3 posts tagged "Yaz Kurhan"
Out Of Africa (And Into The Marais)
Yaz Kurhan, better known as her nom de jewelry Yazbukey, is not one to hide her light under a bushel. For her “Fabulous African Saga” accessories and new home decor, Kurhan took over Tigersushi in Paris’ Marais neighborhood for a collection launch party with her likeminded friends, including stylists Catherine Baba and Elisa Nalin (above left, with Kurhan), Purple‘s Caroline Gaimari, Lanvin’s Elie Top, Sarah Lerfel from Colette, and Michelle Harper, in town from New York for Couture week. Fancy friends, however, doesn’t make for a stuffy hostess: Kurhan comfortably installed herself on a throne made of plastic grocery-store crates (made for the occasion by Diplomates, the Paris art collective) and greeted her guests.
Kurhan chose Africa as the theme for her Fall collection, based on childhood memories growing up in Saudi Arabia. “My dad was part of the Turkish embassy there and he organized the Islamic conference for many years,” she said. “I remember playing with the children of all the African dignitaries at the conference, and although I’ve never visited Africa, I got a feeling for its diversity from that experience.” Kurhan, who divides her time between Paris and New York (where she dreams up accessories for Zac Posen’s Z Spoke line), continues to work in Plexiglas, creating flattened versions of everyday Africana, including flora, fauna, and everything in between. Case in point: There are tiger’s paw necklaces with scratch-mark traces, snake sunglasses, and banana hair pins—as well as a ghetto blaster bag. And for the first time, plastic wall decals join the wearable offerings, including a portrait of Naomi Campbell and a lion’s head.
Cédric Rivrain: Wrap Star
When Cédric Rivrain’s first solo exhibition opens at Brachfeld Gallery in Paris tonight, it’ll give new meaning to the term bandage dressing. His subjects include fashion It girls Olympia Le-Tan, Gabrielle Greiss, and Charlotte Chesnais, but they’re more likely to be depicted in Band-Aids than Balenciaga. “My mother was always taking me shopping and my father is a doctor. I guess that’s why I combine beautiful things with anatomical studies,” said the illustrator, who has sketched for everyone from John Galliano to Martine Sitbon. “Bandages are kind of jewelry and can be as ornamental as a garment.” Don’t expect mummies at the wrap party; jewelry designer Yaz Kurhan of Yazbukey is hosting at Club Montana.
Yazbukey’s Cult Dance At Le Baron
Sometimes all a party needs is a girl in a corset who can dance. That was the case last night when, around midnight, jewelry designer Yaz Kurhan of Yazbukey christened her Fall collection, Cult, with a sexy dance atop a shrouded piano at Le Baron. The soundtrack was French heartthrob du jour Sébastien Tellier’s hit “Roche.” After her sultry gymnastics, we grilled Yaz about this season’s goods (Spring’s line includes mice coin purses, vintage plastic telephone bags, and a hotdog necklace with all the fixin’s). “It’s all about Sébastien Tellier,” she cooed, holding up the giant mirror-and-Plexi pendant bust of the long-haired, bearded crooner she was wearing. Besides a black lace push-up bra, nude bustier (a forties relic she discovered in an Istanbul souk for €20), and silver spike pumps, the oversize accessory for Fall was about all Yaz had on. “I love how he looks, I love how he sings, and I love all that hair,” she gushed. “Even if you don’t know Sébastien, my pendant also looks a lot like Jesus, don’t you think?” Around 2 a.m., Malcolm McLaren—an intime of Yaz’s—showed up, along with art director Marc Ascoli and his wife, Rue du Mail designer Martine Sitbon. “Yaz was my design intern when she was about 20,” Sitbon said. “She had short, spiky, tomboy hair, and she looked like an Egyptian punk back then. She has the same wicked energy now, only it’s so much more feminine.”