Arts & Entertainment
Meet Weho Fashion Maverick Michael Volkar
Local designer incorporates art into his styles, with a sometimes quirky, avant-garde twist—including a dress made of potato chip bags.
Whether it's a cocktail dress made entirely of potato chip bags or a halter dress made with bleach and an open flame, West Hollywood's Michael Volkar is the jack of all trades for the world of all fashions.
Fine art and fashion are one and the same for Volkar, who at 22 formed his own clothing line known for its ready-to-wear garments with an avant-garde attention to style. His first manufactured line for 2012 spring and summer is in the works.
“Expect luxurious, timeless luxury,” Volkar told Patch. “I like my garments to last forever, because when you pay for fashion it shouldn’t be thought of as a purchase, [but] as a commodity you are investing in, a piece that will actually appreciate in value over time.”
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Such a feat hasn't always been expected from Volkar, who grew up in Johnstown, PA, where he recalls being different and made fun of for his artwork and sexual orientation.
“I knew I already stuck out and was being judged for being gay, so I figured, might as well give them something to look at,” said the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising graduate.
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His most interesting project came to him as an intern for local fellow fashion designer Merlin Castell from Bravo TV’s The Fashion Show with Isaac Mizrahi. Volkar created a cocktail dress made entirely of potato chip bags.
“I have never met [a designer] that is as humble, well-educated, career-oriented and disciplined as [Volkar],” said Castell. “I’m glad I got the honor to meet and work with him, a talented designer with a bright future.”
Volkar recently created some buzz with a halter dress he designed for KingQueen’s music video It’s My Life, using a technique involving bleach and an open flame to burn and fade the fabric to resemble cigarette burns.
"I'm not a girly girl, but I saw that dress and it was the most gorgeous dress," KingQueen said of Volkar's design. "It looked like a 2011 Marilyn Monroe rock 'n' roll dress. I want one in every color!”
Currently, Volkar is working on a leather-studded rocker jacket for KingQueen’s upcoming show dates to promote her second album.
Volkar spends a lot of time in his Weho studio apartment, where his original work is on display—from paintings to pillows. The downside of being surrounded by his work, he said, is that he forgets to eat or sleep.
His ideas are first put to paper in a small sketchbook he takes everywhere. He draws inspiration from characters in movies, along with rhythms and themes in music.
“I treat [music] as my muse and I just draw and draw," Volkar said. "Musically, I’ll listen to anything from Lady Gaga to Imogen Heap, but when it comes to sewing, I tend to listen to ambient music, such as the kind you’d hear in yoga, so as to relax while working.”
Volkar hopes to sieze all artistic opportunities in his designs and have that reflect on his company’s reputation. He produces garments available for purchase on his website, but expects to expand to boutiques and stores. His goal for next year is to audition for season 10 of Project Runway.