs and stand in one hand upside down (very impressive), the topless trapeze girl, and the most shocking a 6'3 trannie that does a number completely naked, and afro girl that takes objects from unexpected places, REALLY!! The Box is not just a place is an experience and I totaly recommend, just be careful if you can't take heavy emotions!

The Box is located at 189 Crystie Street and the shows start at around 1am for more info visit their website http://www.theboxnyc.com/.

VERBAL ART

Syracuse Cultural Worker Peace Offset

War by Numbers mural

posters supporting Barak Obama's 2008 candidacy

mural at The Cooper Square Hotel in New York

mural on Houston in New York


all by Shepard Fairey

From Coco & Mom

Coco Chanel once said:

"How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone"

And in other words as my mom would always tell me:

"Be yourself"

I think that fashion is not about being something or someone but finding your own identity and work with it. Just be, be yourself :)

Style Watch

I always get inspired by those people that have that effortless sense of style. Nowadays, fashion has been so globalized and popularized that people just don't seem to have a style of their own anymore. I still find some people letting the clothes wear them when it should be the other way around(which btw it's very common these days). Chloe Sevigny, Lou Doillon, Charlotte Gainsbourg are a few of my favs for the simple fact that they make what they wear them and it's not like they're trying too hard. My eyes have now been set on a new person her name: the gorgeous DJ Harley Viera-Newton. Newton has all that I mentioned and of course the most important the attitude to go with it. The DJ and now spokeswoman of Dior beauty is my style to watch. She has that edginess of a New Yorker and the face to be photographed by the most important photographers at the hippest and coolest parties in town.

New Collection

I am so excited to show a sneak peek of the current collection I'm working on. My inspiration now is a bit heavier, meaning more chains, more stones, more ropes. Color wise I'm playing with different color combination which I love to do, trying the unexpected. I am playing with ruby (color) a lot and loving to see how it makes a piece looks exquisite and rich, I personally love it hope you do too.

Beijinhus

Also just a reminder, simply click on the images to zoom in

The High Line

So after beeing absent for the last couple of months I decided to make a return. Now in New York baby! I decided to come back to my second home (after 2 years) and take a few months to get inspiration in one of the best cities to do so. Though I feel like I never left, a few things have changed since then. One of the things I was most excited to see was the The High Line, which is a park they built on the West Side between the Meat Packing and Chesea districts- though the project is not completely finished, it's second section is to open in 2011. The H.L. is a former railroad built back in the 1930's but stopped running in the 1980's and it was built to help dangerous traffic caused by horses and other trains, and it also helped with transportation of milk and turkey. This month it celebrates it's one year anniversary. Not only the park is completely free it also has exibitions of artists displayed along the park and also free events including fitness programs and concerts. I recommend that if you are in New York you must come and visit and maybe take a bottle of wine with you and sit on one of the long wood chaises and enjoy a starry night, though it does closes it's doors at 10 pm, or simply walk through the park and enjoy the worderful view you get from the top.
To get more information about The High Line visit the website www.thehighline.org.

GOOD BYE APRIL

So I just realized that april has passed by like a blink of an eye and I haven't posted anything yet, not even a "hello" or "I am here". Too many things going on but I promise to dedicate more of my time in May, since it's my month after all (birthday coming up). I will have new and exciting things coming up...I give you my word!!

Love

Nat

Another Reason to Love Brigitte Bardot

Not only she is the perfect example of femininity and one of the most well known faces and sex-simbols in the world, but she is also known to be a humbling animal activist. Brigitte started out her carrer as a model/actress/singer in the early 50's. Her image became so contraversial and famous all over the globe due to her sex appeal and her big blonde hair. In the early 70's she decided to retire and follow a new pasion, animal activism, she then decided to use her image and popularity to promote it. In 1986 she founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals and has been fighting over animal rights ever since. Nowadays, she is famous for something a little bit deeper than just a pretty face and that is why I love her even more. Bravo Brigitte!!!!

And by the way doesn't all of this remind you of someone? Gisele I'd say.

"Rapunzel, Rapulzel, let down you hair!!!

Braids, braids and more braids. I love them on hairs, fabrics and now jewelry. Check out this hot new bracelets I have for the new collection using braiding techniques.

New candy!!!!

Hey guys check out some new pieces!!! xx

Light as a feather

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of feathers is the sense of protection and the fact that it helps a bird to fly. Since I was little I've always wanted to fly, well maybe not just me and half of our humanity, but I did and have always somehow indentify myself with feathers = fly. This week reminiscing the late McQueen (which btw I'm still very sadden by it) I remered his 2008 spring collection where he showed a tie dye feather gown with an exquisite neck piece, and for fall 2009 collection where he had a black all feather suit which it really looked like you could take of with it, conclusion seems like feathers always influenced his designs, I guess. Well, but back to my point, I really like to use it in a lot of my designs. When I started designing exclusively for a local store called Zue (www.zuestore.com.br) I used some details with feathers so I decided to bring that to this collection. I like to mix it with different bracelets, my fav skull bracelet and some other ones I found along the way. So here it is, and I promise to get better pictures soon, I'm no pro when it comes to photography so I still have to practice a little more to get better lighting and all that stuff, or just get a professional to do it for me.
Have a great weekend!!! xx

Back to...well...Fashion

For the past year and a half I have not been that into fashion. I was not interested in looking at any fashion websites or have seen any collection from any designers, which before used be my breathing mechanism. Well, lately I've been having the urge to look again and check out what's out there and the new up-and-coming designers, and a new designer grabbed my attention. His name is Prabal Gurung and all I know about this designer is that he was born in Singapore, for the first time showed his collection in the tents at New York Fashion Week and most importantly has an amazing vision. What caught my eye was the electric royal blue he used in his 2010 spring collection. This blue reminds me of the blue I used on my recent collection, which by the way I absolutely love love and find it extremely exciting in seeing it on clothes specially on structured jackets which I am obsessed with. I edited a couple of his designs that were my favorite (the pictures come from his website www.prabalgurung.com) and my own designs, check it out! xx

Between ropes and chains

(click on the images to see it larger)

It's been a while since I've been trying to come up with a new concept, a new style, and a new brand. After so much running around and no inspiration I finally got to the point of almost giving up, and right there in the middle of my chaotic life I felt something and got right back to work. I had ideas, so many, but nothing would come out of it until I mixed a few of my favorite things together. I started to create again and that lit a fire within. Oir (pronounced or) was born and the result of my first collection is the "Alice in Chains Collection", where I mix silk-ropes, chains, semi-precious stones and vintage pieces. I've always been a fan of practical style and find my pieces to be wearable during the day with the perfect sundress or at night with your favorite LBD. I hope you enjoy it and hope to hear comments and feedbacks. I will update regularly so you get to see pieces as they come out of the oven.

xx

Nat