By Tora Bedgood

Recently, on behalf of Planet Ill, I had the pleasure of attending the premier of the  Kao Pao Shu 2010 Fall Collection debut in Santa Monica, CA.  As I entered the modern, Spartan-spare studio where Kao Pao Shu is created, I noticed amazing hand-crafted garments hanging on the racks, displayed on the mannequins, and styled on various models. 

 A closer look at the garments revealed delicately crafted art work made of various fabrics.  One eye catching dress with grosgrain ribbon accents captured the attention of nearly every woman at the debut; all of whom wanted to try it on. The neck line was a deep v-neck that showed the sensuality of a woman’s neckline. The dress accented a woman’s natural curves while the bodice created a slimming waistline for a woman of any size. It was among my favorite dresses at the event.

Most avant-garde pieces are designed for awards shows, high-end galas, and runway events, which begs the question: how can any woman wear these avant-garde pieces in public? The answer is Bosnian designer Nadia Begeta, who is able to place functionality into her pieces to the effect where the everyday woman can wear her mix of edgy and elegance avant-garde pieces for everyday functions.

I spoke with Begeta about the inspiration for her Fall 2010 Collection for Kao Pao Shu. She stated that her inspiration for her collection is to produce clothing for women who are confident with handmade one-of-kind pieces. She wants women to be comfortable yet structured, edgy and feminine. Nadia stated that she is able to customize her pieces for any body type because she doesn’t live by the rules of sizing but rather the rules of individuality.

Currently, the trend for Fall 2010 is very tailored: retro styles with a bit of edge. Begeta seems to have mastered the current trend of 90s classic styles with a bit of edge (angular, masculine looks for women) and made it her own. Uniquely, her collection uses very fine fabrics and ribbons for garments and handbags made for Kao Pao Shu, exclusively. Personally, I am not a fan of the handbags (as they lack innovation or thatba definitive twist to what a handbag could and should be) but her keen vision of individuality in women through her clothing is inspiring for everyday women who want excitement in their lives.

[nggallery id=41]

Follow Us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/planetill

Join Us on the Planet Ill Facebook Group for more discussion

Follow us on Networked Blogs