The Lost Sirens: 'Street Siren' out now in Kirameki Magazine

"We are all laying in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." -Oscar Wilde

This collection is a story about true love in the age of youth... Beautiful and whole-heartedly blind; so much so that it eventually leaves you with a hole in your own heart. This is a story of magic and destruction, of the breathtaking emotional highs and lows that every facet of lovesickness is borne out of-angst to sightless euphoria and everything in between.

These clothes are an homage to the young destroyers, the misfits, the vandals, the freaks, the runaways and the beautifully broken. It's a story about the stargazing grunge queens with tears in their eyes and and the smoke of spliff on their tongues. Or the mind-numbingly drunk punk rock princesses, bruise covered and fragmented in their pain... Trying to hurt on the outside to distract themselves from what's within.

They are 'The Lost Sirens'... Angsty feral dreamers, strong enough that they think they can eat the flesh and bones of their young destroyer love boys.... But in the fall of this euphoric idea of "love" the Sirens are the ones who are lost enough that they end up with cracked and broken hearts. I guess that's how the light eventually starts to find it's way into them.

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To continue to see this collection of unique streetwear as it develops please follow the tumblr archiving the photoshoots that document it as well as the things that inspire it.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the most recent shoot of the collection, out now in Kirameki Magazine.

PHOTO CREDITS

Photographer: Chantel Beam

Model: Lana

MUA: Jolie by Monique Noelle

All clothes by Papusza Couture 

Surreal Beauty Magazine Editorial in Chinatown with Cedar House Photography

I'm so behind on blogging about my latest-a testament to the level of busy I have been during this beautiful SF Spring, after spending a vivid and highly productive winter in chilly NYC... More will be revealed about my east coast ventures at a later date.

Below you will find images from one of my favorite shoots as of late... I dreamy editorial set in San Francisco's bustling Chinatown. As seen below a few of the images where featured in Surreal Beauty Magazine.

I really enjoyed working on this shoot with a fun and talented team including Cedar House Photography and model Neon Lolita. Most of the garments in images below and more can be found for sale in my etsy shop.

"Sweet Snowflakes" Editorial in Kai'outi Magazine

Happy new year to all!!

I am delighted to be engrossed in many magical and exciting projects in 2015. I look forward to sharing those as they come. I was sincerely thrilled to see my pieces in a stunning winter editorial entitled "Sweet Snowflakes" in the January issue of Kai'outi Magazine. Kudos to a brilliant team for making this magical editorial happen! Credits are as follows:

Photographer: Jorge Moreno Jr.
Model: Neon Lolita
Wardrobe: Papusza Couture
MU/Hair: Monique Noelle

                                       

                                        

                                       

                                          

Holly Dazed Winter Holiday Sale on Papusza Couture

Wishing on winter stars, entering a new year fresh and bright and being the life of any festive party... All these things are deeds better accomplished when you are adorned in beautiful and meaningful threads. In honor of this sentiment I'll be holding a sale in my etsy shop in the week ahead. Everything in the shop will be available for 30% off, just enter the coupon code HOLLYDAZE upon check out. Order by Friday, the 19th, if you want to receive before Christmas. This excludes made to order items (which will take 3 weeks) and tights. If you want to order tights in time for Christmas please order by Wednesday at midnight. Have a peek below at a few of the items listed for sale in the shop.

Midnight Poi Treasure Bodice and Copper Sea Storm Bustle Skirt | Photo by Regina Marie

Velvetier's Ink Wrap Dress | Photo by Kat Bret

                                                   

Red Fox Corset Dress and Caged Valentine Vest | Photo by Justin Schlesinger

Boheme Noir Gown | Photo by Marisa Pike

Kai'outi Magazine: Woodland Issue Cover and Editorial

There has been so much happening lately in Papusza Land that I am far behind on posting photos from all the magical things that have been happening lately. I will be posting more in the upcoming weeks, but wanted to share the November issue of Kai'outi Magazine, which has a photo of the beautiful Neon Lolita wearing Papusza Couture on the cover, and includes an editorial. I love this whimsical editorial, shot by Justin Schlesinger, with dreamy hair and makeup by Monique Noelle. This is "Neon Forest" from the "Woodland" issue of Kai'outi Magazine.

