Kisau Photography

“Elegance comes from being as beautiful inside as outside.” – Coco Chanel

Thrilled to share photos of the beautiful and elegant Sally wearing a gorgeous gown and headpiece by Aquatico Clothing Company. The photos were taken during the designer’s fashion show at the Handlery Union Square Hotel, which blends the timelessness and charm of historic San Francisco with modern character and comfort to create a setting that few hotels can offer.

Every dress Jesse Aquatico designs has a story. The story of the dress started Christmas of 2021:

“It was after my debut at LAFW. The modeling agency, said come back down. We have another show for you to be in. I was excited… more success. I get there. It is a lobby shoot at a magnificent theater that was promised to be the next venue for my fashion show. The piece was made for a holiday event that was supposed to be a runway, not a photoshoot. Promises unkept.

We designers get used to that sort of thing. You can’t point fingers in this business you can only point to the thread to resolve it. There is always something unexpected or attached to what we designers do. Something unspoken we are expected to accept or stay hushed about. What they don’t know won’t hurt them? But it does. Trust is broken. Vision is short left. But was it your vision to begin with? Hard not to think about when you understand and breakdown the disappointment of this job.

It must exist for fashion to make strides: it’s called improvement. Something I’m still learning from all the hurt. When all I want to do is sew. You fail because you succeed. You win because you lose. It’s a continuous synergy of moving your mind past the bad and sending messages of clarity rather than mixups.

Practice makes perfect. As we did that day. Breaking teams is never the answer. Some never came there to win. They just sought. Acceptance. A beautiful playlist was made for that 17 piece showcase. To the late Sammy Davis Jr. and the genius of the brilliant Percy Faith. I played this holiday playlist often as I sewed that piece. To remind me of the youthful smile of my youngest son singing it always, that time of year.

The structure and pattern of, old Hollywood I was too capture that day on that cancelled show by way of the train and ostrich feathers often found in pieces of that time. The Novak, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly days of class, refinement and appreciation for high fashion.

Behind every piece I make there is story. That is why it is called art. Not fashion.”