Soyon An, an up and coming fashion designer, is breaking into the limelight as she designs the entire costume wardrobe for “Dangerous Beauty,” a play featured at the Pasadena Playhouse through March 13.
Producer Tara Smith, an avid fan of An’s styling, reached out to the designer with the opportunity to tackle her first attempt at dressing an entire theater show.
Last April, the two spoke the details.
“At that point I decided I would want to be a part of this project,” An said.
The gowns that An is designing are a mix of old and new silhouettes that date back to the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries.
“I took in the fashion and gave it a modern twist,” An exclaimed.
The play is loosely based around characters called courtesans, which are similar to geishas. An described how these women were the only female figures of their time period who were allowed an education, could earn money, and be among political men.
An dresses the courtesans in a combination of drapery and upholstery. She said there’s going to be a lot of chiffon, tulle, and netting.
Veronica Franco, the main character in “Dangerous Beauty,” played by Jenny Powers, is going to be decked out in an “amazing wardrobe” consisting of chiffon and Swarovski crystals.
An gets her inspiration from the contemporary and modern silhouettes that fashion designers Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, and Christian Lacroix send down the runways.
She said, “I draw inspiration not just from other designers, but from the current trends that are happening right now in the world around me.”
Although An says she wouldn’t mind doing another theater production, she continues to design the wardrobes for the male and female contestants on American Idol.
Along with her work on television and on the stage, An is in the process of developing an interactive fashion website and her own personal clothing line anticipated to be called “Soyon”.
An has come a long way from her starting point at Forever 21 and continues to spread fashion that encompasses her own personal style and taste.
Be sure to keep an eye out for An’s display of costumes for “Dangerous Beauty” and follow her trends on Twitter and her Facebook page.
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