The Collection Issue

V O . 1 I S S U E 22011 E - D I T I O N

T H E

C O L L E C T I O NI S S U E

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H E R S | J A M E S G R I F F I T H S

From celebrities on the red carpet to contestants on ABC’s hit show Dancing with the Stars, MsBellezza is fashions new haute jewelry line. But whether your budget is big or small, MsBellezza has a selection of dazzling yet affordable pieces for every woman.

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w w w. H E L I U M M AG A Z I N E . c o m

w w w. H E 2 P U B L I S H I N G . c o m

| STAFF |

PUBLISHER

Matthew Mountford

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORJanice Bailon

STYLE ARCHITECTRenata Gar

ACCOUNT MANAGERMonir Monfared

EDITORIAL MANAGERSophia Papadopoulos

He2

CEO & CHIEF DESIGN OFFICER

Matthew Mountford

PRESIDENT & CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICERRichard Sessions

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDJim Smith

| HELIUM PUBLISHING CORPORATION |

THE COLLECTIONIt was exactly one year ago, on May 14th of 2010, that Helium simulta-neousness celebrated our one-year anniversary and opened the box of

the Elemental Issue (Issue 1). We launched the issue the next day at Charity Fashion Show, the largest fashion show on the West Coast, and went on to produce the opening night of Chic Fashion Week. But after October, we all but disappeared. Hibernating in my own little cave filled with distractions and projects outside of the world of fashion, I reevaluated all of our success and falters and focused in on what the real vision for Helium should be.

Today, we are so much more than a pretty new website. While many of our new products in development won’t appear for some time to come, we have internally aligned ourselves with the future of fashion, where technology and innovation will become our closest friends and redefine the way things work. For Helium, this begins with removing all editorship positions from our mast-head and outsourcing the roles to the true visionaries and architects of our industry. This is both the leaders, like Joseph Domingo, and you; the reader.

In this Collection Issue, we are paying homage to those daring enough to produce full 20+ look collections for The Collection Fashion Show produced by the SFBA Fashion Netowork on August 27th at British Motor Car in San Francisco. We begin with an exclusive look back on the lives of Joseph Domingo and his apprentice, Hector Manuel of Acta Non Verba, where we find surprising parallels leading the designers to this summers runway event.

I

STORIES | PHOTOGRAPHY | DESIGNMATTHEW MOUNTFORD

05.14.11

itSHOW

WORKWALK

WEAR

In 2011, the San Francisco fashion industry was

invaded by juggernaut event producers and sophis-

ticated designers while Silicon Valley found new life.

Here’s a look back at the year’s biggest events.

14 2011 E-DITION

it15COLLECTION

art-lessA DISTINGUISHED DISPLAY OF STUDENT DESIGN

TYPICALLY NOTED FOR SHOWING THE MOST AVANT-GARDE AND ARTISTIC DE-

SIGNS, THE ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY’S 2011 SPRING FASHION SHOW SHARED A

VISION THAT RESPONDED TO THE CURRENT STATE OF AMERICA’S ECONOMIC MOOD.

SHOW a a u

Cynthia Tran and Kassie Moody collaborated on their collection together for the AAU Spring 2011 Fashion Show. The team was inspired by Ludwig Bemelans’ storybook Madeline and paper origami nuns.

MAY 6, 2011 | WHITE FASHION TENT | SAN FRANCISCO

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17COLLECTION

Born and raised in Bellevue, WA,B.F.A. Textile Design

KASSIE MOODY (TEXTILE)

Born and raised in Oakland Ca, B.F.A. Fashion Design

CYNTHIA TRAN (DESIGN)

Born and Raised in Santa Clara / East Palo Alto, CaB.F.A. Knitwear, inspired by Agarose gel electrophoresis.

Winner of the L’Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne internship.

DREW WILLIAMS

SHOW a a u

18 2011 E-DITION

Born in China and raised in Singapore.B.F.A. Fashion Design, inspired by 1940s zoot suits.

DONNA DONG ZHONG

19COLLECTION

Born in Lebanon, raised in United Arab EmiratesM.F.A. Fashion Design, inspired by American depression era

& the shades, tones, & layers of Arab desert dwellers.

FAYROUZ ABI ASSI

SHOW a a u

20 2011 E-DITION

B.F.A. Fashion Design, Galvez was born and raised in Stockton. B.F.A. Fashion Jewelry Design, Barretto was

born and raised in Metro Manila, Philippines.

MARIE GALVEZ + RACHELE BARRETTO (JEWELRY)

Born in San Luis Obisbo and raised in Carlsbad, CAB.F.A. Fashion Design, inspired by the uconventional

portraitures of 16th century painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo.

LISA RELTH

21COLLECTION

Born and raised in Sacramento, CaB.F.A. Fashion Design, inspired by Jean-Jacques

Rousseau’s noble savage.

MARGARET YOHA

B.F.A. Fashion Design, Haut was born and raised in Los An-geles. B.F.A. Textile Design, George was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas. They were inspired by 1950s wallpaper.

LAUREN HAUT + DARRIN GEORGE

SHOW a a u

22 2011 E-DITION

Born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland, CaB.F.A. Fashion Design, inspired by Shibari, an ancient

Japanese artistic form of rope bondage.

