Interview : Christos Dovas New York

Christos Dovas is a gifted designer - one who understands the classical form of a woman's body while delivering sensuous appeal, crafting luxurious items which are also accessible, the dynamic of luxe with edge which makes his styles so intoxicating to the female sensibility. 

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What is your educational background?

CHRISTOS DOVAS: My first school was my father’s workbench. Later during my teenage years I started working in sales in a clothing store doing styling, buying, merchandising and taking care of the window-displays. Such I became more involved in fabrics and I found myself being creative on someone’s appeal. Then studying Fashion Design in a private school in Athens and working as assistant designer in a haute couture atelier. TV modeling was very helpful to improve my social skills and open up to people. Questing for more I was fashion student in a prestigious college in New York City. Four years of dedication were awarded with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and additionally a year of theatrical studies, stage and costume, earned me an internship in New York Metropolitan Opera, Costume Department.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: When did you realize you wanted to become a fashion designer?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I am a dreamer, I watched movies and I closed my eyes, I watched people talking and I closed my eyes thinking how could I bring to reality thoughts of my imagination. To create over the layers of secretive world and again to create again bringing up stories from books, paintings, sculptures, secret stories in light with my pencils and threads.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What was the first article of clothing you ever designed?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:At an early age I was apprentice to my father, a custom shoe designer. I grew up next to his workbench. From him, I acquired the foundation for my passion to create innovative and classical designs crafted with a master’s attention to impeccable construction and precise design. I remember I was 8 years old when I was so motivated I was designing my own shoes. I had all I needed, a father shoe designer, lots of leather and more of inspiration.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What does fashion mean to you?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I have seen so many fashion styles with my eyes, 70’s 80’s and some old 60’s original samples from my father’s archives. The ultimate destination is to deliver what women want, design of unique style, craftsmanship with attention to detail, elegance of timeless beauty.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: Where do you get your inspiration? When you create what goes through your mind?
CHRISTOS DOVAS: Imagination is my driving force that delights my clients. I love a beautiful woman, I love beauty, and I love to create, to make women to be beautiful. Source of inspiration life itself, people, their personalities, the way they move their body, the space that surrounds them, their personal story, stories, history, our past, our civilization, the human civilization, the senses, the forms, the touch, the texture, a glance, the whole world.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: Tell us about the process of sketching a design.( papers and pencil/pens you use?)
CHRISTOS DOVAS:Idea comes first. You want to express it right away no matter what the medium, pencil number, paper pad or table cloth, you start drawing and the story begins.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: Can you describe to us the general process you go through to design and realize a piece of clothing.?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:Sketching ideas, silhouettes, and fine details, then some water color to give life to drawings. Draping follows to produce the pattern, cut on fabric, stitching, sewing, detailed hand work.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: How long does it usually take you to construct a piece?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:The key word is intricacy, based on the engineering of the design, time frame is defined.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: Where do you buy your fabrics and other sewing materials?
CHRISTOS DOVAS: Here in my neighborhood, fashion avenue, in the fashion district, 7th avenue New York.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What are your favorite fabrics to work with and why?
CHRISTOS DOVAS: The moment of conceiving of a design is divine. Demands discipline in the execution and correct choice of fabric. Natural fibers like silks for the ethereal vision, leathers for the earthy dimension, three-dimensional objects for the theatricality, semiprecious stones for the luxury and for the unique presence of dynamic personalities, all worked by hand, giving attention to detail for grace, elegance, beauty.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What matters to you most as a fashion designer?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I am passionate about design, style and especially beauty. A designer is creator. For me is the mingling of many elements, pictures from my childhood, colors, sounds, paintings, statues, books, faces, body contour, movements and details that I love my own eyes to follow and processing in every aspect. All these elements I compose on a piece of fabric, in a creation that comes to life when worn by an ethereal creature.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What are some of your accomplishments as a designer?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:My personal need for expression. To create for women beautiful designs with attention to detail from its inception as a simple sketch to the final stitch by hand to every creation that bears the signature “Christos Dovas New York.” To achieve the perfect design that reflects inner world, emotion, thoughts, character, personality and internal female beauty. I work endlessly displaying my creations from Tokyo to Athens, from Soho to Hamptons and LA to celebrities, Sophia Milos at the Oscars with Elton John’s after Oscars party.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: How would you define your personal style?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:To conceive and create innovative with perfect execution; resulting in designs that naturally enhance a woman’s beauty. My philosophy is clarity, beauty, refinement, nobility and poetry. What covers the female figure must be chosen by criteria of simplicity, elegance, craftsmanship, and quality. Always must have in mind the picture as a whole for a charming presence. Besides, the relationship women have with fashion is absolutely attractive, intoxicating, exhilarating I could say challenges my creativity in every design. The uncontrolled female fantasy gives wings to my spontaneity and teaches me the difficulty of an intricate design and how to execute it.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: How do you intend women to feel when wearing Christos Dovas label?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:They will find passion, detail, definition of line, art, imagination, style, tailoring, craftsmanship, poetry, quality, elegance, beauty. Often compared to sculptures and paintings, “Christos Dovas” designs naturally enhance a woman’s inner beauty. I combine elements of the modern and classical worlds viewed from different angles to reveal new aspects of her beauty. To feel amazing a woman must appear unique and at ease with herself. “Christos Dovas” takes great care to make this happen. I respect and embrace that purity of form, function, and composition can harmoniously become one, bringing to life a world of imagination, beauty and luxury.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: How do you select your models?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:Truth of character, great personality, theatricality. confidence, performance.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: Where can readers buy your clothes?
CHRISTOS DOVAS: www.ChristosDovas.com

