Dateline 2013—the Supreme Court upholds civil rights, overturning DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act). This was a landmark year for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender) after many strides and setbacks, marking the last decade for human rights for Gay Pride Day throughout America, which took on new and jubilant significance.

For starters, Alexander McQueen created ‘savage beauty’ in every way he chose for having taken couture beyond fashion to high art. We saw it for many years on the runway and then we saw it again collected at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 2011. Pure talent let him push all our boundaries much harder than most artists could do. And he did.

Check out the Sophie Theallet Spring 2012 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Milk Studios on September 13, 2011 in New York City. Photographed by Arun Nevader.

It was exciting in Miami as some of the hottest swimsuit models and designers were on display at the Raleigh Hotel in Miami. Our own managing editor and photographer Arun Nevader paints a beautiful picture with his titillating images.

Monique’s show was memorable for its overall attention to detail, exquisite sewing and larger than life color. Even black seems to transcend its own darkness. Beyond the couture itself, production value at such a close range tells no lies. So hair, makeup, nails, skin tone . . . everything . . . demands perfection and demands that the photographer gets it.