Catherine Angiel: The Edge

Sean Kiely talks shop with jewelry designer Catherine Angiel

When thinking about high-end jewelry, what comes to mind? Tiffany, Cartier, Choppard and Bvglari are just a few names that many consider to be the classicists of fine jewelry. For decades, New Yorkers have strolled the windows of Fifth Avenue, dreaming of the day they can own a piece of this luxury. What is strange, however, is that most of the recognizable names in this luxurious jewelry industry belong to men. Then along came Catherine Angiel, who did not just take down the walls of fine jewelry design, she busted through them with a sledgehammer.

Angiel isn’t you typical jewelry designer. While she was at the forefront of female jewelry designers, she didn’t attend design school, her pieces don’t retail for outrageous prices and her work experience includes drum solos, as her previous career was a drummer in a Rock 'n' Roll band. As one thing led to another in inspiration began to take control and before she knew it her love of music turned into a profitable design business.

“I’m really inspired by what evokes emotions in me, which is love, romance, music – and that’s how I get my ideas. I can be listening to a song and all of the sudden it will inspire me to create something, hence the "Dangerous" Collection, which is really Rock 'n' Roll inspired.” While music has had the most obvious impact on her opulent creations, the people in Catherine’s life have inspired her as well. “Love is also a fantastic Muse. I’m really inspired by my partner Martha – just her style and the way she puts herself together will give me some ideas.”

Angiel has created five unique collections - Dangerous, Androgyny, Renegade, Delicate and Glam – each evoking Catherine’s fun yet sophisticated spirit. Using distinctive elements and unconventional materials, Angiel creates jewelry bursting with personality, yet remains subtle enough for the red carpet and the mom pushing the baby carriage down the street. “I love working with unusual stones. Whether its black diamonds, or gray diamonds, I’m really inspired by things that are unusual yet can be brought into a classic type of design.” While her pieces might be considered to be dark, they are the perfect combination of a hard attitude and a soft soul.

Angiel’s designs are made for a wide array for clientele, and many times she works with her clients to make sure what they wear is exactly what they want, customizing pieces to any specific need. “I design for a cross between Audrey Hepburn and Angelina Jolie. To me, those are powerful women in their own right, one being more demure, the other being out there and more edgy, but I still get that feminine, delicate, yet sexy twist.”

Angiel, like her clients, is a strong woman with visions of success. Celebrities like Megan Fox, Lindsay Lohan, Ashley Olsen, Sandra Bullock, Rhianna, Parker Posie, Mary Louise Parker, Rosario Dawson, The Pussycat Dolls and Sarah Jessica Parker have all been seen rocking pieces from Angiel’s collections.

One of the most important lessons Angiel has learned over the years however, is that often times the vision of success means remaining true to one’s self. “I know I have to do what’s in my heart, and I have to design what I’m feeling. It has to be less about ‘What does the client want?’ because when I design what I think the client is going to want and I don’t feel it, it’s the ring that doesn’t sell.” It is with this attitude that Angiel is seeing plenty of sales and noticeable press.

Of the highlights of her career, Angiel mentions the independent film The Guitar, in which her jewelry was exclusively used as a definitive element in the story telling of the movie. “(The producer) felt that our pieces really matched what the actress was going though in the movie. It worked in unison... and was a great match for the movie. It was truly an honor.”

While it seems that Angiel is well on her way to conquering women’s jewelry, her next move is taking on the men’s side. “There was a void for jewelry for men. It was either something plain or something vile. Men would love jewelry, if it were cool. Jewelry is supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to be expressive.” And expressive it is–her lighting bolt cuff links and cross necklaces will add a touch of edge to any outfit, with no motorcycle required. With the men’s collection already in motion, Angiel hopes to one day push the envelopes even further. “I love designing homes and gardens. I’m an artist and my pallet choices are precious stones and unusual metals, but to me art is everywhere. Anything that follows creation I would love to push my brand into.” If her boutique on Greenwich Avenue is any indication of her interior design capabilities, she will create some awesome places to call home.

In every ring, necklace and bracelet Angiel produces, her femininity with a punk edge shines through, providing clients with an individual sense of “something different and fresh... without any constraints.” While she might not have the brand name status of other designers in her genre, her pieces hold a name for them selves, and could help you build a name too. Angiel’s something shiny might not come in a little blue box, but it will get you some big attention.

The Vessel by Lois Samuels

Sean Kiely talks school day inspiration with Lois Samuels

For twelve years of my life, I hated my school uniform. Now, some mornings I wake up and wish for nothing else but to have it back. I used to have so much more free time before I had to start thinking about what I was going to wear to an event a week before hand. Honestly, it can be exhausting. There is nothing worse that the feeling you get when you stand in front of your closet full of clothes and come to the realization that you have nothing to wear. However, The Vessel by Lois Samuels could be the clever solution to my reoccurring problem.

While the uniform versus individuality debate continues to brew, Lois Samuels has created a line of women’s clothing that is inspired by structured uniforms and menswear. What could have been a rack full of box dresses and suits without any shape is actually a brilliant collection, full of ease and simplicity, which fits strikingly on any woman’s body. This feat would not have been possible without Samuel’s distinct atheistic and unwavering point of view.

“I love structure and I sort of grew up in a society that the uniform was so important. Growing up, you go to prep school, you wear a uniform, and every weekend you have the same routine. When it comes to clothing, I love simplicity because it’s so chaotic in the real world that you want to go to the closet and pull something out and you don’t think too hard about it. I don’t like to think too hard about getting dressed.”