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What are some of your favorite fashion magazines, or books?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I love internet fashion magazines, however a hard copy is always of my favor. Vogue, Harper bazaar, Elle, books many books either when on vacation or going to bed.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What are your general professional and non-professional interests?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I love going to museums, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Frick collection, Guggenheim my favorites and then conferences, galas where fashion meets its own people.

Christos Dovas New York Corp. is based in N.Y.C. The name and emblem of our company are registered trademarks, we are open in every aspect of partnership.

Look Book

2011

PERFECT GIFT : Proenza Schouler's- the mochila

Ladies and gents it's Proenza Schouler's latest web-exclusive wonder (and a perfect last minute gift) - the mochila wallet. It was designed to resemble the always-chic PS1 and retails for $145.

Available here.

Trend Report: Turbans

The turban made it's debut at Paris Fashion Week back in Spring of '07 at Prada. However once SJP and other style icons started rocking this trend the turban is now making it's way to the streets. I noticed several people wearing different style turbans during New York Fashion Week in September.  It looked very tres chic & mature on the ladies who rocked it.

Personally, I like the headband-style turban (like Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen ) and will probably start there. It's soboho/gypset chic which is right up my alley. 

TIP: You must have confidence when you are are rocking the turban, that's the only way you are going to make it work! 

Fall 2010's Top Color Trends

We're not sure when the whole wide world of Fashion gets the annual "memo" about what colors will take the runways by storm, but season after season, the big tonal trends do shine through. Like everyone else, we love fall colors best...partly because the shades go deep and dark, or alternately, bold and bright. But this fall introduced a few unexpected contenders in the color category: Along with rich purple, mixed olive tones, and more burnished metallics, soft classic camel made a comeback and so did the brightest red. To get you on the right color wheel, we've rounded up the six fall color trends to start bringing into your own closet...September is, afterall, just one little month away.

1. Camel—If you're not sure if you have any camel in your fall/winter wardrobe, now's the time to stock up. Gucci, Chloé, and Dries all paid homage to fashion's most decadent neutral. We recommend a camel blazer or overcoat, just like Dries and Michael Kors did.

Above, from left: Dries van Noten, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Chloé, and Gucci; all photos courtesy of the designers. 

2. Rich Purple—Gem tones reigned supreme for fall/winter 2010, but the deep purple and plum colors that lit up the fall runways of 3.1 Phillip Lim, Burberry, and Oscar de la Renta dazzled us most.

Above, from left: Burberry Prorsum, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Oscar de la Renta; Yigal Azrouël, Jill Stuart; all photos courtesy of the designers. 

3. Modern Metallic—When designers remind us they love metallics, let's just say they're preaching to the choir. In little skirts, tailored blazers, and floor-length dresses, silver, gold, and soft copper all returned the runways for fall in a big way, thanks to Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, and Moschino. And we love every bit of it.

Above, from left: Dries van Noten, Marc Jacobs, Moschino, and Alexander Wang; all photos courtesy of the designers. 

4. Mixed Olives—Building on the military trend that began a few seasons ago, all shades of olive greens, browns, and fatigues had a surprise impact for the fall season. Burberry Prorsum lead the charge with Jill Stuart and Rag & Bone all turning out their own delicious helpings of mixed olives.

Above, from left: Jill Stuart, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Burberry Prorsum, Rag & Bone; all photos courtesy of the designers. 

5. Pale Blue—The dark horse of fall 2010's color trends, pale blue really caught our attention not only because it seemed unexpected for the cold season, but because it had an icy-cool modernity that seems incredibly chic right now. Chanel, Tommy Hilfiger, and Marc Jacobs all delivered a cool-blue spell worth catching.

Above, from left: Fall 2010 runway looks from Chanel, Tommy Hilfiger, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Dior; all photos courtesy of the designers. 

