Plastic lenses with angel figures that cloud vision, replicas of water splashes that “wet the face,” snowflake rings, and shoes inspired by canine teeth make up a bold catalog that achieves exactly what it sets out to do: kick the door wide open and spark divided reactions that swing between love and hate. Skylar Caeles is disruptive, original, and, above all, controversial.
Caeles’ work flows seamlessly between fashion and art. She combines 3D modeling and digital fabrication with hand-finished couture techniques, producing pieces that command attention.
Her creations currently fall into four main projects: the Snowflake Rings, the Houndstooth Heels, the Angelvision eyewear, and the Ripple Shades.
Despite featuring heels shaped like animal skulls and glasses that blur vision, her catalog still offers pieces for everyone. The Snowflake Rings, for instance, have broken into retail pharmacies and are now selling at an impressive pace.
It’s her eyewear, the Angelvision and Ripple Shades, that pushes the boundaries the furthest, not only because of their extravagance but also due to the concept behind Angelvision: deliberately limited vision that raises an existential question about faith.
“I designed the cherubs to sit directly in front of the wearer’s eyes to force the wearer to rely on their guardian angels for guidance. Instead of just obstructing vision, they demand trust—forcing the wearer to ‘see’ through faith, intuition, or external guidance,” Caeles explained and added, “It also plays with power dynamics: are the angels protecting the wearer, or are they blinding them? Are they a source of wisdom, or do they force submission to a higher force? I explored the concept of sacrilege.”
The Ripple Shades resemble a massive splash of water, frozen just as it wraps around the eyes. They capture movement and fluidity, drawing inspiration from the ocean. The design first began as an academic project, never meant for commercial use.
The Houndstooth Heels are the only footwear in her catalog. These skeletal shoes are 3D-printed and modeled after canine molars. With a floating heel, bold maximalism, and flawless finishes, they are impossible to ignore.
Beyond her independent work, Skylar Caeles has also left her mark in high-profile fashion. At CHRISHABANA Studio, she contributed CAD design, craftsmanship, and custom pieces that appeared on stages as grand as Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour, Missy Elliott’s Coachella performance, and the Tony Awards red carpet with Harry Lennix. Her work has also been featured in NYFW activations and the production of Masquerade – The Phantom of the Opera, reaffirming her ability to move seamlessly between conceptual and commercial realms.
Independently, Skylar founded CAELES, her studio, through which she launched the Snowflake Rings at Retail Pharmacy and continues to develop her other projects.
Now based in New York, Skylar Caeles seems more interested in provoking than pleasing, but with a clear awareness that her moment has arrived. She has found the perfect timing for her art: not too early to be misunderstood, nor too late to be forgotten, echoing the words of legendary fashion editor Anna Wintour.
