New York Threads

October 9, 2011

Photo by Teresa Mahoney

In the candlelit basement of midtown’s Bryant Park Hotel, drag queens, pageant queens, LGBT media people, and Broadway performers huddled tightly in the underground cobblestone venue to see Stevie Boi’s spring 2012 line of sunglasses; appropriately titled “Coexist”.

An electric violinist set the mood to reflect Stevie Boi’s similarly futuristic style: geometric lines, chrome spikes, chain links, and leopard-print fabric (see slideshow). More sought after for the bells and whistles than UV protection, his bold eyewear have been donned by such fashion risk-takers as Lady Gaga, Fergie, and Beyonce. 

Stevie Boi, who often models his own creations, literally graced his guests at the end of his show with a holy appearance: he floated from backstage wearing a silky white hooded cloak and a towering two-foot hairpiece that formed the shape of a cross.

This Georgia-born 21-year old announced to Carlos Anaya, MC for the night and GLAAD award-winning journalist, three pieces of advice for other young aspiring designers: be original, surround yourself with positive people, and have a financial plan. 

In an interview with Myles Johnson of Art Nouveau magazine, Stevie Boi spoke on his transition from working in the military to becoming designer in 2007:

About 3 months into designing and establishing the “SBshades” brand, I was contemplating on quitting my military job; I was making over $60,000 a year and had the ability to live off some funds for six months. I quit my job and literally went directly into business mode. It was seriously the best decision of my life. The first six months of my business I pulled in over $250,000 dollar and I was destined to make this my life.

According to his Facebook page, Stevie Boi has been featured in over 247 publications including Vogue and Elle.

While many young designers would covet the opportunity to have such big media exposure, Stevie Boi makes sure he stays close to “smaller media” through social platforms. In a RunwayTimes blog interview, by Sharontina B., Stevie Boi says:

I feel that social media expanded me way beyond where I was. I had already been in Japan Vogue and on urban media outlets like Necole Bitchie and YBF…any big media always gets you there but small media helps a great deal too. It creates a big continuous circle.

That big continuous circle includes 22,000 Twitter followers and 1,900 Facebook fans. 

Stevie Boi’s “Gun” eyewear piece will appear on the cover of this month’s issue of Vogue Japan.