Fit for a King
Words: Michelle Wallace IG @my.michelle.w
Photography: Sergey Yusin @sergey_yusin
Wardrobe: Jaxson Maximus @jaxsonmaximus
Make-up: Julia Brig @juliabrigmia
style | June 01, 2021
Style
Stay Unique, Miami! A Short Guide on Brands That Will Make You Stand
Out in a Crowd
What comes to your mind first when thinking of gem stones? Is it hippie? Is it spiritual? Is it old soul? Well, I’m here to prove that in the world of copy cats and mass production, gem stone jewelry is a remedy for looking like everyone else! There’s a brand that’s based here in Miami whose designer, Bobbie van der Vlugt, has been running for 15 years now.
Van der Vlugt has been collecting stones for years and eventually began making big statement necklaces. She wore them herself and was constantly being stopped on the street by people asking where she got them from. That’s how her business got up and running.
The stones she uses come from all over the world. In one bracelet, you can find beads from Africa, stones from Afghanistan and prayer beads from Greece. And since the gem stones have some healing qualities, you can wear them with a certain intention. She used to travel with her merchandise, but Musa recently joined the online luxury retailer Matches Fashion. Van der Vlugt’s pieces are now being sold next to the biggest designer names.
Musa happens to have some famous customers, too -- like Uma Thurman, the Greek Royal Family and the Givenchy’s. While Musa’s client profile is very diverse, it has one thing in common: The clients are all seeking collectable and meaningful jewelry with a very unique look.
Van der Vlugt has incredible intuition about what gems are the best fit for her clients, and her designs are mostly personalized. Give it a try, and offer yourself this luxury of something special and one of a kind.
“Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.” As cliché as this Marilyn Monroe quote sounds -- it’s true! I honestly hate wearing high heels and always pick more comfortable booties or low-heel mules or sandals. If you’re like me, then check this brand out!
Sergio Silva is the force behind Éhonté’s designs and business operations. He wanted his shoes to be worn by bold women who love fashion and spend all day running from work meetings to happy hour evenings. Silva says the shoes must be fashion-forward -- elegant with a little edginess – and, most importantly, they need to be comfortable! Éhonté’s look like wearable art pieces, and the heels are not higher than 4” (Thank you, Sergio!).
The entirety of the production happens in Brazil, where Silva is from, and the shoes are in honor of his mother. She once had to defend herself with her heels on the streets of Brazil! Now you have an idea what kind of woman wears Éhonté shoes.
Silva has taken his brand to the next level, too. Not only is the brand itself sustainable and transparent, it also offers a self-care kit. Silva claims that at the end of the day, any shoes will hurt, so this is essential. The kit comes with a soap and exfoliant for your feet so you can give yourself a 15-minute foot spa after a long day.
Éhonté’s new collection will be available soon. Stay tuned!
Odds
IG: @oddsconcept
Odds concept store, located in the Miami Design District, was founded by Liza Naumova. After the huge success of her pop-up store during Art Basel week and upon customers’ requests, Liza decided to open a brick and mortar store. You can find over fifty designers from all over the world there.
The store’s window display will catch your attention with bold clothing and surprising fashion forward accessories. With these pieces, your look will speak for itself. Some of my favorite designers are Natasha Zinko, Ksenia Schnaider, TTSWTRS and Ruslan Baginsky. Zinko makes colorful and expressive pieces which are sure to please all artistic souls. Denim lovers will fall in love with sustainable brand Ksenia Schnaider whose one-of-a-kind denim pieces are made of fabric samples. Not to be overlooked, TTSWTRS designs are sexy and artistic – a great choice for going out on the town on those Miami nights. And finally, the name Ruslan Baginsky may ring a bell as the brand whose hats conquered all fashionistas’ hearts.
Odds founder Naumova sees Miami fashion as full of diversity and culture. She strives to bring clothes that represent the extraordinary vision of Miami’s fashion. Odds clientèle loves to express its authentic style and wants to stand out in a crowd.
Simonett Periera, at the young age of 23, started her own brand called Style Mafia. Motivated by not finding clothes she wanted to wear at an affordable price point, she designed collections for independent women who weren’t following trends but rather creating their own style. Few years ago, Styla Mafia was rebranded to what we know today as Simonett.
Simonett clothes are worn by It girls and the most stylish influencers. The pieces are edgy, often playing with structure and texture in an astonishing way. The clothes are seasonless and not on trend. Yet, you will look fresh and cool. Some items become so sought after that they sold out within a few days after launching! This is exactly what happened with the brand’s Nanu top. It can be worn tons of different ways, and it’s fascinating to see how fashionistas around the globe style it.
Beyond the beautifully made clothing is another reason to check out Simonett: the brand’s transparency in supply chain and production. Simonett is a young and hip company that takes an entirely different approach to sustainability in fashion. Their production is limited to 100 of each item to avoid waste. Simonett also recycles clothes their customers do not want anymore. Simonett makes you look good and feel good all at the same time.