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EVENT THIRTY FOUR

FRIEZE 2025

The 6th annual Frieze art fair always bestows a bit of beauty, a lot of world class cultural flare and much anticipated aesthetic adrenaline on our shores.

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The 6th Annual Frieze Art...

Fair always bestows a bit of beauty, a lot of world class cultural flare and much anticipated aesthetic adrenaline on our shores.
 
Opening night always brings out a cool combo of artists, art lovers, celebs, culture vultures – and most of all, people watchers. Never underestimate the art of people watching, an equally aesthetic undertaking all creatives can participate in. At Frieze, no two galleries are alike – no outfits are alike – but couples come complementing each other. Or is it reflecting? Does life imitate art, or the other way around? The most profound question of all: does it even matter?
 
We asked the most compellingly dressed what vibe they were conjuring. Surprisingly, not one of them said “art.” But they all were all thinking it. 
THE ART CROWD
FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Balerj Pobega & Mattia Biagi

OCCUPATION: Artists & Designers

SUM OF THE PARTS: This couple’s so cool, they both had to be artists of some fashion. Turns out, they are and more so. Mattia Biagi in the hat is a well-known Italian multimedia artist; he’s worked with brands tk, on top of which he designs products, furniture, is a fine artist and production designer. Color us impressed. No wonder his toile style shirt’s by Vivienne Westwood, the shoes are Gucci, and the fab glasses Bottega Veneta. Italian fashion designer Valerj Pobega designs avant-gardepieces, like the cape she’s wearing. Handbag is original art deco. “We’re both vintage junkies,” she laughed. We could tell.

Instagram: @mattiabiagi1  @vallerjpobega

FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Aliona Kononova

OCCUPATION: Our Cover Photo

SUM OF THE PARTS: Of course Aliona Kononova is a designer! What else could she possibly be? Wearing her own fabulous avant-garde sartorial splendor, her clothes are sold at H. Lorenzo and Des Kohan. With her signature red lip and slightly – slightly? – Goth attire, Aliona admits her vibe is always: “a little bit dark, but with hope.” Isn’t everyone’s these days?

Instagram: @alionakononova

frieze 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Gary Baseman & Guest

OCCUPATION: Artist

SUM OF THE PARTS: Famed L.A. artist Gary Baseman turned up at Frieze in a unique white and blue embroidered suit – “by my favorite designer, Bode!” That’s NY designer Emily Bode, famed for her boho/rustic original menswear – the Bode store here’s on Melrose just east of LaBrea. 

What’s new with Mr. Baseman? “My cat wrote a book,” he told me. “It’s more famous than me.” The Mighty Paw by Blackie the Cat – perfect for all furry friend lovers. That’s one clever cat, baby.
 

Instagram: @garybaseman

FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Christina Kim & Apurba Pathak

OCCUPATION: Doctors

SUM OF THE PARTS: Apurba Pathak is the best dressed urological surgeon we’ve ever seen. Those barrel shaped patched cargos are by Japanese brand Kapitol – he paired them with leather flowered clogs. “You must go to the Kapitol store in Japan,” his wife Christina Kim (a dermatologist) told us. She’s right – Kapitol Japanese demin’s hard to get here.

Instagram: @drchristinechoikim 

FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Jonathan Matthews

OCCUPATION: Painter

SUM OF THE PARTS: Famed Venice based oil painter Jonathan Matthews is wearing his samurai pants – which look pretty cool to us – with a t shirt version of one of his paintings: “I customize each one.”

Instagram: @jomaworks

FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Anton Krivorotov

OCCUPATION: Dentist

SUM OF THE PARTS: Anton Krivorotov, who doesn’t dress like a dentist but is, likes it “cozy.” One doesn’t think of dentists as“cozy” people – or particularly cool people. But Dr. Anton is.

 

Instagram: @dr.krivorotov

FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Alan Bakerv

OCCUPATION: Entrepreneur

SUM OF THE PARTS: Mr. Alan Bakerv is one sharp shooter – and dresser – in his fascinating combo of unique pieces. 

The shirt is by Off White, jacket by John Richmond. Shoes, Stubbs & Wootton. He told us his vibe is
“comfort” – mostly because “wearing a skirt is breezy.’ Tell me about it!!!
 

Instagram: @alanbakerv

FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Jeremy Quant

OCCUPATION: Entrepreneur

SUM OF THE PARTS: Mr. Jeremy Quant, “no descendant” of one of the most pivotal designers of all time, London’s Mary Quant, represents artists through his agency. Clearly some of that art’s rubbed off on him.

Instagram: @iamjeremyquant

FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Monique Meloche

OCCUPATION: Gallerist

SUM OF THE PARTS: Gallerists can have fashion addictions, too. Monique Meloche of the Monique Meloche Gallery in Chicago is an accessories junkie: her glasses are by Vooglam, long sold out boots by Bottega Veneta.

“A client walked into my gallery wearing them – I’d ordered them online before she even left!”
 

Instagram: @moniquemeloche

FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Drew Bly

OCCUPATION: Photographer

SUM OF THE PARTS:

Drew Bly is his own brand: he calls it “Quatzel Mazarin” – we’re not entirely sure why. But we know this: he designs all his own clothes, but doesn’t sell them. “I buy cool pieces and dye them,” he confides of his Mr. Monochrome spot-him-a-mile away get up in ketchup – the color., not a condiment. “I dyed the jacket, pants, I even dyed my shoes. It’s all an to emulate James Dean. I have the samelook in yellow, brown. Didn’t dye my aviators, though – they came this way.”
 

Instagram: @drewbly.photo

Frieze 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Kat Niambi & Chelsea VonChaz

SUM OF THE PARTS: Both seemed pretty decked out to me, in all kinds of disparate but killer combos of items. Their vibe? “Just bein’ ME!” replied Chelsea. Hurray for that. 

Instagram: @thehungrymedium | @chelseavonchaz

FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Alexis Borges

OCCUPATION: President of Next Model Management L.A.

SUM OF THE PARTS: Of course you’d expect Alexis Borges president of Next Model Management L.A., to be stylin’, and stylin’ he was.

An avid art collector and self-described dandy – “I love dressing up, you have to if you’re in fashion. But
honestly, I don’t think about it that much. It’s always about comfort.” REALLY? Guess he’s comfortable being snappy.
 

Instagram: @agentborges

FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Jami Miller & Charles Kaplan

OCCUPATION: Jewelry Designer | Entreprenuer

SUM OF THE PARTS:

Jami Miller’s boho jewelry, which she models on her Insta @Jamileagrace, is best worn stacked all over a Led Zeppelin t-shirt – as she’s done. Check out JGraceDesigns.com   Charles Kaplan is a one brand man: “I’m all in Rag & Bone – it’s easy.”
 

Instagram: @jamilegrace  @charleskap

FRIEZE 2025
WHERE/WHAT: FRIEZE

NAME: Drew

OCCUPATION: Fashion Designer

SUM OF THE PARTS: The person who refers to themself as “Girlacne” is an artist, queer fashion designer who’s insta says they are “seeking liberation through art, fashion and nightlife.” All these pieces are self created, except the boots. which are certainly creative to walk in. The makeup alone took two hours. Gotta award the vision – and effort.

Instagram: @girlacne

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EVENT THIRTY FOUR