Fashion for everyone

Erickson Beamon is always a huge jewelry inspiration for me, and their presentations at Milk Studios really capture the out-of-this-world aesthetic of the brand. This year's setting was a tropical fantasia, with plenty of real life flora complimenting the giant bejeweled and sequined flowers.  Even though the jewelry was the focus of the show, it appeared that designers Karen Erickson and Vicki Beamon couldn't resist encrusting everything within reach with stones.  In addition to their ornate custom made chandeliers, there were three different mannequins covered from head to toe in gems.  Models, who didn't actually wear much of the jewelry, were made up to look like tropical birds, with plumage in the form of giant feather belts and corsets.  And since no tropical paradise would be complete without nice music, an opera singer provided a live soundtrack.  The technicolor surroundings and gems created a sensory overload, and the real wonder was how the designers managed to cram so much crazy, fun stuff in one place, yet keep their designs gorgeous rather than gaudy.