The “Firebird” of New York Fashion Week

Force. Power. Attitude. Those are the three words that come to mind when describing the Fall/Winter 2016 collection of Ev Bessar. The rawness of the leather and yarn nets captured the attention of the viewers from the first step of a model. While the stage was preparing for the promising show, decorated with coal colored feathers, a beautiful graphic of, what seemed to be, an eagle set the mood of the surrounding darkness.

“In a world where darkness encompasses destruction, through loneliness, heartbreak, and sorrow, the firebird still sings its song.” Bessar’s inspiration for her new collection was the well-known Russian Fairy Tale, "The Firebird" (Жар-птица). It is the story of a mystical bird from a far-away land that glows with fire palette colors. The magic behind such creature is the fact that it could bring either fortune or doom to the one who captures it.

Bessar’s tale, the show, portrayed the fortune for the viewers. The details of the blood-red eye make up, the cryptic background sound, and formidable pace and emotions of each model only underscored designer’s vision of “authentic life circumstance.” “With its magical feathers and healing powers, a once paralyzed existence becomes an enchanted new era where love prevails.”

The uniqueness of each piece is not only in the material, but in the hand-made approach of Bessar’s craftsmanship. Her complete originality and innovation of her work is produced in her studio, which she calls “the dungeon”. The designer explained that she “buried [herself] in [her] dungeon for months losing a sense of time.” The last look of the show from women’s wear - black and white Mongolian fur coat, turtleneck, leggings, and Alligator skin neck piece – made a final statement and a perfect ending of the presentation for the viewers before starting the round up of the collection.

Embodying the new wave of “dark fashion”, Ev Bessar is on her way up to a promising future. With each new collection, she is bound to portray her full potential through artisanship that expresses her inner world of imagination.