SHANNON WONG

Born in Nha Trang, Vietnam and raised in Long Beach, CaB.F.A. Fashion & Knitwear Design.

Recipient of the Studio Berçot internship.

PETER LOC TAN NGUYEN

23COLLECTION

masonsTHE LARGEST FASHION SHOW CALLS IT “FINISHED”DUBBED “THE LARGEST FASHION SHOW ON THE WEST COAST” SINCE 2009, CHAR-

ITY FASHION SHOW DETACHED ITSELF FROM THE STANFORD CAMPUS TO PACK SAN

FRANCISCO’S FORT MASON CENTER WITH A MORE SOPHISTICATED AUDIENCE AND

AN IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY OF DESIGNERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

SHOW c f s

Citing most of the top executives moving on to other major endeavors, CFS announced on August 26th that after three huge years, the story of Charity Fashion Show was coming to a close. The organization not only leaves a legacy of social equality and body diversity, but a vision of what the Bay Area is capable of.

LEGACY

Photo | Ed Jay

APRIL 2, 2011 | FORT MASON | SAN FRANCISCO

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25COLLECTION

Worn by DeAnna Francine Maile Basquest (left) and Katherine Manolakas (right), Hernan Lander’s Spring 2011 Collection was distinguished at CFS by its architectural use of stripes. Lander won a full scholarship to Parsons New School for Design after finding his beginnings at Altos De Chavon in the Dominican Republic.

HERNAN L ANDER

Photos | Herm Pugay

Worn by Beau Brothers, Future Heretics is a Los Angeles based label who’s designer (Bryden Lando) was raised in Maui.

FUTURE HERETICS

Worn by Parker Wei-xiong Lam, Andrew Christian is a Los Angeles based designer who’s roots track back to Fresno.

ANDREW CHRISTIAN

SHOW c f s

26 2011 E-DITION

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Photos | Herm Pugay

Worn by Shai White (left) and Rebecca Hu (right), ahr.es.ihm is a San Francisco design label designed by native R. Shay Miles.

ahr.es.ihm

ETHOSFASHION, ART AND MUSIC UNDER ONE ROOF

IN 2011, L.A. BASED EVENT-PRODUCTION COMPANY, PROJECT ETHOS, TOOK THEIR

SUCCESSFUL FASHION WEEK PLATFORM ON A NATIONAL TOUR. LANDING IN SF IN

APRIL, THE EVENT REINVENTED THE POTENTIAL OF THE NIGHTCLUB FASHION SHOW.

SHOW p r o j e c t

Oakland based designer Zoe Hong designs “frippyfrupply” cocktail and eveningwear “future heirlooms” for women.

ZOE HONG

Part scarf, part shawl, part cardigan, part wrap, part a hun-dred other things, Cardiwarp is a multi-functional fashion piece by San Francisco based Kymaro Cardi Wrap.

CARDIWRAP

APRIL 14, 2011 | RUBY SKYE | SAN FRANCISCO

28 2011 E-DITION

29COLLECTION

Noted for being one of San Francisco’s most popular design-ers, Danielle Pettee uses mostly recycled fabric to create fun and stylish party-crashing dresses.

DANIELLE PETTEE

Worn by Sam Watson, MENK is a San Francisco men’s sports-wear label who’s designer (Mansha Khithani) is a native of Mumbai, India.

MENK

Photos | Herm Pugay

?SILICON VALLEY’S GREATEST COME-BACK STORY

A SELF-DESCRIBED “COUNTRY BUMPKIN,” DESIGNER RONNIE BOGLE OF “NIGEL WHO?”

RETURNED TO FASHION AT THE CENTER OF A MARKETING WHIRLWIND. DOZENS OF

NEW LOOKS PARADED DOWN THE RUNWAY PROVED THE 15-YEAR VETERAN IS BACK.

SHOW n i g e l w h o

Nigel Who’s? comeback story couldn’t have created a bigger buzz, the education for which Bogle credits to San Jose State University. Bogle first launched his label with a marketing campaign and fashion show that was designed to fulfill his masters degree. 15 years of success later, he took a hiatus until new inspiration struck.

CAMPAIGN

JULY 9, 2011 | CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY MUSEUM | SAN JOSE

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Women’s cacoon dress with signature ripped detail straps and textured fabric. Dress can be twisted to adjust the length from just above the knee to a dramatic high-fashion look.

Women’s cotton cacoon dress with double straps.

Photos | Herm Pugay

Women’s Country Girl top with aqua, ruby and brown roses. Women’s Cloud skirt, both in 325 thread count cotton.

nigel Who? tank with “tornado” detail in red with nigel Who? poof skirt in red.

SHOW n i g e l w h o

32 2011 E-DITION

White cotton cocoon dress with double straps. Women’s poet top and skirt in signature textured fabric.

33COLLECTION

Photos | Herm Pugay

pinkFASHION AND STORIES FROM THE HEART

PRESENTED BY HASTI KASHFIA OF MODE BAY AREA AND WESTFIELD VALLEY FAIR,

PROJECT PINK IN SANTA CLARA EXEMPLIFIES FASHION FOR A CAUSE BY CELEBRAT-

ING SURVIVORS, HONORING LIVES LOST AND HELPING FIND A CURE FOR CANCER.

