Farahbella - BrandHabit

Farahbella
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Refinery29: Farahbella...
JCReport: Marriage of ...
Gen Art Pulse: Palimps...

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Farahbella
http://brandhabit.com/designer/6236-Farahbella

brandhabit's interview with
Farahbella

Q: What inspires you to design?
A: Art, music, movies, the joys of everyday life, but especially people watching and catching a person with a particularly eccentric style all their own.

Q: What one word best describes your designs?
A: Distinctive.

Q: What charitable cause is most important to you?
A: Handicap International. It does amazing work helping children with disabilities in developing countries.

Q: What did you do before you became a designer?
A: I worked at an architecture firm in San Francisco.

Q: What is your secret indulgence (fashion or otherwise)?
A: Going to a Japanese traditional spa / bath house, called an 'Onsen'.

Farahbella is the result of a passionate collaboration between husband and wife team, Rick and Alnea F. Miskiv. They met at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Alnea is a fashion design alumni and Rick earned his M.F.A in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts. They shared a mutual admiration for each other's work and it became the beginning of an ongoing dialogue through art. Together they created Farahbella, an independent fashion design brand and company that merges their artistic ideas.

After art school, jobs, traveling, wishful thinking and dreaming, the two decided to live abroad to continue to enrich their lives. The idea was to push beyond their personal comfort zone, living in a foreign culture, learning a new language, studying traditional Japanese arts, and merging with modern Japanese culture. In 2006, they decided to establish their design company and brand, Farahbella. Based in Japan, the surroundings reflect the philosophy and sensibilities of the artists.

Alnea as the lead designer, and Rick as art director. The design duo uses their studio as a collaborative space for their independent fashion brand and Rick's visual art workspace. The art studio which is both a constructive and de-constructive space, gritty and occasionally chaotic is a contrast to the fashion design space which has a clean, conceptual feel. Yet there is a interplay between the two, the overlapping issues such as space, composition, texture, and form. This visual dialogue inspires and provides them with a unique perspective on their respective art processes.

Entering their third season, the Spring Summer 2009 collection features silhouettes that are minimal and bold yet hang gracefully to create an overall elegance that is both edgy and timeless. Farahbella places high regard on the fit and comfort of the clothing, prototypes are repeatedly reviewed to ensure a flawless fit. After searching extensively for new fabrics and to find the quintessential manufacturer, that fit their ideal of high quality. Their latest collection is an impressive showcase of exclusive prints and exquisite silks such as chiffon, twills, crepe de de chines, and georgettes. In contrast to the soft fabrics, the rigid patterns create unique silhouettes and flattering shapes. Overall, the design process focuses on simplicity while maintaining an acute attention to detail down to the placement of every seam and line.

The image of the "Farahbella woman" is someone who is expressive, thoughtful and daring. She is a woman who uses the art of fashion as a vehicle to express herself. Farahbella is constantly evolving and progressing, each season is developed around a conceptual theme that is derived from the team's ideas and life experiences. This approach keeps each collection fresh and new. Farahbella's designs allow the female form to beautifully reflect the dichotomy of the nature of the cosmopolitan woman. The brand creates an undeniable chemistry that exudes passion, creativity and intrigue.

