"Shoes Have Taken Over My Life"

Qiana Markham, a self-proclaimed shoe addict, left her job in advertising several years ago to pursue a career in shoe design. She has been mentored by a cowboy boot maker in Guthrie, Oklahoma for the last two years, and now finds herself moving on to bigger things. For the next six months she plans on hopping around and learning from the best, but nothing will stop her love of shoes.

Tiki Doll

What do you get when you mix Courtney Love's style with McQueen, and throw in some funky prints just for fun? You would get the collections Love Child and Dirty Candy by Tiki Doll. Tiki, 33, lives in Midwest City with her six year old daughter and her extended family, and works out of what used to be her mother's dining room. Her studio, heady with incense and vibrating with loud 90's grunge bands, is filled with bright fabrics, clothing racks of her collections, and the odd dress dummy or two. She was very open about her inspiration (different textures, grommets, and free-thinking) and her collection reflects her personal style. After graduating from design school, Tiki released her first collection, Love Child, into the metro runways - and used herself as the press poster model. Now, having just released her second collection, Dirty Candy, Tiki is ready for bigger venues. She hopes to take her collection to Dallas in the early Fall, and then hopes to move to Los Angeles, California. She feels her style is better suited to "Cali." One thing is for sure, with her unique aesthetic, her fun prints, and her sparkling personality - Tiki is sure to go far.

Basic to Beautiful

Kris Boevers is a college-aged photographer expanding what was once just a hobby, into a state-wide business. Earlier this month, Boevers launched her website, krisboevers.com, allowing for many more to view her work, and hire her services. Boevers specializes in making ordinary things seem extraordinary; including the special moments in a person's life: engagements, weddings, christenings, and families. She takes these simple moments and immortalizes them forever in film.
Boevers started taking pictures when she was very young. When she realized she wanted to do this as a profession, she saved and then bought all of the equipment she would need for her business. This year she expanded into officially buying webspace - although she also runs a blog in conjunction to her website. To her, Boevers believes her business has unlimited possibilities. It is evident that Boevers makes everything basic, beautiful - from her business to her subjects.

Most Sizes Welcome

Saturday, March 27, 2010, Fashion Bug – a clothing store in Moore, OK – expanded its national brand to include plus sizes, as well as size sixes. In honor of this occasion, they held a spring fashion show including models of all ages and sizes.
The line was full of bright colors, tailored pants, print dresses, and cannily draped blouses. The models displayed their individual personalities with their walks, and every model, including a size six, represented the different sizes of clothing in the store.
The manager of the Moore store said that while they are expanding to size sixes, they do not plan on going into lower sizes, and the size sixes can be found online. But she does see positive outcomes of these new sizes.

"I Do it For My Girls"

While she never gained a college degree, Christina Morris, 23, sees herself as a role model for her two young daughters. "I want my daughters to see that I have accomplished so much without a degree, and that they can do whatever they set their minds to... but they are going to college!"
Morris's business, Imperial Elements, showcases unique, one of a kind beaded jewelry of her own design. On Facebook alone, she has over 200 fans. As a military wife, she became involved with a group of other wives- who all shared a common interest: beadwork. From these 'girls night outs' spawned her love of jewelry making and beadwork.




She may not have gained premises - her husband might be transferred to another base - she considers herself a businesswoman and is proud that her daughters are able to see her accomplish her dreams.

Introducing Miss Luxxe Bentley

Cody Johnson wants everyone he meets to be as comfortable with themselves as he is with himself. Cody, an active member in the gay community, won Miss Gay Charity Oklahoma 2010 last month as his altar ego, Luxxe Bentley. Luxxe performs to show off her singing and dancing talent, but she also wants to inspire and teach others that different is beautiful.