SHOW p r o j e c t

The concluding walk at Project Pink was nothing short of soul-stirring as four beautiful women, not models but cancer survivors, paraded down the runway. Survivors included Jill Halverson, co-owner of HMM, Cathy Haire and Heather Thompson-Twardus who removed a wig revealing her shortened post-chemotherapy hair.

VICTORY WALK

JULY 9, 2011 | WESTFIELD VALLEY FAIR | SAN JOSE

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Photos | Mehrban Jam

Thanks to Westfield Valley Fair who sponsored the event, all ticket sales and proceeds were donated to The American Cancer Society. Primarily focusing on the promotion of testing to find cancer in its earliest stage, ACS also offers a support network to those diagnosed as well as funds research to find a cure.

BENEFICIARY

FNOSERIOUSLY: WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?

LAUNCHED IN 2009 BY VOGUE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ANNA WINTOUR, FASHION’S NIGHT

OUT HAS BECOME A GLOBAL SHOPPING PHENOMENON. BUT WHILE MANY RETAILERS

ENHANCE THE NIGHT WITH CELEBRITIES, SAN JOSE WHIPPED OUT A 300’ RUNWAY.

SHOW s a n t a n a r o w

Produced by Beverly Zeiss of Red Haute & Co., Santana Row’s 300-foot catwalk ran down the main boulevard under the illumination of dozens of professional bucket lights. A small select group of models from Halverson Model Agency walked on the runway every 30 minutes totalling nearly 3 miles of distance each.

STREET MAGIC

SEPTEMBER 8, 2011 | SANTANA ROW | SAN JOSE

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37COLLECTION

Photos | Matthew Mountford

Nearly eclipsing the main event, the San Francisco Shirt Company unveiled the “Made on Santana Row” collection; a new set of designs that are literally designed and created on Santana Row. The service allows patrons to work with a designer (Angelina Haole) to customize a new dress of their liking.

MADE ON SANTANA ROW

glamARTRAGEOUS: AN UNFORGETABLE NIGHT

MACY’S POSSPORT PRESENTS GLAMORAMA IS A COLOSSAL MULTI-CITY TOURING

CHARITY PRODUCTION 29 YEARS IN THE MAKING. BRUNO MARS AND FAR EAST MOVE-

MENT WERE JOINED ON STAGE WITH MAJOR FASHION BRANDS TO FIGHT HIV/AIDS.

SHOW p a s s p o r t

This year’s Glamorama honored the life and passing of Founding Chair Dame Elizabeth Taylor. A strong activist against HIV/AIDS and one of the first celebrities to speak out against it, Taylor has helped raise over $270 Million for the cause. Her memory was recanted by her children who predged to continue fighting for her.

LEGACY

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011 | ORPHEUM THEATER | SAN FRANCISCO

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Photos | Herm Pugay

Thanks to Macy’s and their sponsors, Glamorama has raised over $29 Million for charity in the past 29 years. The funds have been given to multiple AIDS/HIV beneficiaries over the years including the AIDS Emergency Fund, Project Open Hand and the Glide Foundation.

BENEFICIARY

w w w. S F B A f n . c o m

n a lukewarm evening in January,

a snowflake fluttered through a

soft breeze down Market Street in San

Francisco and landed on the gold and red

embroidery of an all-white Indian groom’s

suit given to me by SWATI Couture.

Anywhere else (except for a lavish Indian wedding of course), the tailored suit would have been nothing short of overkill. But I knew better, for the snowflake that land-ed on my shoulder came from the doors of The Atrium on One Market Street where inside perused over 600 of the Bay Area’s leading fashion industry moguls and power- players, invited by the SFBA Fashion Network.

In 2010, the first annual SNOW fashion show was held at Pigment Cosmetics and featured looks from juggernaut San Francisco designers like Colleen Quen, Christopher

O

THE DESIGNER

INTRO

JOSEPH DOMINGO

&

42 2011 E-DITION

43COLLECTION

Collins, Bacca da Silva and Verrieres & Sako. It was my first event in the city, and I remember walking around a cor-ner wearing silver Express Photographer pants and being mortified to find a white hall packed with people actu-ally wearing luxurious all-white ensembles. (SERIOUSLY though... No one would EVER have actually worn all-white to an all-white party in Silicon Valley)

Back to 2011, and the Second Annual White Fashion Event geared up as the invite-only congregation gathered around the runway to see collections from dcepcion,

gr.dano, Cari Borja, and a new generation of designers including Daniel Sudar (who showcased at 2010’s Chic Fashion Week) and Homme by Dahae Kim (who show-cased at the Academy of Art in 2009).

But while the attention seemed to center around Joseph Domingo, founder of the SFBA Fashion Network, few knew the endearing story behind the show’s opening de-signer and a seemingly unknown name: Hector Manuel of Acta Non Verba. And even fewer knew that the vision for a much bigger event was unfolding.

&THE APPRENTICE

HECTOR MANUEL

“

Long before Manuel and Domingo found themselves opening and closing the 2011 SNOW event, they were young boys growing up in other countries with person-ality traits that only in retrospect are obviously that of future fashion designers. But both describe the “pressure of expectations” as something that hindered their aspira-tions until much later in life.