Refinery29: Farahbella's S/S 09 Collection
Calculated Risk: Farahbella's S/S 09 Collection By Erin Donnelly We couldn't define (or pronounce) the Pythagorean theorem if our life depended on it, but we know a geometry fetish when we see one. Case in point: the sharp angles and figures of Farahbella's S/S 09 collection, "Calculated Progression." The third collection from husband-and-wife designers Rick and Alnea Miskiv features an interesting, infinitely wearable counter-play between the soft--loose, easy shapes and wispy fabrics—and the severe&mdsah;the sharp angles of a rigid collar or asymmetrical hem, inverted triangle cut-outs, and a dominant dove-gray diamond print that adorns everything from long and lean slacks to a slouchy sack dress. Cute and acute? We dig it.
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JCReport: Marriage of Equals
Rick and Alnea Miskiv met at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. She studied fashion design and he studied fine arts, but they shared a mutual admiration for each other's work and soon an ongoing dialogue through art developed between them. Today, the now-married, Osaka-based design team forms Farahbella, a versatile line of womenswear now in its third season. Each design begins with an abstract idea, usually a shape that represents a thought or emotion. Take, for example, the triangle, which played a central role in the design of their spring/summer '09 collection. As the designer of the line, Alnea experimented with an eye-catching diamond print on silk crèpe de chine. She worked in the line's signature cut-outs on the back of shirts and dresses, then added godets for added volume and movement—a strange embellishment considering she was inspired by mountains, which aren't known for moving much. "For me, the triangle represents personal struggle, the incline, the up and downs. But they are also strong," she explains. "Triangles are known for their strength in designing structures. So it all came together: the idea of finding strength in the struggle to progress, to grow as a person." Upon moving to Japan four years ago, the Miskivs immediately began to internalize much of the culture and landscape around them. While Alnea is more focused on silhouettes and the structure of each piece, Rick works more with the composition. He shoots the line and presents the vision of each collection, which often reflects a very holistic approach to art and fashion. "Living in another culture pushes you to move outside your comfort zone," Alnea says. "It challeges you to take another look at who you are, and that influences your whole outlook and, of course, your art." For more information, see www.farahbella.com. —Mengly Taing
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Gen Art Pulse: Palimpsest Chic
Palimpsest Chic Puzzled about what to wear this fall? Style conundrum solved What's black and blue and effortlessly cool all over? No, I'm not talking about Amy Winehouse the morning after. Rather, the Fall 2008 collection from Farahbella, an Osaka-based emerging womenswear line that's a collaborative effort between Rick and Alnea Miskiv, a husband and wife team who met as students at the California College of Arts in San Francisco. "My inspirations for the collections are often series of ideas and feelings that reveal themselves over time," explains Alnea, who plays the role of lead designer (Rick, who holds an M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts, is art director). "'Imploding Volumes' started with a dialogue with my husband about one of his paintings, which have layers upon layers of paint and are often deconstructed to reveal the history of the older layers. I kept seeing these apartment buildings in the process of being torn down, and it was a continuation of that idea. The buildings imploding became a metaphor for my emotions at the time, and an inspiration for the fall silhouettes." "Also, going through Japan's harsh winters motivated me to make pieces that could be worn in layers to keep warm yet still be stylish," she continues. "I'm often on-the-go and prefer clothes that allow for maximum movement. I love pieces that are versatile, and can be worn from morning to evening depending on the way you accessorize them." She might live halfway around the world, but that's spoken like a true New Yorker. Farahbella is available at Pixie Market, 100 Stanton Street, 212-253-0953. - Caroline Stanley
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FashionIndie: Farahbella SS09
Farahbellla has hit an entirely new level with the spring/summer 09 collection. All pieces within the collection are mended with a variety of fabrics and subject to a wide range of style. Though there is a wide range of pattern use, there is also repetition of pattern use on a variety of the pieces. Farahbella clothing has certain signitures, one of those signitures being a unique design asthetic with cut out backs of shirts and dresses. The cut-outs present themsleves in various shapes and lengths for variations on characteristic style. The colors used in the collection pop with the ability to accessorize; shoes and shirts make their own statement when paired with perfect pair of subtle but bold pants. With Farahbella, it’s all about the right components.
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MetroPop Issue 34
The label which began in fall 2006, has a lively collection for SS2008. Titled "Irreconcilable Lines" the line is a wearable feast mixed and mashed into an eclectic mix of prints and colors. The minimal silhouettes are like a blank canvas for the intricate folds and soft fabrications with industrial finishes. "Irreconcilable Lines" is the process of adapting an evolving, making the incompatible compatible." says desginer Alnea Miskiv.

PingMag: Rooms No.17
Eye candy: an elegant pattern resembling a crossbreeding of snakeskin with plaid by Farahbella.
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WhoWhatWear: Jumpsuits
From trend Report: "...and the zipper details on the ankles of the Farahbella Jumpsuit are both notable too. "
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