Bita Pourtavoosi's Metropolitan Design: Less Is More

Diann Valentine, a world renowned event designer and wedding planner famous for having organized internationally acclaimed weddings for celebrities like Usher, Toni Braxton, and Boyz II Men crooner Shawn Stockman just to name a few wearing a New York fashion handmade jewellery designer Bita Pourtavoosi's “Big Chunk of Onyx Ring” and “3 Hoop Earrings” effortlessly demonstrated modern metropolitan style by accessorizing with jewellery. And she looked just jaw droppingly gorgeous. I reckon no one knows the meaning of cosmopolitan chic better than Bita Pourtavoosi whose designs project the typical New York-style simplicity, freshness, and cleanliness yet not without details and the amazing attention to superior materials and unsurpassed quality workmanship.

Big Chunk of a Stone Ring, the design is simple with subtle details. The ring features a large tiger's eye with stripes framed by an exquisitely textured 24K yellow gold plated brass frame. By wearing this on your finger, you surely share minimal fashion taste of New Yorkers.



Hammered 3 Hoop Earring, one of my favourite pieces which best projects cosmopolitan chic. These 24K yellow gold plated brass earrings are hand hammered to perfection, which reflects the designer's dedication and passion for her craft, art, and design.



Bita Pourtavoosi's collection consists of a wide range of striking jewellery items that are perfect for almost every occasion. Each of the fashion jewellery pieces from Bita is handcrafted by the designer herself using semi precious stones, which makes her designs even more luxurious and unique as no two pieces are exactly alike, ensuring each owner that they end up with a unique piece of jewellery all their own that matches their individual personality.

Stacker Bangles with Cabochons, a definitely interesting piece which allows you to mix and match and create a set that is all your own as you desire. Each gold bangle is embellished with three semi precious stones – green aventurine, turquoise howlite, gold plated pyrite, white howlite, and tiger's eye just to name a few. The beautiful colour combinations can certainly brighten up the dull grayness of city life.



Bita Pourtavoosi's jewellery collection is a must-have for every metropolitan girl like you and me. Don't hesitate to come visit and shop with us at artistspringboard Boutique. See you there!

Royal Wedding Dress Makers

Princess Anne was married in November 1973 to Captain Mark Phillips. Anne chose the sensible seamstress Maureen Baker to design her gown. Maureen had already been working as chief-designer for ready-to-wear label Susan Small for 30 years. The result was a Tudor-style dress with long hanging sleeves reminiscent of a medieval princess’s dress and a high collar. Maureen continued working for Princess Anne, creating about 250 outfits and then retired in the nineties.

Diana’s gown was designed by British designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel. It was styled to look like the typical fairy-tale wedding dress and is described as a meringue style, with a 25 foot train. The Emanuels were only out of college for a year before they were commissioned to design Diana’s dress and were dubbed the New Romantics. They did not translate this success into much of an effective business plan however in the time that followed.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson got married in July 1986 at Westminster Abbey. Sarah’s gown was designed by Lindka Cierach made of ivory duchesse satin. It had a 17-foot train with small crystal anchors and a large A in honour of Prince Andrew on the train. The dress having been designed in the eighties even had shoulder-pads. The designer’s ambition was to create a dress designed to show off Fergie’s love for Andrew. Lindka went on to design suits and dresses for women like Cherie Blair, Catherine Zeta Jones, Helen Mirren and Queen Rania of Jordan.

In 1999 Prince Edward married Sophie Rhys-Jones at St George’s chapel in Windsor. British designer Samantha Shaw designed Sophie’s dress made of ivory silk organza and silk crepe. The dress had full length sleeves and stitched on the back were many tiny crystals and pearls. Samantha had studied costume designing so had a theatrical flair in the designs that she created and the result was a dress that was modern but partly influenced by the medieval trend. Samantha has gone on to make dresses for other society women.

Rhoda’s Fashion at Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show 2011

Photo taken by Edmund Fraser

The Neoclassical period was a time when women threw away their corsets and opted for a higher waistline that was more comfortable, shaped by ideas of classical influences like dress in Ancient Greece and Rome. Rhoda’s Fashion too throws out conventions today about what modern high street wear should look like, or rather adds into the mix a love of the neoclassical style. Her aim is to create a collection that is suitable for today’s working woman and is both practical and affordable.

Photo taken by Louise Gran
Photo taken by Edmund Fraser
Photo taken by Louise Gran
Photo taken by Louise Gran
Photo taken by Edmund Fraser

Photo taken by Edmund Fraser

This collection obviously then encompasses blouses and skirts, but not in a boring way. Instead lace blouses find structure in the shoulders and are embellished with vintage ornate brooch accessories. A skirt takes on the colour of navy but is pleated with a brooch and chain detailing. These exquisite designs were shown on the Runway of the Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show 2011, modelled by Edinburgh students, to cheering crowds, alongside bigger names like Pringle, Pinko, All Saints, andToms shoes.

The Neoclassical period also revealed in ornate detailing, like ruffles on petticoats, ornate brooches, and ornate trimmings that showed off a women’s silhouette and Rhoda’s Fashion captures this silhouette effectively in the details used. Details become very important, like the ruffles on a sailor’s jacket or the side antique button details on a pair of jodhpurs. Not only this but tailoring is of the upmost importance; reflecting style and quality in the cut of trousers, jackets, blouses and skirts.

