If you love Project Runway and designers, you would probably thank season three winner Jeffrey Sebelia and his work. What are you doing these days? Of course, he has a new job as chief designer for the company called Fluxus.
If you don’t remember Sebelia, he was a tall, punk-looking guy with tattoos around his neck. Sebelia was selected to compete as one of four finalists with the opportunity to showcase her collections at Fashion Week, where she was also the winner. While on the show, he had been portrayed as the “villain” from season three, known for his explicit language and for making contestant Angela Keslar’s mother cry. Of course, other contestants like Alison Kelly disputed this saying that Sebelia was much nicer than the show’s edit indicated.
Sebalia also stood out on the show for talking about her final years of drug addiction, suicide attempts, and her redemption. During the show, he constantly pranked the other contestants, sometimes being an arrogant winner and a sore loser. In the final episode, her red dress patterned with little white apples stole the show. His collection was the most complete and varied. Before appearing on the show, he was operating his own small but moderately successful label called Cosa Nostra. He was also selling to a handful of celebrities, including Dave Navarro and Gwen Stefani. Sebalia’s friend Santino Rice from season 2 suggested that Sebalia try out for the show.
Since the show, Sebalia’s designs for Flexus have remained true to the slanted form of the punk side but also avant-garde. The fabrics are sharp and comfortable. Although amazing, the collection stays on the affordable side ranging from $ 60 to $ 200 and for this price you can get everything from sheer striped tees and tank tops to bat dresses and cozy capsules.
Fluxus, spelled fluXuS, was founded by Martin Paquette. The store’s business was founded in 2007 and its name and company are said to stem from an artistic movement that blurs the lines between genres. The art movement has been primarily influenced by the work of John Cage and Marcel DuChamp and heavily influenced by Yoko Ono, Beck, and Ben. FLuXus is said to represent the combination and connection of all aspects of art and life, intermingling different philosophies and cultures. There is life, there is art and in between is fashion.
The company has three locations including Larchmont Village, Brentwood, and Orange County. While the company is known for its fabrics, incorporating Sebelia has not only given the company a financial boost, but also a new look of its own. The designer has helped the company broaden its ideas. The Spring 2010 line is the first official fLuXus by Sebelia collection, featuring dark, edgy pieces that are still soft alongside 1950s American sportswear and military-inspired dresses.
The entire fLuXus clothing line is designed and manufactured in Los Angeles. Owner Martin Paquette said he doesn’t believe in outsourcing production due to the fact that if he returned a product, by the time he got it back, the fashion trend would be over. The company states: “Everything in our Los Angeles infrastructure is vertically integrated, from conceptualization and manufacturing to retail. FLuXus is committed to helping and working with local communities, as well as facilitating social progress on the spot. I’m working to create a revolution in the garment industry. “