“I normally made my own paper dolls and created cut-out silhouettes, or dressed Mrs. Universe contestants,” says Domingo looking back at growing up as a kid in the Phil-ippines. As the youngest of nine children, eight of which are boys, he would play with dolls under the kitchen table and constantly faced what he calls “machismo bull-shit.”

Surprisingly enough, things weren’t much different for Manuel growing up in Mexico, on the other side of the

OU CANNOT

REALLY EXPLORE

HAVING SEVEN

BROTHERS AND

ONE SISTER;

BEING NINE

CHILDREN IN THE

FAMILY AND YOU

ARE THE YOUNGEST.

THERE WAS A LOT

OF TESTOSTERONE

AT THE TIME SO

I HAD TO HIDE

PLAYING WITH

DOLLS UNDER

THE TABLE SO

THAT I WOULDN’T

GET CAUGHT.

BOYS AND DOLLS

Y

“JOSEPH DOMINGO

44 2011 E-DITION

45COLLECTION

world, with a mother and two sisters whom all practiced sewing themselves. “Being the only boy, I mostly watched from the side though. It wasn’t something I ever thought I would pursue despite how much I loved it.”

“Growing up, I would sneak around and make outfits for my friends’ Barbies, and my mom used to get these Japa-nese magazines with patterns in them. I would cut them out, kind of like the paper dolls, and play by randomly

styling them,” remembers Manuel whose previous collec-tion (above) uses unique metallic fabrics.

With his future’s horizon weighed down by the expecta-tions of his family, Manuel found himself in an interna-tional business program at San Diego State University. But after three semesters, his past came back to haunt him. He decided that he wasn’t doing what he wanted to so he moved to San Jose where he found providence.

Although years apart, Domingo and Manuel both ended up at West Valley College where they discovered a fash-ion program they both say was a god-send. Reasonably priced, practically scheduled, and focused on both busi-ness and skill, West Valley’s Fashion Design and Apparel Technology program became the nurturing ground for the men’s paper-fantasies to materialize into real couture.

“That’s the thing for me. The price is really reasonable and I feel like there’s more passion because of it. I have friends that go to the big name fashion schools and we compare every semester or year, and I feel like I’ve done more yet they pay ten times as much. I think you go into the design program with your design ability already there. What you’re going for is to perfect the skills that you already have,” Manuel says, adding that the famous Project Runway show had not yet begun to air.

WEST VALLEY

46 2011 E-DITION

47COLLECTION

Years after completing his education in the program, Do-mingo was invited back to showcase his collection in the student fashion show as a Feature Designer. However, he felt that things needed to be improved, so he set guide-lines, took over the show, and year by year made it big-ger and better. After five or seven years, the event was not only a big success for the students, but had managed to raise a significant amount of money for the program. That’s when trouble struck.

Facing massive cuts, the State emptied the department’s extra funds which included the fashion show’s earnings leaving nothing left. “What’s the purpose of working your ass off and giving your resources if money is just going to get taken away? Fashion shows are about show-casing clothes, and that’s where the money should go.”Thump...

In 1999, Domingo opened his atelier on Post Street in San Francisco and began building a reputation that of legends. His looks began to be featured in national magazines like Cosmopolitan, Ok! and thirteen. Then, in 2006, he finally crossed paths with Hector Manuel when searching for an intern from West Valley College to bring with him for his first showcase at LA Fashion Week.

“I’ve never experienced an environment as great as the one I did in LA; where people were there to work and knew what they were doing,” says Manuel looking back, also remembering how stringent Domingo can be when it comes to punctuality. “If a designer would run late, it would cut into our time, so we were always sure to ar-rive in the morning even if we didn’t need to be there until the afternoon. The IMG people told me every year that we were the ones that were the most precise and organized in the entire tent,” Domingo adds. Thump... Thump...

But while Manuel has many great memories of working with Domingo (like dancing to Madonna after sewing until the early morning), he credits the mentor with instilling strong core values of construction and design craft. “I’ll never forget when he first grilled me. He said a dress has to be impeccable and finished. When you hand it to someone, they need to be able to wear it inside out. That’s the standard I’ve been taught to live up to.”

Domingo, however, has grown restless since IMG pulled out of LA Fashion Week. He’s looking back at his 20+ years in fashion and thinking about lessons learned. “I’ve experienced it, so why not emulate something that works?” he thinks. “We’ve got the talent, but to make it work, we need to be in business; know our history and know what actually has quality and is commercially viable.”

Sitting in his atelier on Polk Street, Domingo is mustering his forces with the SFBA Fashion Network and has begun to bang the war drums; calling the Bay Area’s elite fash-ion community to come and see The Collection.

LA FASHION WEEK

Thump... Thump... Thump...

CHARITY

48 2011 E-DITION

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SUCCESSDRESS FOR

BECAUSE YOU NEVER GRADUATE FROM FASHIONPromoting economic independence for disadvantaged women in transition, San Francisco’s most fashionable non-profit has grown from a basement-bregade into an extensive network of

empowered and employed fashionistas.STYLING BY ANTOINETTE COLEMAN

DressForSuccess.org/sanfrancisco

50 2011 E-DITION

51COLLECTION

ark and damp. Musty and rusty.