The cut of the sailor’s jacket is offset by the cut of the jodhpurs to create a dandy look modernised by a pair of heels. A black fringe skirt with jet black antique brooch is worn with a ruffled lace blouse with white chain detail added accessory. A black gladiator jacket with front button was another piece as was a navy blue asymmetric jacket with pleated collar and two vintage front buttons as added accessories.

Headgear continued along the neoclassical theme, with huge feather detailing or feather and lace fascinators placed on top of the head against an abundance of curls. The Rhoda’s team is currently working on a second collection that will be an exciting step further in the creativity of their designs. For more information on Rhoda’s Fashion visit artistspringboard.com.

Photo taken by Edmund Fraser
Photo taken by Edmund Fraser
Photo taken by Edmund Fraser

Sheena's “Handmade with Love”: CLEOPATRA Reborn and That Could Be YOU

Let's keep CLEOPATRA legend alive!

When I first saw the luxurious jewellery collection by Sheena Bulsara the award winning London based designer of Grant Riley Styling and Geoff Reardon Competition, I saw Cleopatra.

Challenging myself to create the modern image of Cleopatra, I would still make the young Elisabeth Taylor playing Cleopatra, the legendary female Pharaoh of ancient Egypt in an evergreen Hollywood classic “Cleopatra” as an ideal model of beauty and power the icon of Sheena's label called “Handmade with Love” but restyle her with Sheena's jewellery, which design I reckon is a perfect blend of vintage and new, luxury and down-to-earth wearability, and of the empress' nobleness and ladylike grace. How do you like my idea to advertise your brain-child and I will be thinking of more, Sheena?

Vintage jewel components and modern craftsmanship are the signature of Sheena's design. This Sunken Treasure Necklace displays the beauty of a vintage piece with high style and superior craftsmanship updating the styling, quality and value for the modern image of Cleopatra.



One thing about the collection that really appeals to me is her flair for aesthetics and passion for jewellery that the designer has injected into each piece, which makes it unique and as beautiful as art. As the name of the brand suggests, each piece of Sheena's jewellery is hand stitched and assembled, which wearers are surely fascinated with the fine materials and exquisite craftsmanship and feel a sense of love generated from the fabulous creations they are wearing. On top of that, Sheena knows particularly well what makes a design mind-blowing for girls – girls love colours and admire bling, she combines precious gems and crystal stones of kaleidoscope colours – sapphire blue, turquoise, amber yellow – you name it and of different textures to give each piece a very stunning and glittering look, which would go perfectly well with gowns and brighten and dress up any casual outfits.

My favourite necklace, the combination of the blinking colourful semi-precious stones coupled with Swarvoski crystals has won my heart.



Moroccan Summer Earring, different shades of blue is created by a mix of sapphire, aqua, and Montana coloured Swarovski stones.



Cleopatra is reborn and that could be YOU! You do not need to possess the wealth of the ancient empire to extend the legend of Cleopatra today. Go and get Sheena's collection at an affordable price and start to experience beauty and taste the power brought to you because of that. Why wait, girls? Visit artistspringboard boutique and shop with us.

Alice England

As the song by Calvin Harris says ‘It was Acceptable in the Eighties’ and London’s ‘Mr and Mrs Jones’ Collection’ certainly agrees anything goes with daring Lycra mesh and black leather panels on show besides cheeky bright pops of colour that are reminiscent of 80s computer gaming. This collection is not just a call-back to the eighties; it is an update of what it means to be a powerful woman today.

Inspirations for elements like body come from current designers like Herve Leger whilst the skeletal body structure more often seen in the nineties further updates this look as contours and silhouettes are made sharp and distinct. Take a look at the cuts of this fun chequered jacket against a skinny Lycra leotard, whose combination creates an air of androgyny.

Fun is the name of the game here and designs even try to recreate the mad fun of 80s games like Pacman, asteroids and snake in colour panel designs of baby blue, pink and yellow; the familiar toy the Rubix cube’s colours are also mixed into the palette. The black against colour is sexy, vibrant and youth enhancing along with Azzedine inspired curves that come into play.

Inspiration from Mark Fast and Gareth Pugh are easy to see from experiments with volume and structure, which are evident in the three dimensional pieces created to be true works of art. The photographers Rankin and Helmut Newton are other inspirations. Black is used because it is flattering and creates a solid undertone against which other elements, like texture and light, can play. These works of art used solely for the catwalk are being sold on artistspringboard at a reduced price.

If you haven’t spotted it yet you may be interested to know that Grace Jones was a major influence for this collection. Grace’s natural empowerment through the edgy fashion she wore was an inspiration for Alice; and the designer wanted to bring out a sense of fun in her customers. Sexuality and voyeurism are all hinted at through the use of fabrics like leather and fur. There are plans for Alice London to produce a new collection at a later stage that she is working on at the moment.

Emerging Designers/Stylists Competition Winner: Bita Pourtavoosi

Emerging designer Bita Pourtavoosi is the official winner of Artistspringboard’s online PR services with 24 likes to her submission on our Facebook fan page.

We are excited to offer her two months worth of free online PR services.

In detail the prize package includes two months of assistance with mass mailings, high presence on artistspringboard’s website, support with press release, high presence on artistspringboard’s blog page and advertising on the site.

“We take pride in providing full benefits with the aim to deliver effective results through our Online PR services offered to emerging designers and stylists.”

Click Here to view more information on the Online PR Services