The Designers

Anja Stehlik

Anja Stehlik is a Croatian fashion designer from Pula with diploma of Engineer of Textile Technology. She began her career at 20 years old as an assistant for “Today Croatian”. Her work experience as an assistant and stylist included Smart Magazine and Playboy as well as video and commercial work.

In 2005, Anja debuted her first collection at the famous Nokia Cro-a-porter in Croatia. And in 2006, London opened its arms to Anja as the only youngest Croatian designer in Swatch Fashion Week’s history.

 As the years progressed, Anja continued her success by selling throughout London. Her work has been featured in Cannes, Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zagreb. Her goal is to develop the first internationally Croatian branded designer label. She has begun this by developing her website, www.anjastehlik.com , and is presently working on a Menswear and Beachwear collection.  

 

 

Danielle Martin-Cicero

Before the age of 10 Danielle Martin-Cicero was fully equipped with the essential tools to start her own fashion line- a sparkling new sewing machine and a subscription to W magazine. In hopes of making her dream come true, Martin-Cicero left her hometown of Hartford, CT to attend Brooks College in Southern California.

After her graduation Martin-Cicero landed a job designing for Bill Blass Sport followed by Essentials by A.B.S., a division of A.B.S. Allen Schwartz in New York City.  As her desire for knowledge grew, Danielle realized that she needed to create under her own label, the Danielle.Cicero label was born.

Danielle uses sumptuous fabrics, intricate detailing, and classic lines, so that the Danielle.Cicero label creates dresses that let a woman’s beauty shine through.

 

 

Edixon Valdez

 

Edixon Valdez was born in the Dominican Republic and has lived in the United States since age 17. As a kid, I loved picking up retazos (pieces) of leftover colorful fabrics from a sac that my seamstress aunt Tilin used to lock away. With those retazos, he made crafts: decorated jars, cans, etc. But most important to Edixon, he began his creative career in designing, and started making hand-made dresses for younger cousin dolls.

But his passion was not allowed to flourish so after graduating from Plattsburgh State University of New York with a Bachelor Degree of Arts in Hospitality, Edixon began his employ with Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York City. He longed for his first love fashion, so he enrolled in a sewing and pattern making class at New York’s infamous Fashion Institute of Technology.

Edixon caught the Fashion Bug and proceeded in creating his first collection for men through sportswear and for women with eveningwear.

 

Heidi Feiling

Born in the summer of 1977 in Lydenburg, Heidi Feiling always knew she wanted to be rich and famous. Heidi says, growing up wasn’t always a bed of roses, but they did the best they could. Her vivid imagination turned cardboard boxes into beautiful boxes, complete with curtains, bedding and dolls clothes. In junior school Heidi remembers her mother buying her first sewing machine. That was it! The passion for designing was born. The excitement of texture and the thrill of envisioning a sketch develop into a beautiful piece of wearable art drove Heidi to follow her dream.

After finishing her education Heidi came to the United States as an au pair where she remained for a few years. But her passion to be a fashion designer still tugged at her heartstrings.

That was when she decided to go back home to South Africa and enroll in the Gordon Flack-Davidson Academy of Design. In her third year she received her diplomas from London’ City and Guilds as well as from Gordon Flack’s, securing her with an international diploma. She created her own label and competed professionally.

Now the mother of two, Heidi is ready to take on the Fashion World again and prove that she and South Africa has what it takes to be a design leader.

 

Katerina Lankova

Katerina Lankova was born in the Czech Republic, in 1975 and grew up in a small village of 300 people in the communist Czechoslovakia. At a young age her father taught her to pedal on the old singer machine and in 1989 Katerina got my first electric sewing machine. In 1994 graduated from the Textile School of Manufacturing and Design in Liberec, Czech Republic.

She then left for London where she worked as an au pair for a few years. But her passion was calling and she decided to go back to the Czech Republic and work on a career. After working in retail for a bit, her quests lead her to Aspen Colorado on a student visa where she graduated from Mesa State College in 2006 with a BA in Management.

Her design talents lead her to audition for Project Runway as well as working with Westchester Dance Academy creating dance outfits, and receiving several award certificates for outstanding costumes from the NYC Dance Alliance. Since the summer '08 all of Katerina’s designs have been exclusively sold through the high-end boutique BJewel in Aspen, Colorado. Her skiwear is also available at NIKS Boutique in Mount Buller, Australia.

Katie Andrew

 

Katie Andrew is originally from and grew up in Tacoma, Washington. She currently lives in New York City. Katie earned her BA from Lake Forest College in Economics and Mathematics and then went on to achieve an AAS degree in Fashion Studies from Parsons in New York City.

She considers herself basically a shy geek. Katie’s original aspiration when she first entered fashion school was to design outfits for drag queens due to her obsession and love for sequins and feathers, but unfortunately the majority of queens are master tailors themselves and had no use for her.

She still considers her style and taste to be flamboyant and “costumey,” but my now her goal is to extend her demographics from drag queen costumes to show-stopping ready-to-wear and evening wear collections. Katie says, “If I could work for anyone out there it would be The Blonds. I love what they do and I think our styles are really similar. If you want to witness a show that is really a “SHOW”…vote for Katie! Thanks!”     

 

Lisa Henley

Lisa Henley is a fashion designer based in Atlanta, Georgia who has a heart for people and a love for fashion.