Spiders, roaches, rats and moths.

A faint smell of charred wood from the

1906 earthquake fires and the muffled

sound of century-old bells reverberating

down the brick tower to the basement

far below the streets of San Francisco.

Since its erection in 1854, Old St. Mary’s Cathedral has prized itself on being a beacon for the community; a force for unity and reconciliation. As conditions and circum-stances in the parish have changed, the church has re-sponded to them, which in 1894 meant handing manage-ment responsibilities over to The Paulist Fathers (the first religious community for men founded in the country). But just two years ago, that deep, damp and musty man-managed basement became the surprising birth place of San Francisco’s most fashionable non-profit organization.

Dress for Success San Francisco is the local chapter of a national non-profit that aims to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing them professional attire and tools needed to thrive in work and life. “Women come to us when they are in a transition in their life,” says Suiting Program Coordinator Kate Lillig. “Generally, vocational programs give them the education to do a job, but then just say, ‘Good luck with your interview.’ That’s where we come in.”

The process begins when a woman trying to find employ-ment is referred from a partner program—generally vo-cational programs like Jewish or city colleges—receives a 30-minute appointment with a personal shopper in the Dress for Success wardrobe to find an outfit to wear to her upcoming interview.

“Many come in having never worn a business suit before. It’s a whole new persona. They see themselves in the mir-ror and they laugh or cry. It’s a very transformative ex-perience for them, and I think it helps for that to be the starting point because they see themselves in a new light. The red carpet opens before them and they see a whole new world of possibilities,” says Lillig.

The program has been highly successful and massive support from the community has moved them into new

high-rise offices near fashionable Union Square. Their wardrobe has an abundance of donated business-suits hanging on custom racks donated by California Closets and manikins from Banana Republic.

But Executive Director Renée Surcouf is intent on imple-menting an encompassing program that goes far beyond suits and dresses. A series of programs she operates be-gins with the Going Places Network where women spend 12 weeks job searching and getting feedback on why their interview may have gone wrong. It can often be a mistake as simple as having a five-page resume or being nervous about an employment gap.

Once women in the network get a job, most continue to network together in the Professional Women’s Group where they listen to guest speakers, help the newcomers in an annual community action project like book drives, and continue to network with each other.

However, Surcouf quickly saw the need for more help and education. Many of the women were receiving steady paychecks for the first time in their lives, but did not know how to efficiently manage their money. When asked what would happen if they got laid off, they did not know what they would do or what “financial stability” even looked like.

Enter the three main focuses in the Employment Reten-tion Program: Financial Literacy, Health & Wellness, and Communication. Women learn about retirement plans and financial aid from volunteer speakers from Wells Far-go, Bank of America and Charles Schwabb. They planned their first power walk last year, and learn about the “un-said rules” of the workplace.

“I think different generations have different challenges,” says Lilliag. “But every woman has her own transition. We tell the 17-year-olds to dress up, and they think a clothing outfit. But they have just as many insecurities as a 62-year-old coming back into the work force who wants to know that she can still be relevant.”

Ultimately, Dress for Success San Francisco’s success model has been as simple as letting a group of women sit together in a room and talk about their problems. For the most part, they are able to help and heal each other all on their own. And with simple programs and organized help from partnered resources, they are able to fill in the holes. But, as they approach their 2,000th personal shopper, one thing has proven to be clear: you never graduate from fashion.

D

MENU

DINNER WITH

da n i e l52 2011 E-DITION

DINNER WITH

HAILING TO THE CREATIVITY IN HIS HERITAGE AND

DISCIPLINE FROM CULINARY SCHOOL, DANIEL SUDAR

HAS COOKED UP A GENIUS RECIPE FOR FASHION THAT HAS

DELIVERED HIS MENSWEAR LINE FROM THE CONCUBINES

OF SAN FRANCISCO’S DEVELOPING INDUSTRY.

BUT, CAN IT MAKE HIM A HOUSE-HOLD NAME?

da n i e l53COLLECTION

APPETIZER

54 2011 E-DITION

55COLLECTION

“ aybe there is something else I

should be doing with my life...”

thought Daniel Sudar as he looked at him-

self in the bathroom mirror with horror

as the skin melted off of his face.

While preparing a routine meal as Chef de Cuisine at San Francisco’s exquisite Betelnut Restaurant in 2003, every cook’s nightmare came true for Sudar when a pan of oil exploded on the stove and engulfed him in flames. Skin was seared off of his hands and face and in that mirror-mo-ment the nationally recognized and award-winning culinary master decided to change the game and go into fashion.

Was he running away? Did he fall off the horse and de-cide not to get back on? Hardly. For Sudar, it was more like motivation to think about his passions, potential, skill and life-time goals. It was an opportunity to examine the formula of success that worked for him and concoct a strategy for applying it to another trade.

And how does a chef get into fashion? Not through culi-nary school of course. Although Sudar has discovered the creative processes to be remarkably similar, his roots ac-tually trace back to fashion just as authentically as they do to cooking. You could even argue that it was in his DNA.

