Elie Kuame Fall/Winter 2013 Collection

Produced by Tai Chunn & MVC Management Productions

MVC Management Productions CEO Tai Chunn and all of the MVC team was honored to produce the presentation of Paris Designer Elie Kuames Fall/Winter 2013 Collection on February 11th at 404 NYC on 10th Ave. Tai Chunn and MVC are known for producing exciting, dynamic runway shows, and this show fell right into that category. A staple goal for MVC is to introduce fresh, new designers to New York Fashion Week.

Elie Kuame developed an appreciation of and taste for fashion at an early age, and he has always been deeply influenced by art. His collections are often inspired by a love for his mother and the other women in his family and emphasizes the beauty and delicacy possessed by women. His fall/winter 2013 collection consists of sheer blouses, long, flowing, draped skirts, and thighhigh slits. The delicacy and intricacy of his work could be seen in every piece to grace the runway.

Elie Kuames collection features brilliant reds, bright yellows, and stunning emeralds. He created an assortment of all-red and all-yellow ensembles and masterfully mixed the emerald with whites, ivories and browns. He combined beautifully saturated fabrics with thin, sheer fabrics to create a striking comparison. His collection pushes the envelope and is just the right amount of revealing.

This collection features many beautiful, crisp white dresses and gowns, an often uncommon color for fall. All of these dresses have varied necklines, from straight across strapless to sweetheart, to high neck, to V-neck. One of the dresses is very wedding-like with a mermaid bottom, and another donned a thigh-high slit and button-down front.

Some of his white pieces have very high, almost boat-neck tops, with open backs and flowing skirts. Some are also belted with either a strip of thick, contrasting fabric or a thin, rope-like belt. Many of these white dresses hit just below the knee. One white, spaghetti-strap dress displayed a jeweled EK on the back and has a matching white coat with a colorful, patterned interior. All of Elie Kuames white pieces were combined with brightly colored shoes as they were strutted down the runway.

Kuame displayed a keen knack for texture and embellishment. Seemingly simple in front, some of the skirts in this collection have folded, draped, excessively long backs, as seen in the above right picture. He also did pop-color, like adding a red belt to the white and tan dress in the above left picture. This collection also consists of beautiful combination of color and texture. He combined a burnt orange-colored, textured top to a long, crisp white skirt and mixed patterns and solids in a three-quarter length sleeved mini dress.

Elie Kuame is not afraid to use embellishment and detail. He created a simple, clean, floor-length white dress that reveals and open back with colorful, patterned detail, as seen in the below left picture. This collection also has a mix of long and short dresses. He adds textured tops to simple, clean bottoms and uniquely mixes color with white. Again he pushes the envelope with one dress that has a zigzag of feathery, white fabric down the front against a nude, shimmery background, as seen in the top corner of the below right picture.

Above: Elie Kuames show was hosted at the beautiful 404 NYC, which provided a dramatic horseshoe-shaped runway.

Above: Barefoot Wine & Bubbly sponsored the event and supplied drinks for both open bars throughout the night. Left: The Elie Kuame FallWinter 2013 Collection with shoes provided by Aldo. Below: Some of the official press passes made for the Elie Kuame show: All Access, Press, Backstage. [VIP and Gerenal Admission]

Below: The gorgeous bags by Elie Kuame the models wore on the runway.

Elie Kuame gives makeup instructions for the models.

Lamik Beauty was a sponsor for the event and supplied all of the models makeup for the show.

The makeup look for the Elie Kuame show was dark eyes, light lips, and flawless skin.

Left: The hair look for the show was messy, funky up-dos. Many of the models had their hair braided first to help create a voluminous, messy look. Right: Soft Sheen Carson was another sponsor for this event and provided their Dark & Lovely, Au Naturale product. They did all of the models hair for the show.

L to R: Elie Kuame with MVC Management Productions CEO Tai Chunn, Lamik Beauty makeup designer Kim Roxie, and Soft Sheen Carson hair stylist Mezei Jefferson on the red carpet.

This New York Fashion Week event was produced by Tai Chunn for his foundation, the Monique Vanessa Chunn (MVC) Foundation for Cerebral Brain Aneurysm Research. He founded the organization in honor of his sister who died suddenly of a brain aneurysm at the age of only 24. Even in the face of great loss, Chunn stayed focused and held fast to his love for fashion. He has used his beloved sister as inspiration and guidance throughtout his career.

Tai Chunn & one of the models having a good time on the red carpet after the show.

I have had two loves my entire life: fashion & sister, said Tai Chunn. I used to sew outfits from the sleeves of our old clothes and help my sister create cheers for her cheerleading squad; she was captain of course. We shared many secrets and dreams. Its only suitable that I combine both loves during New York Fashion Week.

Tai Chunn has a a fun-loving, playful sense of humor, which shows through in his work.