Fashion Design Team — Your Vibe

At the turn of the new millennia, Your Vibe creators and recording artists Lora Nigro and Kevin Robert Rutkowski discovered an alternative paradigm for reaching an audience by marrying passion for music to a visual art form. Alongside their CDs, they began showcasing wearable objects. The crossover from merchandise to fashion brand became "Its own thing" and the two expressions intertwined.

Their initial casting depicted a serpent descending the Tree of Life, an archetypal symbol reflecting the quest for wisdom beneath the surface of appearances, called "Wisdom & Knowledge." It also exemplified their band "Sometimes Y" and the ideas behind the lyrics. Sometimes Y received multiple WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) awards for best artist.

A metaphor about coming forth, the 2008 jewelry collection, the song written by the designers inspires "Emerge." Playing with varying degrees of light and transparency, the line compliments rather than competes with the wearer's outfit to illuminate fashion, from jeans to formal wear. An innovative use of rubber and crystal randing from cracked to cloudy to clear, convey that individuals can emerge from different places. In a modern statement that defies labels, "Urban Nomad" (2007 Primal Collection) incorporates imagery from a fiercely independent nomadic tribe.

The momentum keeps Nigro's visual and conceptual sparks flying while gigging as a journalist, art director and media designer. Your Vibe jewelry was recently picked up by Aala Reed (Milwaukee,WI) and featured in Info Milwaukee, 3rd quarter, 2007. More about the artists is available at www.loranigro.com and www.yourvibe.net.

"I can totally sense a shift of perception
It can easily free the mind from the doubt
So forget about all the no’s and the can't dos
I will emerge."

Q & A

Favorite color?
Black or clear, so hard to commit!

What is your first memory involving fashion?
Gucci earrings so gaudy I tossed them out. The decision to never wear high heels again.

How would you describe the collection you are showing?
Sleek fashion forward jewelry designs infused with cultural and personal meaning.

Why did you choose to tryout for Milwaukee Fashion Week?
Rarely say no to opportunity.

If you could have one wish come true, what would it be?
That I wouldn't need another one.

How would you describe Milwaukee’s fashion scene?
Evolving.

Where do you draw your inspiration?
Music, conversation, collaboration.

What resources are invaluable to today's designer?
Recognition. The ability to accept credit.

What are your favorite fabrics to work with?
Clean hardware, shiny objects.