M

ENTREE

57COLLECTION

As the middle of six children growing up in Indonesia, Daniel Sudar was forced to be independent from a young age. He could often be found cooking dinner or sewing a diaper, and after he began working in middle school, he vowed to never need another penny from either of his parents. His mother, a chef herself, inspired him to take up the trade and, in 1992, he moved to the United States to attend San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy.

After interning at the Ritz Carlton, Sudar began a very aggressive career as a head/executive chef. Almost never staying at a restaurant for more than two years, he fo-cused on using winning competitions and getting press cov-erage before moving on to something bigger and better.

“Everywhere I went I had to try and embed my name,” says Sudar, who describes the difficulties of succeeding as a chef. “Of all of the people who graduated with me, only two have made it. It’s hard. You spend all of this mon-ey to get education and then make $10-an-hour. In the beginning you have no social life, just cook, cook, cook. Most people go back to what they were doing before.”

But Sudar persevered, working his way onto television and networking with other chefs and celebrities. He learned how to cook everything, from French and Italian fare to Mexican and Russian cuisine. He designed menu after menu and fell into a succession so natural and effortless that it literally took an explosion to jolt him awake and for him to realize how malcontent he was. He thought back to his childhood in Indonesia, but this time recalled memories of helping his father; a jewelry artist that exported to Holland and Paris. And with memory came Daniel Sudar’s designer label.

M“ ESIGNING A COLLECTION

IS A LOT LIKE DESIGNING

A MENU. YOU HAVE TO

COURSE IT OUT; THINK

ABOUT WHAT IS AN ENTREE

OR AN APPETIZER, WHAT

ARE YOUR INGREDIENTS

AND HOW WILL THEY MESH?

D

“

58 2011 E-DITION

DESSERT

Recalling skills learned from his father, Sudar started his label by hand-forging jewelry and selling it on eBay. “This was back when eBay was first getting started,” recalls Sudar. “My jewelry started selling like hot cakes!”

By 2010, he decided he was ready to get into clothing and took a 6-month leave from cooking to focus on his menswear line. When the collection was ready, he snapped a photo and posted it to Facebook. Then the unthinkable happened: celebrity chef Art Smith bought it on the spot. “It was so crazy and unbelievable! He wanted me to design his wedding-shoot for People Maga-zine. I was so nervous. I knew him already, but it’s People Magazine.. You can’t mess that up. It’s do or die.”

The reception of the wedding was sponsored by Nike and Oprah as well (Smith has been a personal chef for Oprah for over 10 years). “I was like, ‘Oh my God! Oprah touched my suit!’” remembers Sudar after seeing footage of the wedding. The event was widely covered by media in Chicago, and Smith announced Daniel Sudar as his official designer for all future public events and appearances.

Along with Smith’s wedding, Sudar’s collection was also showcased in New York during Fashion Week and in San Francisco’s Chic Fashion Week. Lady Gaga requested looks from Sudar after seeing a suit worn by muse Troy Castaneda (left) backstage at one of her fashion shows, and looks were ordered for an upcoming film starring James Franco. “It was a crazy six months...” Sudar adds before describing a change in the wind. “I got requests from retailers like Nordstrom to carry my line, but I had to turn them down. I wasn’t ready. I needed to focus on developing the brand.”

Then Sudar got a call to cover a shift for a fellow chef and his former passion was rekindled. “It’s like cooking is in my blood and fashion is my air. I can’t really separate them. Both are very artistic and they both balance each other. I use one to take a break from another and that allows me to find inspiration. It means I have to stay up until 3 a.m. in the morning all the time, but that’s okay.”

Only two months after returning to the culinary world, Sudar moved from Circa Restaurant to Fog City Diner where his redesigned menu received wide press cover-age for “bringing Fog City Diner back to its roots.”

“Designing a collection is a lot like designing a menu,” Says Sudar. “You have to course it out; think about what is an entree or an appetizer, what are your ingredients and how will they mesh?” Sudar’s upcoming collection uses leather, lace, wool, and knit and is aimed for the mod, sleek and chic man who is individualistic, smart, has a zest for life, a love for fashion, and a strong sense of self.

Sudar has been invited to London Fashion Week, but eventually sees his collection being showcased in every fashion week from India and Tokyo to Milan and Paris. As a child, his father took him to trade shows all around the world so he knows how the business works. He is confident in his quality and knows where he is headed.

“I feel lucky when things come into fruition, but I can’t real-ly say that I’m completely lucky because I work my butt off. The discipline that I have being a chef I implement in being a designer.” When asked if he will design different collec-tions for each fashion week, he ponders over the thought for the first time before confidently replying, “If I need to.”

59COLLECTION

M

WAS LIKE, ‘OH MY GOD!

OPRAH TOUCHED MY SUIT!’“

“I

T H E

0 8 . 2 7 . 1 1

C O L L E C T I O N

The grand chandeliers, handcrafted wood ceiling and two-

story-tall marble pillars of the British Motor Car dealership

proved to be the perfect house for this year’s most presti-

gious event. The Collection, which set out to create a platform

that showcases commercially viable designs, ended up proving

that San Francisco is capable of creating a professional fashion

show through the organized collaboration of a network.

