#AArtxFashion: Miljan Suknovic and Artfully Awear

Last week, I celebrated the launch of my first capsule collection of clothing in collaboration with artist Miljan Suknovic.  

Even as I type these words, it seems a bit surreal that Artfully Awear has taken the form of an actual clothing collection!  It's an understatement to say that I'm excited.

Miljan and I have been friends for about a year and a half, during which time I've visited his studio on numerous occasions and always gleaned inspiration.  When Dreams on Air asked him to do an installation of work in their SoHo store, we knew it was the perfect time and venue for us to do something amazing together.  I got to work making a collection of garments inspired by his work.

Ahead of the event, Miljan installed a number of his large-scale pieces throughout the boutique, and created an awesome window display featuring his paintings as well as one of my garments.  On the evening of the event, we hosted over 200 people for champagne and a viewing of the work, including a photo booth (with hand-painted wearables) and a live painting demonstration by yours truly.

We were surrounded by all of our friends and received such an overwhelmingly positive response to our work together.  All of my hand-painted garments sold out!  It was truly one of the best and most memorable nights of my life!

Photos by Peter Sealy Art & Photography and Dezfitmedia

Model: Luiza Farber

STUDIO STYLE

Every time I visit Miljan Suknovic's studio in TriBeCa, there's something new and wonderful to behold. 

I stopped by on my way home last night and he had been experimenting by masking some of his larger canvases with shapes which made them seem like portals into a colorful universe.

Blouse: Uniqlo

Pants: Thrifted (by a Danish designer, Auffe)

Shoes: Banana Republic 

Photos by Miljan Suknovic.

ONE IN A MILJAN

The beauty of nature is not perfection, but harmony. 

--Miljan Suknovic

Earlier this week, on a chilly afternoon, I trudged downtown to meet Miljan Suknovic in his studio.  Miljan is a Serbian artist who lives and works in NYC.  We became acquainted through Artfully Awear, and he invited me to his studio because he said, "I have a feeling that you might like it."

Those words ended up being an understatement, because as soon as I entered his studio, I gasped with delight.  Actually, I gasped well before walking through the door because his exuberant, large scale paintings were lined up to greet me as soon as I exited the elevator.  Not only were the works all-encompassing, but the temperature in his studio was so warm and the fast-paced music so intoxicating that I actually felt as though I were on an island somewhere very far away from post-snowpocalypse NYC.

Upon meeting him, I was not surprised to find that Miljan is energetic and lively, just like his paintings.  He spent the next hour giving me an overview of his career and showing me works from various periods; from living and working in Serbia, Italy, Florence, Germany, and the Czech Republic, to his seven year residence in NYC.

Miljan's pervading style is that of dramatic, lyrical abstraction, but there is also an element of mathematics to his process.  He does not believe that painting should be seen as separate from the architecture in which it is placed, and this has lead him to create some very interesting juxtapositions with his work.  Though his recent works (pictured here) were some of my favorites, Miljan has experimented with almost every style and medium you can imagine.  

If he could sum up his work as a whole, it is about discovery through experimentation.

Interestingly enough, this is something I've been thinking about recently in my own life and work - about how it is important to take time to try things and not worry about whether or not they are successful.  That the importance of creating is what you learn along the way, not necessarily the finished product.

However, in Miljan's case, the finished products are quite brilliant.

Thank you, Miljan, for the stunning introduction to your work and for hosting me at your downtown resort!

Photos by Miljan Suknovic and myself.