Asher Levine: Down to the Shoes

Yesterday I posted articles on two seasonal collections by US designer, Asher Levine. I waited to post the line of shoes from the spring/summer 2011 collection on purpose, since they are so unique.

True to the designer’s hybrid techniques, the range clearly reflects his reorganization and abstraction of shape and form.

With fins projecting from the heels as an extension of man, the collection harnesses a sense of energy from the natural world, fusing it with human existence.

Enjoy the collection here.

Photos Copyright Asher Levine.

Asher Levine & the Natural World

Asher Levine is heavily influenced by the natural world, and often pulls inspiration from organic, biological and scientific sources.

An inherent terrestrial presence can be seen in his work, and his pieces reflect his trademark reorganization and abstraction of shape and form.

Asher’s unique design aesthetic seeks to evaluate and challenge the industry's standardized corporal limitations on the human figure.

His Spring/Summer 2011 Collection not only advances sexual boundaries but structural ones, as well. The clothes harness energy from their organic origins; they are active.

Instead of passively resting on the shoulders of the wearer, each piece becomes an extension of the wearer’s body—establishing a hybrid physiology.

Fins project from his heels and shoulders. Dangling tentacles droop from his midriff. His elongated tail flows freely in the wind. A symbiotic relationship develops between the man and his attire. The aesthetic fluidity of the collection serves to deconstruct gender binaries.

Unlike the fitted suits and tailored button-downs that reinforce rigid perceptions of menswear, Asher Levine celebrates our genre’s potential to attain artistic significance in the face of utilitarian demands and ideological constraints. It promotes a new breed of masculinity that is self-defined rather than prescribed.

In addition to his collection, Asher Levine can be seen on performance artists such as Lady Gaga, Sam Sparro, Dangerous Muse, and Johnny Weir.

Have a look here at the whole collection.

Photos & text Copyright Asher Levine.

Asher Levine: the Designer

Asher Levine’s design skills first developed at age 10 while taking a sewing course in his native Florida hometown. A natural fascination with fashion design quickly emerged, and in 2006 Asher moved to New York City to pursue a Managerial Entrepreneurship degree from Pace University.

While taking business courses, Asher independently began creating conceptual designs out of the basement of his West Village apartment.

His experimental outfits were adapted by many nightlife personalities and could be seen across the New York underground club circuit.

Asher’s debut Fall/Winter 2010 collection came shortly after his graduation, at which point Asher started creating outfits for various prominent performance artists.

In September of the same year, Asher's Spring/Summer 2011 collection was shown in a presentation from his midtown showroom.

Have a look here at the entire collection.

Photos & text Copyright Asher Levine.