Those are strange words coming from a former model. A native of Jamaica, Samuels used her fond memories of preparatory school as inspiration for her first clothing line. A few seasons later, while still a novice in the fashion design industry, it seems as though she has found her niche.

Taking cues from the structure of menswear then infusing a uniform core—using imported wools, light weight cottons, cashmere blends—Samuels has ventured into clothing that is undoubtedly classic, yet remarkably fashion forward. Creating garments that are wearable, comfortable, beautiful and completely uncomplicated has put her on the map as the go-to-gal for the outfit to wear on any day, to anywhere.

Yet, even with all the masculine qualities of her clothing, Samuels still remains that young girl who grew up to become a sophisticated lady, and her clothing shows it.

“Even though most times when you think of women’s wear that is a bit men’s wear inspired, you think of all this androgyny and this butch look, but I don’t see that in my pieces because when I wear the clothes I feel very feminine. It’s not like I’m trying to project this sort of masculinity that is hidden in me that I had to express in clothing. I just feel like clothing gives us some sort of strength and you feel powerful in some things.”

And power forward, she will. Relentless against the struggling economic climate, Samuels is determined to make The Vessel a brand everyone will want to own a piece of.

“I think at the end of the day people want to go back to basics. You want to invest in something that’s not a fad. I feel what I’m attracted to is timeless.” For Samuels, women’s clothing is just the beginning. Hopes to venture further into menswear (I’m dying for one of her jumpers!), robes, aprons and hotel and restaurant uniforms are clearly within grasp. In the words of the designer herself, “It’s all with time, blessings and luck.”

BLACK SHEEP AND PRODIGAL SONS: A mammoth undertaking

Sean Kiely shows us how to bring out the beast in all of us

A blast from the past is now the sharpest tool in your grooming kit. Black Sheep and Prodigal Sons has released the limited edition Mammoth Razor. Carved from woolly mammoth ivory, this razor is truly one of a kind. With only 50 in production, this razor not only retains its historical value in his handle, but also in its blade. Vintage steel is used to produce the one-of-a kind creation, with each blade retaining the utmost quality and perfected by a master craftsman.

Another antique factor of this razor is its Stanhope lens. A recreation of the design of the 1700s, this biconvex lens magnifies a secret, microscopic image within the handle of the razor. The Mammoth Razor comes packaged in a solid wood casing and a black linen sleeve, with Renaissance Wax to be applied when the ivory needs a wax and shine. Providing an alternative to poached ivory, the Mammoth Razor is a considerate product, which protects the framework of our wildlife and is made of a luxurious, cruelty-free material.

NY Designer Profile: LORIS DIRAN

A designer’s creations should always tell a story, but it's not very often that you get to hear that story directly from the designer’s mouth. When assigned to meet an up-and-coming designer and write a profile on his work, I leaped at the opportunity to try on clothes that had not yet been walked down the runway and pick the designer’s brain to understand one’s creative process. The last thing I thought I would ever get out of an interview was a history lesson. Yet, while the clothes were fabulous and the creative process only further depicted the artistry, it was the education that was provided, not only about the designer, but about the city I so love, that made me realize that after 2 hours, I didn’t want to leave.

Loris Diran lives and works by a simple motto: “be true to yourself, and true to your line.” After immigrating to America in his early youth and growing up on the Upper West Side of New York City, Diran’s artistic experience came in many forms. Through his education at New York’s School of Performing Arts, combined with his work with Versace, Claude Montana and Chanel, as well as the development of his own label, Diran has come to understand and embrace a lifestyle of glamour and luxury that is subtle, yet just as rich as a gaudy diamond ring.

Diran truly designs for the people. One of the few designers to actually be in his showroom on the weekends, he actually listens to what a costumer has to say, and acknowledges and adapts to their needs. Diran is not only knowledgeable about the progress of design and style, he is also a wealth of information on the history of New York City, the building in which his boutique sits, and the neighborhood in which is business is continuing to grow.

Tucked away near the corner of 1st Street and Bowery, Loris Diran’s boutique tells his own unique story. Walking through the front door is like walking out of the city and right into the wood. The space, not only beautifully displays his garments, but also instantly brings you to a state of peaceful relaxation. “Shopping should be like aromatherapy,” says Diran. Indeed, in his boutique, it is. Finding inspiration in the natural elements, Diran has created a space where the clothes are at one with the environment that inspired them. The clothing racks are shaped like tree branches and the room is warmed by accents of deep wood, soft colors and beautiful natural accessories. Walking past rows of exquisitely tailored pieces – suits, cocktail dresses, dress shirts, slacks and cashmere galore – the buyer cannot help but touch, and once you do, you’re sold.

While I could write a whole other essay on my favorite Diran pieces, it's necessary to elaborate on two of what I would say are essentials. First is the cashmere suit jacket. This garment is so comfortable I want to go to work in it, go to drinks in it, and go to bed in it. While one might think cashmere would not provide the structure needed to command proper attention, or be appropriate for the office, Diran will show you otherwise. As he said to me, “I could create the suit for the every man, but I’m not Hugo Boss.”

The second garment, which is completely stunning on the body, is the corset dress. Like most of Diran’s garments, this dress seems as if it came from the ground to envelop the body, accentuating the best parts of a woman, and providing her security throughout the rest.

Ladies and gentleman, heed my advice – if you every pay Mr. Diran a visit, be careful what you try on, because you will be much more willing to put the clothes on than you will be to take them off. — SEAN KIELY