Farahbella's Marriage Of Equals

Rick and Alnea Miskiv met at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. She studied fashion design and he studied fine arts, but they shared a mutual admiration for each other's work and soon an ongoing dialogue through art developed between them. Today, the now-married, Osaka-based design team forms Farahbella, a versatile line of womenswear now in its third season.

Each design begins with an abstract idea, usually a shape that represents a thought or emotion. Take, for example, the triangle, which played a central role in the design of their spring/summer '09 collection. As the designer of the line, Alnea experimented with an eye-catching diamond print on silk crèpe de chine. She worked in the line's signature cut-outs on the back of shirts and dresses, then added godets for added volume and movement—a strange embellishment considering she was inspired by mountains, which aren't known for moving much. "For me, the triangle represents personal struggle, the incline, the up and downs. But they are also strong," she explains. "Triangles are known for their strength in designing structures. So it all came together: the idea of finding strength in the struggle to progress, to grow as a person."

Upon moving to Japan four years ago, the Miskivs immediately began to internalize much of the culture and landscape around them. While Alnea is more focused on silhouettes and the structure of each piece, Rick works more with the composition. He shoots the line and presents the vision of each collection, which often reflects a very holistic approach to art and fashion. "Living in another culture pushes you to move outside your comfort zone," Alnea says. "It challeges you to take another look at who you are, and that influences your whole outlook and, of course, your art."

For more information, see www.farahbella.com.

—Mengly Taing