61

62

4PM - REVOLVER

DANIEL SUDARThis 2011 fall/winter collection, consisting solely of suits, is entitled “REVOLVER,” the inspiration for which comes from time and texture. Using leather, lace, wool and knit, Daniel Sudar is revolving the tailored and well-dressed 1800s man via a modern fashion update. True to the fundamental of the Dan-iel Sudar brand, this collection is full of opposites: combining the sophisticated texture in the fabrics with avant-garde cuts and shapes.

Each suit in his collection is a testament to the Dan-iel Sudar Man – mod, sleek and chic, individualistic, smart, a zest for life, a love for fashion and strong sense of self. The San Francisco brand uses ecologi-cally friendly materials in the limited edition clothing lines and produces experimental, ambitious, and fu-ture-focused jewelry.

Daniel Sudar’s style stands alone among others. On his first year, Daniel’s works have been featured in People Magazine, Bravo TV, NBC, KRON 4, Advocate, Classic Male, SF Indie Fashion, Helium and many more. Celebrity Chef Art Smith wears the Daniel Sudar brand exclusively for his high profile events including in his celebrity wedding with hus-band Jesus R. Salgueiro and on TV appearances like Top Chef Masters and Iron Chef America.

www.DanielSudar.com

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64Photo | Herm Pugay

T H E C O L L E C T I O N | DA N I E L S U DA R



66Photo | Warren DiFranco




























80

6PM - COLLECTION

ACTA NON VERBAHector Manuel of ACTA NON VERBA finds in-spiration in the closets of tomorrow night. Manuel expresses the idea of a New World royalty where youthful elegance is conveyed through a mix of contemporary versatile garments. His playful so-phistication—a casual use of lace—recreates classic silhouettes and turns them into bold pieces that al-low a woman’s body to exert femininity.

“This collection also represents tradition and heri-tage. You can dye lace, manipulate it and combine it with other fabrics, creating something old and new at the same time,” says Manuel whose previous designs have experimented with unique metallic fabrics. His clothes could very well be found on blue bloods at the swankiest after-parties or on a stroll down Champs-Élysées.

This collection marks the debut of Acta Non Verba into the San Francisco fashion industry. Originating in Silicon Valley, Acta Non Verba received wide at-tention in The Metro and Helium Magazine for his body-conscious designs and was showcased at the Atmoic Fashion Show, Eco-Chic Fashion Show and in the West Valley College fashion program.

www.ActaNonVerbaOnline.com

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T H E C O L L E C T I O N | AC TA N O N V E R B A































98

8PM - COLLECTION

JOSEPH DOMINGOJoseph Domingo’s inspiration is to transport you to an ex-citing island experience.

Bright and colorful swimwear for a day at the beach...

An afternoon cocktail party at sunset...

Attending an opening of the hottest outdoor club and enjoying the evening sky...

And making a special appearance at a best friend’s wedding the next day.

Since opening his own atelier at 808 Post Street in San Francisco in 1999, Joseph has developed his fashion line into a respected and recognizable brand. Featured in Mer-cedes Benz Fashion Week LA, Fashion-TV, and on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine. Celebrities such as Miss USA, Miss Universe, Rebecca Romjin, Rosalyn Sanchez and Shakira wear his fashion.

Joseph Domingo caters to a diverse clientele of women and men, who often purchase complete wardrobes for the exquisite fit of made-to-measure custom design.

www.JosephDomingo.com

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T H E C O L L E C T I O N | J O S E P H D O M I N G O















































































