story + pics / Ericka Clevenger
Allysun Dutra-owner and designer at Kittinhawk, blew us away with yet another amazing handcrafted collection of refurbished and undeniably unique clothing fit for the angel of a roman soldier. Her normal dark, leather approach was equally trumped by her light white collection of braided dresses adorned with an array of metal and crystals, perfectly paired with rosy cheeks and twinkle toes. As a young designer, this talented female is kicking ass and taking names in the LA fashion scene. I look forward to seeing what this brilliant mind will bring us in the future, where Dutra herself holds as many talents as the facets on her crystals.
What is the theme of this season’s collection?
This season’s micro collection was based around the concept of magnetic anomalies, sacred geometry, ancient Greece, and Atlantis.
What is a Magnet Anomaly?
A magnet anomaly refers to spots on the planet where there is a disruption in the earth’s magnetic field. Some people call these areas vile vortices’- which is the term referring to twelve geographic areas that are alleged to have been the sites of mysterious disappearances. The most famous example is the Bermuda Triangle, where it is believed below its surface is the remains of ancient Atlantis.
Does this have anything to do with your reoccurring use of crystals?
Yes, The famous psychic Edgar Cayce believed the Atlanteans harnessed the energy of quartz crystals to make electricity and power.
“He purportedly revealed that many of his subjects were reincarnations of people that had live on Atlantis, and by tapping into their collective consciousness, he was able to give detailed descriptions of the lost continent.”
In your LA fashion week show, you seemed to momentarily replace crystals with origami. This is the first time we have seen something like this in your work. Would you care to talk about it?
The use of white/ origami in the collection was a purposeful reference to crystals and sacred geometry, which are connected to the fact that the natural crystalline structure of all gems and minerals are sacred geometric shapes. The ancient Greeks are also pictured in white draping robes and their ancient culture was a product of some of the original great thinkers. Both the ideas of sacred geometry and Atlantis submerged from them. For my fashion week show Ignacio Gonzalez and myself made all of the origami by hand. He was able to tap into my wavelength and helped physically create the shapes that I described inside my head. His work was intrinsic to this show and I couldn’t have done it without him.
You mentioned Plato earlier. Can you elaborate on his involvement in your collection?
Plato was the first to write about ancient Atlantis “a legendary island first mentioned in dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written in c. 360 BC.” I became fascinated with these theories and through studying them all, I found beauty in the way they all tied into one another. Naturally it inspired me and led me to incorporate the images and stories of antiquity, the science of sacred geometry, as well as magnetic anomalies into my work.
With this collection I wanted to create something otherworldly that wasn’t only fashion, but a way of transporting the imagination. I wanted my clothes to be a visual representation for the audience, of all the passion and wonder that fills my mind.
