NYC Culture/Style: Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2013: ADRIAN ALICEA

Celebrity designer Adrian Alicea presented his Spring/Summer 2013 Collection "Hybrids Of The Deep Blue Sea" on September 12th, at St. Bartholomew's Cathedral, on Park Avenue.

This year, Adrian Alicea dedicated his collection to Anna Piaggi, (1931-2012) visionare, icon and friend. Anna Piaggi was instrumental in placing Adrian Alicea's helmet design on the cover of Vogue Italia with supermodel Linda Evangelista.

It was at the age of 20 that Adrian was approached by Rae Dawn Chong at the famed NY nightclub The Tunnel, where he was a featured performer, about being a model for Thierry Mugler. Adrian modeled for Thierry Mugler for three years. He continued to dance every opportunity he could and from Mugler he transitioned on to touring as a featured dancer with Malcom McClaren, Willie Ninja and Grace Jones. As a model, he did campaigns and runways for Armani, Gautier, Gianfranco Ferre and Patricia Fields. In the late 90s, he met Nico Urquiza and established the house of Nico & Adrian.

For ten years, Adrian worked with Nico to create a couture collection that featured unique and outrageous designs and runway shows that were so scandalous in their sexiness that many of the world’s top models and fashion photographers came calling for collaborations. The designs of Nico & Adrian NY went on to be featured in many magazines covers and pages including Vogue. Their fashions would be photographed by Steven Meisel and David LaChappelle. Their wares would be worn by the likes of Linda Evangelista, Omahyra, Daddy Yankee, Nick Cannon and Zoe Saldana. The last act of Nico & Adrian NY as a team is their underwear line which is currently available in stores and online today.

Adrian's moment of triumph

For the past two years, Adrian has been focusing on establishing his own aptly-named line, Adrian Alicea Haute Couture. Paying homage to his Latino and Taino Indian roots, celebrating his growth as an artist from dancer to model to stylist to designer to photographer, the Adrian Alicea Haute Couture collection is, as Adrian shyly explains, “…my heart. I make everything by hand. I love color. I love music. I love dance. I want my designs to make people happy, so each piece is unique. I put everything into my work--my heart, my soul, my love. I want everyone who wears my designs to feel special, to feel proud…to know they are different and that they have a right to be.”