Backstage @ Alvin Valley!

Though the event started with a politically fused video of bomb drops and flowers, Alvin Valley's Fall 2009 Fashion show def came up just roses. I'd even go so far as to say that it was the bomb (hehe).

Though no celebs graced the front row, I was super excited to head backstage and experience the hullabaloo of the pre-show. And, I even got to talk to Alvin himself!

Alvin Valley made a name for himself as "The Lord of The Pants" 12 years ago, as his low-slung trousers had an unprecedented fit. Since then, he's branched into all womenswear pieces and has even hit a few R.C's. For the Fall 2009 show, we saw high-waisted skirts and trousers and fitted bodies with hip, shoulder, and bust enhancers that was reminiscent of turn-of-the-century silhouettes. The palette was mostly black, but vivid pops of oranges and pale lime greens made us want to jet to Alvin's Coconut Grove, FL boutique ASAP. This was Alvin's first showing of menswear, too! There were def some pieces in there I wouldn't mind adopting for my own (as long as the BF keeps his hands off!).

For makeup, Alvin asked the DEX artists to keep it modern, updated, and bright. Key artist, BP Carmouche, used blush a la 1920's super high on the cheeks and into the eyelid crease for a colorful and dramatic look. Golds and Bronzes stayed on the lids. Hair was curled, teased, and pincurled, with a sprtiz of Nioxin's Shine spray to keep the girls hair looking healthy. It was a mad rush to get all the models done and the show ultimately ran 45 minutes late. Totally worth the wait!

So what was Alvin Valley inspired by? What was he like as a teenager? Find out all about this quirky and cool designer:

What was your inspiration for the show?
The inspiration was the Mitford Sisters. I'm a big reader and I got sucked into their lives and I was inspired by the way they lived their lives. A bit controversial, a bit crazy...I wanted to understand, especially in our climate, who someone through war, rationing, all these things still had style and elegance. We need that. It's not about the money we don't have, it's about who we really are. It can always be worse. It can always be better. But this is what we have and we've got to make the best of it.

What advice can you give budding fashionistas?
I think that for anyone who is a young designer, it's all about taking chances and being fearless. Having no fear is a really important thing. Fear is going to keep you back. Some of the best businesses have been launched in hard times.

How do you feel about skinny models?
I embrace people in all their sizes. People know me for my fit and some of my clothes are too big for some and too small for others, but I live with that because I have a clear vision of who this woman is. But I think the real message starts at home and we all have to take responsibility to implement different shapes and understand what is acceptable as beauty.

Isn't he the nicest? What do you think of the backstage looks? Do you dig Alvin's style? Dish!

Posted on: Fri Feb 13, 2009