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Mom with a Mission

Hannah Keel, 22, is a photographer based out of Moore, looking to help those that want a sentimental touch to their photographs, and helping those that want to break into the industry, get a leg up. It is Keel's mission to serve the public that cannot afford to have expensive photographers, and to help those that are in the hands of mass portrait studios, to gain the pictures they deserve. "I want to use it (photography) to be of service to other people - friends, people on a budget - basically I want to use it to be a blessing." Keel has done several fashion shoots for local models as test shots, but she says she is more of an "everybody photographer" than strictly a fashion photographer.
Indeed, Keel is very focused on giving to her community. She is a pre-med student during the day - planning on becoming an OBGYN -, and comes home nightly to take care of her two children, Briar and Silas. Photography began as a hobby, and now, she has realized how much it matters to others to have something tangible of a special memory. "Everybody deserves to have something special to hang on their wall."
Keel's work in photography and her interest in medicine have led her to an interesting discovery. A group of volunteer photographers work in the newborn nurseries and are dedicated to photographing those miscarriage children, and the children that have passed away shortly after birth. These photographers work so that the families may have a memorial portrait of the baby they have lost. Keel says that she wants to help with this mission,"I want to help the healing process. I miscarried my first child, about 3 years ago, and I know that losing a baby is the worst kind of pain. I would love to be a part of something like that to help other parents along in the healing process through my photography."
Whether it is a model, or a baby, or a just engaged couple, Keel proves that everyone can be beautiful when a true artist with a compassionate heart is behind the lens.
The following photos are all courtesy of Hannah Keel Photography, and are from her extended portfolio.

From Sneakers to Stilettos

Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Maupin

Elizabeth Maupin, 22, is not what you would consider a typical model. By day, she works at a dog boarding facility called Camp Bow-wow, while applying for zoology fellowships in-state. By night, she works the runway, walking in various cat-walk shows for charity, and for the holy grail of modeling - publicity. "I do more unique shows and photoshoots - like the Tim Burton-esque show- because of my looks. It's pretty hard, I get mostly runway work, not catalog."

Maupin stands at a statuesque 5.11' and is considered thin for her height, and unique in her looks. Rather than being the normal look for Oklahoma - blonde, curvy, and tanned - Maupin is brunette, pale, and maintains a regal bearing like that of a prima ballerina. Maupin is also unique because she maintains her personal morals in what is known as a debacherous community. "I was told they (my church group leaders) were concerned I was going down the wrong path. It was a charity show. I was fully covered and my outfits were appropriate. I don't know if they think fashion is a Godly career. I'm modest enough, I don't do nude, or implied nudity photoshoots. It was hurtful."

Among the other struggles Maupin has faced, her intelligence has been questioned the most. Maupin graduated May 2009 with a degree in Zoology. " I think being a zoo major keeps me grounded. I don't know as much about fashion, so I feel very blessed to be in this business. I would love to use fashion as a way to gain funds to start animal training/rescue shelters." Maupin is currently applying for many fellowships concerning animal education throughout the state. Ultimately, she wants to be involved with teaching children about large birds of prey or small mammals, and to train animals on movie sets. She has been involved in the local Fins and Feathers show, and would love to work more with animals. Maupin plans to use her modeling career to launch her zoology career. Already, she credits modeling with helping her in public speaking. "I would love to model with animals, but my main goal started out as using modeling to gain contacts and help break out of my shell."

Maupin offers this advice to those wanting to break into the modeling industry, "Be respectful to everyone, be punctual, stick to your commitments, always bring your walking heels, and bring a chaperone. It's difficult to find legitimate work when you do not have an agent, and a parent or a big sister is good to have with you, just to make sure the photographer doesn't try anything funny."

Maupin will be modeling in the Charity Fashion Show for Haiti on February 27, 2010. All tickets are $7 dollars in advance and $9 dollars at the door. Location still to be decided. All proceeds go to Haitian relief funds.

Maupin at Rock the Velvet Show. Photo courtesy of Maupin Photography

My Intentions As Your Sartorialista

The intentions of this blog are to help up-and-coming designers, models, and photographers in the Oklahoma City Metro, gain entry into the fashion business through tips, interviews, photos, and videos from those in the business, or just breaking into it. The first photo is an abstract collage from my fridge symbolizing my life with my husband, cat, family, and liquor. The second photo is of a place. When I think of places, I tend to have a humorous view of my daily life. For those that get the joke, I present you with a bathroom!