Exclusive to NWN, Iris Ophelia's ongoing showcase of all things stylish in SL
Last week, the artistic minds behind RMB City got together to choose the grand prize winner from the list of finalists selected for the RMB City design contest.The competition was fierce and it wasn't an easy choice, but ultimately all the judges agreed that one entry really captured the essence of RMB City. Keep reading to find out who won, if you haven't guessed already!
It's true, we couldn't say no to akhal Murfin's Iron WIND hairstyle. Her design incorporates many pieces of the city itself, suspending them in a massive spray of glossy black hair. It has elements of classical Asian hair styling, combined with bold and undeniably avant-garde elements as well.
It may surprise you to know that akhal herself isn't a career designer in SL. She doesn't have a store or a brand of her own at all! She described her creative history in SL to me, saying that she'd never done much more than framing her pictures, modifying items, and making simple objects, as well as a couple Japanese hairstyles.
akhal is also one of several Japanese designers who entered this contest. When I asked her what inspired her most about RMB City, she said that while the building and construction areas caught her attention, the city really made her feel like flying, and filled her mind with an image of things waving in the wind. She phrases it rather poetically, saying, "I felt a wind, wind for rust, or help things fly, I do not know". She combined these feelings with the images that struck her most, and built them up on a theatrical kabuki-style hair that swept us all right off our feet.
akhal's design really blew us away, but all of the entries were brilliantly creative! This was an amazing contest to be involved in, and I want to thank everyone who entered. Everyone had a dramatically different take on the theme, and it was fascinating to see each designer's approach!
Iris Ophelia has been featured in the New York Times and has spoken about
SL-based design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan.
Congratulations to akhal for a great and innovative hair style :)
Posted by: aems case | Friday, October 09, 2009 at 07:48 AM
Wasn't this like 2 1/2 weeks ago? Thought you had forgotten all about it! Who were the runner ups and what put them apart from this design?
Posted by: Diego | Friday, October 09, 2009 at 09:05 AM