6. Bright Red—Give us a bright red blazer or day-dress any day! And this fall, designers like Dolce & Gabbana, Jill Stuart, and Yigal Azrouel all revisited this classic red-hot shade in a fresh new way.

 Above, from left: Fall 2010 runway looks from Givenchy, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Yigal Azrouël, and Tommy Hilfiger; all photos courtesy of the designers. 

Trend Report:Fall's 7 Best Denim Trends

Just a few more weeks and we'll be turning the calendar on another summer. And given it's been way too hot and humid to even think about slipping our gams into a pair of jeans, we're counting the days until we can give in to our best new blues. We've got our eye on seven fall denim trends that will be giving us a fresh new perspective on blue jeans. But really, each of these "new" cuts is actually a classic that's been recast in a new light. From seriously pigmented skinny jeans to a '50s-chic pedal-pusher, find out which cut and style is shaping up to be your new-blue go-to.

1. Paneled Denim—Evolving from last season's slashes and cut-outs, this fall's paneling styles are giving off a sort of western-meets-modernist vibe

 

Above, from left: Marc by Marc Jacobs Patchwork Skinny Jeans, $228, available at Shopbop; Oak Black Leather-Paneled Jeans, $264, available at Oak; Selected Femme Paneled Jeans, $117.95, available atASOS; Acne Velvet Patch Jeans, $320, available at Acne Studios.

2. Cropped '50s Style Jeans—In slim straight cuts, dark washes, and with zippered ankles, the new mid-century pedal-pusher jean is pretty much what Betty Draper wanted to wear but never could.

Above, from left: Isabel Marant fall 2010 runway, photo via Isabel Marant; Isabel Marant fall 2010 campaign photo; BDBG Cigarette Jeans, $54, available at Urban Outfitters; MiH Paris Jeans, $228, available atASOS; J. Crew Ankle Stretch Toothpick Jeans, $125, available at J. Crew. 

3. Graffiti Print Denim—The '80s acid wash trend grew up and subsequently got super hot with artful graphic patterns we seriously cannot get enough of.

Above, from left: Proenza Schouler x J. Brand Graffiti Jeans, $550, available later this month at Proenza Schouler; Proenza Schouler fall 2010 runway look, via Proenza Schouler; Tory Burch Super Skinny Printed Jeans, $225 each, available at Tory Burch; Diesel Black Gold Patchwork Jeans, $650, available at Diesel 5th Avenue.

4. Skinny Cargo Jeans—We realized a few years ago that classic boyfriend cargos are just not flattering. Hence, the new skinny cargo brings utility and femininity together all in one sleek package.

Above, from left: Rag & Bone Liverpool Jeans, $290, available at La Garçonne; Current/Elliott Skinny Cargo Jeans, $250, available at Net-A-Porter; Free People Skinny Military Jeans, $98, available at Free People; Paige Premium Denim Denim Cargo Jeans, $169, available at Revolve Clothing.

5. The Straight Slouch Jean—Part ex-boyfriend jean, part mom jean, the new straight slouchy style is perfect for all you ladies who want a slightly more tailored pair of blues that still feel like you've had them your whole life.

Above, from left: Madewell Skinny Boyfriend Jeans, $98.50, available at Madewell; See by Chloé Slung-Loose Jeans, $320, available at La Garçonne; Levi's Boyfriend Skinny Jean, $68, available at Urban Outfitters; A.P.C. Pioneer Jeans, $310, available at A.P.C

6. Denim In Saturated Fall Colors—Colored jeans come and go every season, but this fall we've got a serious crush on all the rich, autumnal shades of velvety eggplant, deep olive, and antique mustard gold.

Above, from left: Notify Cropped Velvet Jeans, $250, available at Net-A-Porter; A.P.C. Petit Standard Jeans, $195, available for pre-order at A.P.C.; Burberry Kensington Overprint Jeans, $295, available at Burberry;Superfine Jeannie Low-Rise Cropped Jeans, $290, available at Net-A-Porter.

7. Revamped '70s Style Jeans—Let's just say when the high-waist returned to the denim world...the R29 office rejoiced. And this fall, we're happy to see even more streamlined '70s-inspired styles that range from crisp trouser cuts to a more modified boot-cut.

 Above, from left: Banana Republic Dark Wash Boot-Cut Jeans, $59.50, available at Banana Republic;Balmain fall 2010 runway look, via Balmain; Gap 1969 Sexy Boot Jeans, $59.50, available at Gap.

Fashion Report :Drew Barrymore playing her fashion cards right lately

Drew's been playing her fashion cards right lately hasn't she!! I might even go so far as to say I like her now, as long as I don't have to listen to her voice:)!

Bryan Boy WHO????

the Stylish Mysterious Man is Han Shang (not Bryan Boy! lol) a fashion editor from China.