Her birth into the fashion industry began just about five years ago in New Jersey with her very first handbag collection. She had not graduated from high school much less gone to school for fashion design and had never even touched a sewing machine, but she was driven by a calling. Since then, her company, L. Henley Couture has grown from simple, drawstring tapestry handbags to Couture clothing and Small Run Industrial Production. Her company’s motto is, ‘Where Vision Becomes Reality’. And she and her team make their clients’ vision a reality. Being a single mother of two, never stopped her ambition. With a book, a life story documentary, ministry and a non-profit in the works, Lisa Henley keeps up a very busy lifestyle with a lot of sleepless nights. Her organization, Fairhaven House Inc. is already in the works.  

Fairhaven House, Inc will be a series of age profiled transition homes for women and young girls in the sex industry who want a chance to start a new. Lisa’s talent and huge heart drive her to excellence.

 

Martha Suarez

Born in Granada, Nicaragua April 23, 1985, Martha and her family migrated to the US in hopes of living the American Dream. It wasn’t until her teenage years while studying at a Design/Art High school in Miami that she discovered her love for Fashion. As she stated “it was the moment when I saw my first Christian Lacroix Couture Runway Show that I realized this was my true calling”. At a young age her dedication landed her an internship with Esteban Cortazar, where she had the opportunity to go to her first New York Fashion Week. Her hard work and dedication won her the Fashion Award and couple of scholarships as she was well on her way to Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. While attending F.I.T , Martha continued her approach to go above and beyond in everything she created. During those 4 years she continued to master her love for couture always making innovative designs and experimenting with techniques. Whether she was creating a beautifully constructed coat or an elaborate couture wedding gown she gave attention to detail, construction and aesthetics to all her creations. Her talent and hard work won her and a handful of other students a spread on a Spanish Newspaper, being the only woman among the bunch. Now Martha continues the same passion always thriving to design and make one of kind pieces for private clients.

 

 

Nikki Blaine

Nikki Blaine, a Midwestern native from Indianapolis, Indiana began designing and winning competitions in the early 90’s during high school. In 1998, graduated from Indiana Institute of Technology were she received several business degrees including her MBA in 2002, then decided to attend American Intercontinental University and received a B.A. in Visual Communications in 2005. Still devoted to her passion, she continued working on her fashion designs and traveled from New York to the United Kingdom seeking inspiration for her design aesthetics.

 

Nikki Blaine offers the "Glam Chic" style for any size woman. The "Glam Chic" term was coined by Nikki Blaine to describe the higher-end quality of the fabric along with the functionality of the garment. A Woman has to have ATTITUDE to bring the look to life! Do you have what it takes to wear Nikki Blaine Couture?

 

 

 

Pedro Garnica

Born in Peru in 1972 Pedro Garnica moved with his family to Pennsylvania in the United States. Pedro began to cultivate an interest in fashion at an early age. Encouraged by his mother Pedro displayed great talent for drawing and even started sewing some of his youthful creations by the age twelve.

Throughout high school Pedro’s interest in the world of fashion and designers around the world, most especially Oscar De La Renta, whose talent and flair inspired Pedro to achieve greatness. After graduation he decided that he must attend Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. So, Pedro moved to Manhattan to attend FIT.

While in college Pedro returned home to Philadelphia on numerous occasions bringing with him some of his creations that later became the centerpieces of many successful fashion shows in the Philadelphia area. Success proved fit and Pedro knew he had to fulfill his longtime dream to work and study in Paris! So Pedro made that dream became a reality and began a career in Haute Couture working with Etienne Brunel in Paris.

Upon his return to the United States, Pedro continued to forge new professional working relationships with Felicia Ferrar and Donna Karan in New York. Having gathered great experience in both the business and creative side of the fashion industry Pedro has ascended to the next level. Pedro continues to create a new force in the fashion world-that force is GARNICA. 

 

Safronia Ivory

Safronia Ivory, was a fourth-generation seamstress, who began sewing at the age of nine. She was not satisfied with the lack of style that was offered to plus size women. She had the desire and the skill to transform boring garments into works of art and felt a need to pursue this on a higher level. She knew that other plus size women had the same need for stylish and well constructed clothing and were not afraid to pay for it! Thus Safronia Ivory LLC was born.

Safronia Ivory LLC was a concept developed by Safronia because of countless humiliating shopping experiences she endured as a plus size woman. Because her occupation as a medical device sales representative required her to have direct contact with customers, she knew she had to maintain a professional appearance and image. This forced her to design her own clothes. Positive feedback by the public showed Safronia that Safronia Ivory LLC could and would be a success. 

Safronia Ivory has had much success with custom clothing for women of size. Through the years, she has developed her craft to include intricate beading work, textured fabrications and exotic color ways. Safronia Ivory strives to become a household name across the globe.

 

Samenta Agee

Born in June 1988, Samenta Agee-Thorne was first introduced to luxury fashion at the tender age of 8 while living in Honolulu, Hi. Her mother had pointed out a Louis Vuitton store and took her inside; suddenly the seed of luxury fashion was born! After taking a sewing class her senior year of high school and studying and engulfing all ther was to know of the legendary designers of the fashion world, Samenta set off to make her mark upon the world.

 Thus the label, House of Thorne was conceived. She has fashioned her company to follow in the ranks of the great houses of Dior, Gucci, Chanel and Fendi. With the strong loving support from her husband, House of Thorne will make its impact and be set upon its spot amongst the stars.

"Never sacrifice elegance... no matter what the circumstances."- Samenta