Good Life: Model Citizen: Bela Shehu

When Albanian-born beauty Bela Shehu closed her eponymous shop on
13th Street and disappeared from the pages of Lucky, she left traces of her work here and there—a few handmade necklaces at Bus Stop Boutique, some earrings on Etsy—and ducked behind the scenes to found a concept-to-creation clothing design firm. Soon, the East Passyunk resident was putting together looks and look books for Sailor Jerry, Aman Athwal, Commonwealth Proper and, more recently, Lithe Method’s in-house exercise wear. This season, the 31-year-old reemerges as an entity unto herself with Nino, a 36-piece line of gently avant-garde women’s pieces—such as this fitted kangaroo-pocket dress. Shehu describes the line as “English in feel, very architectural, with soft lines and curves.”  The genius of its construction is the lack thereof: Each garment is “not tailored to your body, but cocoon-like—very elegant and feminine,” says Shehu.