Mermaids in Brooklyn: An Urban Kingdom by the Sea

"I was a child and she was a child,

In this kingdom by the sea."

-Edgar Allen Poe

This year has been an insanely busy year. Many of the adventures have been magical and wonderful... Sometimes exhausting. I ventured into my year by spending the latter part of January and most of February in freezing cold NYC. I still have a few shoots from that trip I am just getting to share. 

One of my favorite shoots was this mermaid meets punk rock inspired shoot I did with a few of my favorite ladies in Brooklyn. All of these chicks where just tough as nails, modeling in mid February 15 degree celsius temps. We took the train out to Coney Island and you could feel the icy wind cutting the metal shell of the train. But a mermaid in Brooklyn knows how to be a tough badass bitch, even on Siberian cold days. I would say that my time living in Brooklyn is one of the biggest contributing factors of my mermaid edge. I've still got a clan of beautiful mermaid babes there to visit too, and here are the pics to prove it...

Photographer: Ipek Sen

Models: Gemini Blitz, Kendalle Aubra, Marqaret Mendez

MUA: Christine Geiger

Hairstylist: Ariane Garcia

Wardrobe Stylist: Kendalle Aubra

Designs by www.papuszacouture.com

Sending Love Letters to NYC in Spring | A Fairytale in Photos by Ashley Garner

As many of you know, my love affair with NYC has been going on for about 8 years now, since 2006 when I decided I was going to move to Brooklyn. At the time I was ripe, eager, in my early 20's and as I would have said back in that day; "Ready to take the bull by the balls." After living there for about 5 years I peaced out and moved to Cali... which has mostly been great for me. But I definitely have those days where I miss that beautiful babe of a Big Apple city. I remember when I was living in Brooklyn I once heard someone say, "New York is a drug, and I'm addicted." I 100% concur, and this sentiment has remained with me in the past few years since coming back to the West. I've never stopped loving her and I hope I never do.

Recently my talented muse, fellow creator and friend Ashley Garner moved to NYC-I was stoked to be able to see her and do some work with her while I was there over the winter, she is kicking so much ass already. I mailed Ashley a box of dresses for an editorial last week, including the magical Love Letter Dress. I was so pleased to see her create a fairytale through photos with it in Central Park. Have a look at this magical story below.

Special thanks to Sanaz Gangei for the beautiful script on the textiles of this gown.

Ransom & Mitchell's "Temperance" at Last Rites Gallery, Wardrobe by Papusza Couture

In October I had the pleasure of working with the talented duo Ransom & Mitchell on a shoot for a show entitled "Tarot Under Oath" at Last Rites Gallery in Manhattan. The opening for the show was at the end of January, and I was fortunate to be in NYC preparing for my show "Pleiades" at the time, allowing me to attend the opening and view the piece. It was absolutely stunning, and stuck out with Ransom & Mitchell's unique and otherworldly aesthetic. The couture pieces I created for "Temperance" where among some of the first pieces I created as part of my "Pleiades" collection. I loved the way that this image came out so much that it was used in the flier promoting the NYFW debut of the collection. Please have a peak at "Temperance" below. I felt truly honored to be part of the team that worked on this project.

PHOTO CREDITS:

Photographer/Director: Jason Mitchell
Set Designer/Retoucher: Stacey Ransom
Model: Kate Connely
Hair: Jaymz Marez
MUA: Lisa Zomer