Features: Seville Michelle Anastos

Ms. Anastos

Meet Seville Michelle Anastos, Accessories Designer, and quite the fashion maven if we may add. She's based out of Queens, NY and has been in this game for quite some time now. She designed pieces for Alicia Keys Freedom World Tour and you can catch anyone from Ciara, to Beyonce, to the girls from Diddy-Dirty Money wearing her unique bamboo earrings wrapped in leather. Seville just recently launched a line called the Epaulet Collection which adorns any shoulder in a rocked out, glamourous, and quite fashionably-advanced kind of way. We are excited we got the chance to catch up with our Designing Diva and get down with a little Q&A...so without further ado...

SWNYC:  How did you get started with designing accessories?

SMA: I became inspired after styling a celebrity. I thought that if I were her personal stylist I would create accessories that had never been seen before. After a break in my schedule, I bought the material and began designing. I created the epaulets that launched my line in October 2009. Shortly after that, I was invited to participate in Gen Art Emerging Artist in Miami and was commissioned by Alicia Keys to create 10 epaulets. I've been at it ever since.

SWNYC:  What inspires your pieces or you to create your pieces?

Bamboo earings covered in leather.

SMA:  I experience strong internal directives and that is what I'm responding to when I design. I keep my life filled with good content; good people, music, art and great non-fiction books. I'm addicted to knowledge and Google is my favorite inanimate object. All of these influences permeate in my work.

SWNYC:  Is this something you always wanted to do, or did you want to be/do something else prior?

SMA:  I'm not sure it was ever a focal for me but accessories have always been my favorite part of dressing up. When I was a little girl I wanted to be a marine biologist. : )

SWNYC:  How has New York City played a part in your success?

SMA:  New York city has been my backdrop since forever. I'm influenced by everything about it and when you hug the city it tends to hug you back. I'm a city kid born/bred and based in Queens.

SWNYC:  What is your favorite piece/creation as of right now, and why?

SMA:  I'm loving the black earrings with chain initially created for the Patricia Field store on the Bowery.

SWNYC:  Where is your favorite spot in the city, where do you frequent or would like to more often?

SMA:  When in the mood to fall in love with New York again I hit the Lower East Side and then grab dinner at Freemans alone or with a friend. It's the perfect blend of good taste, intellect and obscurity. All of the things that are the catalyst for falling in love for me.

SWNYC:  What should we expect from Seville in the near future? What's next on the list? Apparel maybe?;-)

SMA:  I'm working on collaborations with other artists and I've written a short film that I plan on shooting soon. I have other ideas for accessories that I'll be launching in the winter. I believe that good taste must be shared.

Dawn Richardson of Diddy-Dirty Money is rocking the black bamboo earings while Kalena is sporting the Epaulet and earings.

Don't forget to check out her website, where you can see her latest and greatest designs and buy them as well. Just don't buy the epaulet with the spikes cause I'm getting that one and we can't walk around with the same piece on...okay fine you can get it but just don't wear it the same day I do...lol

http://sevillemichelleanastos.com/