Culture Map's Heather Staible: Her take on Toni Whitaker for Coquette



Hand Dyed Ostrich
Photo by Aries Milan



Freezing for fashion: Toni Whitaker & Aries Milan team up and enter a Lady Gaga universe

By Heather Staible

02.11.11 | 04:49 pm

To those who skipped Wednesday night’s Fire & Ice fashion presentation by Toni Whitaker and Aries Milan because of the chilly Houston temps, here’s a newsflash: You wouldn’t hack it during New York Fashion Week.

Linen Romper
Photo by Heather Staible

Sure it was frigid outside, but the feel inside Americas was warm, no, make that sizzling. Whitaker’s stepping out of her comfort zone a bit and the results are stunning.

Milan’s Coquette Boutique has a reputation for taking the expected and adding something fresh and the collaboration between the two is staying true to that concept. The duo are clearly mixing their strengths. Whitaker’s construction was perfect and details like Swarovski crystals and lace stole the show. Milan’s contributions come in the form of pushing the design in a new direction.

“It’s mixing my technical skills and her edginess. We took one of my classic tops and added boy shorts to it. It was something different for me,” Whitaker says. Whitaker wanted spring to be about flesh tones and Milan pushed for white and they agreed. The result is what Milan calls “crisp and clean.”

Whitaker showed three white structured looks to start and followed with drop-dead hand-dyed skirts made from ostrich, turkey and peacock feather. Paired with a white vintage tank, the skirts popped in deep maroon, black and white and an ombre pattern and Whitaker offered either a bubble shape or a low-slung mini.

The skirts are whimsical labors of love. Whitaker broke a blender mixing dyes and she hand sews each feather to the silk chiffon, creating a seamless swath of color that’s hard not to reach out and touch.

Cotton Lace Wedding Dress
Photo by Heather Staible

The three-model finale pitted two black lace mini dresses against a white lace bohemian dress ideal for a sexy beach wedding.

“That was a seven-yard piece of fabric and  I just started draping it. I never cut it except for the arm holes,” Whitaker says. The dress was low-cut and sheer, but because of the way she folded the fabric, there was a sweetness to it.

Accenting Whitaker’s nine piece collection were custom necklaces and bracelets handmade by Ann Brookes, a local artist. Her pieces mix sparkle with crocheted fabrics, juxtaposing the soft against the hard. Her jewelry is found locally at Coquette.

The collection is definitely new territory for Whitaker.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m designing for Lady Gaga,” she says.

Toni Whitaker: Collection Femme Fatale




Mattie Loreta Kirkland opposite her future husband Theodore Whitaker
Camden, SC  1942

 

While no one actually left any comments on my first blog, many sent me emails and made comments on Facebook. The curiosity is up because I did not answer the who, what, when and where questions.         

That was intentional.  I wanted my initial blogger efforts to be as mysterious and seductive as my new collection.      

Who   is the inspiration behind the collection?

No insult to Lauren Bacall, but the quintessential femme fatale   that I'm paying homage to is Mattie Loretta Whitaker, my mom.  In the words of my father, "That is my girl" ,   and the inspiration behind the collection.

What will the collection look like?

Transparent to metallic separates and  little dresses shift into backless, long and short  (even shorts).


When will the collection debut?
My first RTW collection is designed in collaboration with Aris Milan for Coquette Boutique and Bistro and will debut the first week of February.


Where?
Of course the collection will be available at Coquette Boutique and Bistro on Westheimer @ Hazard.  A fun preview party is in the works.  Details TBA.

The Lady Behind the Label

The anonymous face in an organza teadress with handmade rosettes

For the past 26 years I have always had my own studio and retail space.  In December of 2010, I ended my long standing presence in the Rice Village area.  This was a decision that I did not make lightly and not one I made on the spur of the moment.  The most difficult decision was how to keep my label mainstream. So I've set my sights on the world of RTW with mass production and standardize sizing.

I've never had to please a large audience.  My clientele was private and buying Toni Whitaker was by appointment. What I had to ask myself was, "Who is that lady behind the label?"  That lady being me, the designer, and that anonymous face that will now be wearing my garments. The only thing anonymous about my creations was the size tag.

So as I started to define this lady behind the label and reshape my future collections, I

was struck with the image of the quintessential femme fatale.  This woman is seductive, exotic, self assured and beautiful. While staying true to my brand, I've loosen my silhouettes, soften the fabric hand, added some stretch and movement.  I've stepped out of my box to bring you a new and unique collection. Toni Whitaker, in sizes 2-12. Made in the USA.             



"Change brings about change, but designing is my life.  As long as I'm alive, I'll be designing."Toni Whitaker