Nina turned 15! and we celebrated by taking some off the wall portraits at the always fun Jimbos…

Amanda and Marcel had their wedding in beautiful Islamorada in the Florida Keys. These are the kind of weddings that makes me love this job even more. A truly lovely setting with even lovelier people.  Here are the details and my favorites….

Ceremony & Reception: The Chesapeake Beach Resort, Islamorada

Dress: Watters

Shoes: Betsey Johnson

Bridesmaid dresses: www.unique-vintage.com

Makeup: Sarah (www.sarahchatel.com)

Groomsmen: Converse & Guayabera’s

Caterer: Caribbean Catering, Islamorada

DJ: Tom Laroc

I had the great opportunity to be a part of a campaign for the local Miami chapter of the PAA (PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA).

The PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA  is a non-profit organization dedicated to the cultivation and preservation of the rich cultural heritage of the island of Crete located in Greece. Through its diverse programs, PAA reaches out to Cretans of all ages in the United States and Canada making a positive difference in the lives of individual members, supporting the chapters of which they are a part and educating the public about the history and culture of Crete.  For 80 years PAA has been a cornerstone of the Greek-American community, fostering philanthropy, educational programs, scholarships and cultural events.

Recently Katerina Albanis Theodorou, President of the local PAA Miami Chapter, had a vision to photograph the future of the Miami Chapter, in a campaign that she called, “Folk Meets Urban.”  The purpose of this campaign was to show that the Cretan culture is as alive today as it was a few centuries back. We did this by photographing the youth in an urban setting and also integrating the folk costume with modern fashion. The location of the shoot was in the Design District of Miami, Florida.  The neighborhood is flooded with graffiti and urban painted walls that perfectly set the tone. The youth group wore their traditional Cretan Costumes and posed in groups and individually. Each costume piece has a significant meaning. Put them all together and you make a rich history.  This photo shoot meant a lot to me since I am also from Crete and I was able to give back to a culture that has given me so much.  I also want to thank the youth for participating and being such wonderful people to work with…I look forward to our next shoot!

Below are details of the intricate costumes and the photos of the campaign.

Traditional Male Cretan Costume:

Levendoraftis- a special tailor that fashions the costume.

Features of the Costume:
Vraka- wide baggy trouser made of heavy wool felt to protect the owner from the cold.
Sela – the part of the baggy trouser which hangs behind reaching down toward ankles.
Yileki- a sleeveless waistcoat.
Mindani – sleeved jacket, worn over the yileki.
Zounari- a sash about 8 meters long and wrapped around the waist.
Basalis- a silver knife usually tucked through the zounari.
Kiousteki- an ornamental chain for the watch, is an indispensable accessory.
Stivania- high leather boots over silk knitted socks. Boots are white or black.
Sariki- a crocheted black scarf edged with a fringe of tiny little knots and wrapped around the head.
Capoto- an embroidered cape flung over one or both shoulders and completes the costume.

Traditional Female Cretan Costume:

The ‘Sfakiani’ costume- is the official costume of Crete
The ‘Anoghiani, was designed later around the 17th century, and mainly worn in Anoghia,

Features of the female Costume:
Sartza- a red draped half skirt worn over white trousers.
Brostopodia – an embroidered double apron tied around the waist
Mindani- a jacket in dark colored felt richly adorned with gold embroidery.
Skoufoma- a red kerchief decorated with gold cotton fringe tied around the head
Zounari- a red wool sash is worn around the waist
Basalis- a knife with silver sheath is tucked into the belt. This knife indicates that the woman is betrothed or married.
Jewelry- accented with a gold necklace of coins.
Shoes- women wear short black boots or high heel black shoes.