"Undine" Art Couture Collection-Editorial by Regina Marie

My summer was split between two focuses; both allowing me to create my most recent art couture collection, titled "Undine." One of the focuses was throwing myself into the furls of learning new skills and how to work with new materials in order to procure all of the treasures needed to craft this collection. The other focus was one which pulled me deep into the spirit of the sea, and learning how to understand the language of this water world, which has always soothed me.

I spent months working on this collection, laboriously scoring and drilling glass and china, scheming how to affix spoons to form a bodice, weaving abalone shells into an intricate harness and bustle set... and of course there was lot's of sewing. At the end of it all I had the honor of showcasing the collection at the beautiful de Young Fine Art Museum of San Francisco. As a fashion designer one of my favorite aspects of the work is having the opportunity to showcase my more sculptural couture in an art appropriate setting, and was honored this was my first museum exhibition.

My absolute favorite part of my creative process is that final moment when the piece is captured in it's idyllic setting, and this usually resonates in the form of a photoshoot. This is when the art is in it's purest form, and in the case of "Undine" this was close to nature, beside the sea, where the spirit of the concept was born. Below you will find many of these beautiful images and the story that they tell.

If you would like to know more about this collection, and fashion as an art form, please read muse Ashley Garner's recent article in Creem Magazine.

Photographer: Regina Marie
All garments handmade by Papusza Couture
Custom Accessories by Mad Elegance
Models: Ashley Garner and Kate Coneely
Hair and Makeup: Elle Duerr

"Undine" Art Couture Prsentation at The de Young Museum

I am proud to announce that I had my first museum showcase of art couture a couple of weeks back. I debuted my newest collection of sea inspired work-titled "Undine"-as part of beautiful memorial show called "What Tethers Us?". This emotive and stunning show included many talented artist from around the SF area, and was curated by visionary artist Deidre DeFranceaux, who released brilliant collection of mermaid inspired paintings at the show.

My collection Undine is a fine art couture collection, conveying the erie spirit of the sea, and all the injured lives and souls that are washed clean by it's waters. In mythology an Undine is a nymph-like water spirit, eternally immortal unless she is captured by certain elements of landlocked life. Inspired by this mythology, the garments of this collection are melancholy, haunting and ethereal. Each garment is hand made as a giant wind chime of sorts, using unconventional materials such as abalone shells, broken china, sea glass and silver wear... All objects that one might find on the floor of the sea after a ship wreck, ideal treasures for a spritely water spirit to be adorned in. These objects are incorporated in the garments in a way that allows them to create musical noise when they are worn and ignited with movement.  The idea is that this movement brings a magical sense of life with it. This collection of art couture is an ode to the singing spirits of the sea, being carried to us upon the wind to whisper their secrets to us.

Have a glimpse of the collection and some magical moments from the Papusza Couture presentation of the show below...

CREDITS:

Photos by Regina Marie
All garments designed and fabricated by Papusza Couture
Custom accessories and millinery by Mad Elegance
Hair and makeup design by Ellementals

Model: Audra Horride with the paintings of Deidre DeFranceaux

Model: Kate Coneely

Model: Jonny Signer

Model: Ashley Garner

Custom Halloween Costume Orders and Rentals

As many of you know in past years I have enjoyed creating many handmade custom Halloween costumes for clients. This year, with the mid October upcoming debut of my new art couture collection at the De Young, I will only be taking on a limited amount of orders for custom Halloween costumes. If you would like to place an order for a costume with me and you do it before September 29th I will be charging my normal rate. All orders places after this date will include a rush fee. Some of the costumes I have created in the past include mermaids, fairies, Peter Pan boys, bird men, futuristic babes, bloody brides, Phantom characters, Angry Birds and beyond. Have a peak at some of my favorites below... I will also have a small variety of garments available for rental, including the first three pictured below.

"Bloody Swan" Photo by Elizabeth Raab. Model-Elizabeth. MU/Hair: Brandee Slossar.

"Bloody Crow" Photo by Elizabeth Raab. Model-Cayte Bosler. MU: Dawn Tunnell. Hair: Danyale Cooke.

"Seaglass" Photo by Regina Marie. Model: Audra Horride. MU: Becky Brazier. Hair: Celia Racicot. Staff by Mad Elegance.

Shell Bra photographed by Regina Marie.

                                          

Photo by Julie Hanna. Model-Ashley. Batwings available in my etsy shop.