| EVENT PRODUCTION |

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOSEPH DOMINGO

EVENT COORDINATOR JANICE BAILON

FASHION SHOW COORDINATOR OWEN BUENAVENTURA

PRESS/MEDIA COMMITTEE RENA RAMIREZ JAMIE KOPMANN

BACKSTAGE MANAGER ROBERT SHABAZZ

MODEL/DRESSER COORDINATOR ZOE HONG

GUEST RELATIONS COORDINATOR CLARENCE SIERRA

FRONT HOUSE MANAGER TEJU AJANI

SEATING COORDINATOR SADIA ZAIDI

HEAD OF SECURITY TIM SULLIVAN

FRONT OF HOUSE COMMITTEE HERBERT WILLIAMSON

FOH PHOTO/VIDEO COORDINATOR WARREN DIFRANCO STUART LOCKLEAR

BACKSTAGE PHOTO/VIDEO COORDINATOR DEL GERONIMO

VIP COMMITTEE SANAM BAIANI

PROGRAM GUIDE COMMITTEE MATTHEW MOUNTFORD

HAIR & MAKEUP COORDINATOR KENNETH TODD

HAIR COMMITTEE SPONSOR KHIEM HOANG | UMBRELLA SALON

MAKE-UP COMMITTEE SPONSOR CATHERINE KALESSIS | PIGMENT COSMETICS

PRODUCTION (LIGHT & SOUND) ALEX KOBERLE | VOXPRO

VIP TIX BIANCA GADI

VIP TIX/SECURITY RYAN MANLEY

VIP LOUNGE JOHNNY MOALLEMPOUT SILVIA FINDLING KEVIN VERGO DAVID MAST JULIUS LUMSDEN

GENERAL TIX/SECURITY EDWARD LIWANAG

GENERAL TIX HENRY CONTRERAS

ELKE GADI JOSEPH MENDOZA

GIFT BAG/BACKSTAGE FOOD CARMEN BALDWIN KAY YOUNGREN

BACKSTAGE RUNNER/SET-UP CHRISTOPHER ABAT

BACKSTAGE SECURITY/SET-UP EMMANUEL SOLOMON

FOOD SERVICE JENNIFER YOUNT

MIXOLOGY SERVICE ALCHEMIQ

140 2011 E-DITION

| EVENT PRODUCTION |

MAKEUP COMMITTEE SARA DASHTY

MAKEUP TEAM ADRIAN GAULDING SARA DASHTY REBECCA BEARDSLEY KIM MERRILL KRIS CARRINGTON

UMBRELLA SALON CHLOE LOMELI CHRISTIAN CEJA JADE DEVERATURDA JENNIFER SINGLETON KARLA MARTINEZ KHIEM HOANG KIEN HOANG LISA NGUYEN NATHAN NGUYEN ROZ CORPUZ YANIN COLMENERO

GARY PATRICK SALON ALICIA SALAS JESSICA MILLER KAT MARTINEZ KRISTEN GARVIN LACEY DAVIS

DRESSERS ADRIENNE EM ALBERTO CATAJAN AVA BYRD CANA KLEBANOFF FARNAZ DADASHI JESSICA KWOK JESSICA SCHOEFER JULIUS MAGLANG KELLY PENTECOST MELISSA CALAMIA MICHAEL SAN GASPAR MICHELLE LEE RIKKI TOFAYA SAMUEL CAMPANA TANDIA JONES

ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS RHIA JACUIAN LISA FONG MELANIE PERRY ROBERTO BORSATO ADRIENNE EM ALBERTO CATAJAN ALEA GONZALES BIANCA GADI CANA KLEBANOFF CARMEN BALDWIN ELKE GADI EMMANUEL SOLOMON HENRY CONTRERAS JESSICA KWOK JOHN GADI JOSEPH MENDOZA JULIUS MAGLALANG KAY YOUNGREN MICHAEL SAN GASPAR MICHELLE LEE RIKKI TOFAYA RYAN MANLEY SAMUEL CAMPANA RENATA GAR

DANIEL SUDAR COLLECTION BAND ELEMENTS OF TRUTH

SPECIAL THANKS MARK WOLFE DIANE BURBIN MR QVALE DJ RICHARD RUIZ CITY MODELS JE MODELS FORD MODELS CAST IMAGES

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C OV E R | 1

Kelly Tanimura wearing Pigment Cosmetics, MsBellezza necklace and dress by Joseph Domingo. Creative direction by Renata Gar, Hair Styling by Kien Hoang and Yanin Colmen-ero from Umbrella Salon. Makeup Artistry by Kamran Sanei of Pigment Cosmetics

S F S C | 4

Katie Tedford of HMM wearing San Francisco Shirt Company. Styling by Angelina Haole, Hair by James Griffiths of Salon Blu, makeup by Sheereen.

S A L O N B L U | 8

Katie Tedford of HMM in pompadour by James Griffiths wearing San Francisco Shirt Compa-ny, Santana Row. Makeup by Sheereen, styling by Angelina Haole.

J AY M Z M A R E Z | 9

Oscar Munoz wearing designs by Aku Padilla. Pompadour by NAHA Finalist and Hairdresser of the Year Jaymz Marez.

T H E C O L L E C T I O N A D | 4 0 & 6 0

Amanda Hartzer from Citi Models wearing dress by Joseph Domingo and Pigment Cos-metics. Hair wrap by Kien Hoang and Yanin Colmenero from Umbrella Salon. Makeup Art-istry by Kamran Sanei of Pigment Cosmetics

J O S E P H D O M I N G O | 4 4 & 4 6

Amanda Hartzer from Citi Models wearing dress by Joseph Domingo, jewelry from Ms-Bellezza, and shoes from Donald Pliner. Cre-ative direction by Renata Gar, Hair Styling by Kien Hoang and Yanin Colmenero from Um-brella Salon. Makeup Artistry by Sara Dashty.

AC TA N O N V E R B A | 4 5 & 47

Kelly Tanimura wearing dresses by Hector Man-uel of Acta Non Verba, earrings by MsBellezza Jewelry, and Donald Pliner shoes. Creative direction by Renata Gar, Hair Styling by Kien Hoang and Yanin Colmenero from Umbrella Salon. Makeup Artistry by Sara Dashty.

D R E S S F O R S U C C E S S | 4 8 - 51

Kai Moore from Citi Models. Styling by Antoi-nette Coleman. Makeup by Rykk Martinez.

DA N I E L S U DA R | 5 2 - 5 9

Muse Troy Castaneda wearing Daniel Sudar. Styling by Renata Gar. Hair and Makeup by Wendy Tran.

| IMAGE INDEX |

All work Copyright Helium Magazine, 2011.

| www.HeliumMagazine.com |

© He2

C O L L E C T I O N G U I D E

62 | Alex Baldwin wearing Daniel Sudar. 80 | Jessie Shortly wearing Acta Non Verba 100 | Jessie Shortley wearing Joseph Domingo

Hair styling by Kien Hoang, Yanin Colmenero, Chloe Lomeli of Umbrella Salon; Makeup by Catherine Kalessis using Pigment Cosmetics.

Documents

The Collection Issue