Michael Kuluva

Michael Kuluva
Kuluva forTumbler and TipsyNew York Fashion Week Elle Magazine 2012
Born	Michael David Kuluva (1983-05-06)May 6, 1983 Missoula,Montana, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupations	Fashion designer figure skater actor TV personality philanthropist
Agent	Creative Artists Agency
Labels	Tumbler and Tipsy MICHAEL KULUVA
Spouse	Russ Witherby ​ ​ (m.2014;div.2017)​
Relatives	Will Kuluva(cousin)
Website	www.michaelkuluva.com

Michael David Kuluva(born May 6, 1983) is an American fashion designer and founder of the New York fashion week labelTumbler and Tipsy.He resides in Los Angeles, California. In 2012, Kuluva collaborated with a video game software company,Ubisoftto design high end garments for the New York Fashion Week Spring 2013 runway.

Early life

Kuluva was born in Montana and raised in Los Angeles, California.His parents, Randy and Carol, are both attorneys in California. Kuluva had a passion for competitive figure skating which led him into the world of fashion.Kuluva attendedSierra Canyon Schooland graduated with honors fromMontclair College Preparatory Schoolin 2001. Kuluva forwent college after graduating high school at that time to pursue his professional figure skating career.

Kuluva's maternal grandfather is Roy Walter McClean of theWalt Disney Company.Roy W. McClean was the President ofRetlaw Enterprises,also known as WDI and WED, Walt Disney's private company. McClean was employed with the Walt Disney Company from 1956 through 1988, when he retired. McClean passed away on April 7, 2005.

Figure skating career

Kuluva competed in amateurU.S. Figure Skating,from 1989 through 2001, reaching the national and international level before moving into professional figure skating. Kuluva toured withHoliday On Iceas himself andDisney on Iceas the principal performer in theirDisney/Pixar's The Incredible's in a Magic Kingdom Adventure productionby portraying the main role ofDash Parr.Kuluva continued to portray the role of Dash Parr with Disney On Ice in 2005 for syndicatedUnited Statesnational television shows includingGood Morning America,Live! with Kelly and MichaelandThe Today Show.Kuluva was also featured as himself in theSonyMotion Picture, "The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold"in 2006.

Fashion design career

Kuluva started designing in 2009 and retired from the sport of figure skating to begin schooling at theFashion Institute of Design and Merchandisingin Los Angeles. Kuluva started his fashion labelTumbler and Tipsywhile attending FIDM and was asked to be a part ofLos Angeles Fashion Weekas an emerging designer. In September 2012, Kuluva graduated from FIDM with a degree in fashion design and presented his Spring 2013 collection atNew York Fashion Week.For Kuluva's debut fashion show in New York City, he partnered with Ubisoft to design collaborative garments inspired by the video gameJust Dance 4that were then shown on the runway by celebrities such asKendall Jennerand Olympic Gold MedalistAlex Morgan.

For Kuluva's sophomore New York Fashion Week show in February 2013,Kuluva presented his Fall 2013 collection of plaid tweed garments which were inspired by the 1990s grunge movement while also staying true to the brands signature sequin look.Kuluva also maintained his outlook on today'sPopular Cultureby havingRick Genest"Zombie Boy" walk his runway alongside U.S. Figure Skating's three time senior men's national champion and2010 Winter Olympicscompetitor,Johnny Weir.Kuluva developed partnerships with theConair Corporationfor their release of the "Infiniti by Conair" collection and with the luxury audio companyHarman Kardon,as they released their new audio headphones during the New York Fashion Week show.Kuluva was asked to present his Fall 2013 collection two more times on the runway duringLos Angeles Fashion Week.

For the Tumbler and Tipsy Spring/Summer 2014 fashion season, Kuluva designed a collection entitled "So Next Level" which was inspired by then-popular fashion culture plus the future of "party themed" fashions. For the New York Fashion Week runway show,Neon Hitchopened the show with a live harpist on stage performing her single, "Love U Betta",while also wearing the collaborative "Out of the ClosetHanger Gown "designed forAIDS Healthcare Foundationwho presented this seasons runway show.The Tumbler and Tipsy runway show continued with models coming down the "T & T" catwalkincludingPerez Hilton,Brielle Biermann,Yasmine PettyandJohnny Weir.This season also had exclusive partners includingSwarovskiAustrian Crystals, Caviar Frames and Flips Audio Headphones.

The partnership continued with Kuluva and theAIDS Healthcare Foundation,who also owns theOut of the ClosetThrift Stores, in which Kuluva participated in help opening theirBrooklynlocation with the "Donate & Style Contest".Another appearance in Los Angeles at their flagship store kicked off during Los Angeles Fashion Week for their "Donate & Style West Coast Contest" in which all proceeds went to the United States' largestAIDShealthcare non profit organization. Tumbler and Tipsy also took to the runway two more times at Los Angeles Fashion Week showcasing the labels best looks of the season plus featured reality television starJosie Stevens.Kuluva's designs appeared inUS Weekly,E!andWet Paintplus other publications.

The Tumbler and Tipsy Spring/Summer 2015 "Pop Jungle" collectionwas first shown on the New York Fashion Week runway in the penthouse of "Top of the Garden" New York City, NY on September 8, 2014. The show featured a jungle-themed collection with a seventies splash of tie-dye mixed with pop culture.With the runway soundtrack produced byCherrytree Records&Interscope Recordsfeaturing Kuluva's first solo pop music single "Do it non stop" plus having singerAmanda Leporeas the grand finale,this collection was a jungle party on the runway.Following the New York runway, the "Pop Jungle" collection went to the Los Angeles Fashion Week runway for a reprisewhich featured actressCandis Cayne,NFL playerDale Mossand reality tv star Asia Monet Rayfor the debut of the children line "Tumbler and Tiny". The collection was named one of the "6 Top Sexiest Looks of Los Angeles Fashion Week" by fashion critics atLA Weekly.

For the Fall/Winter 2015 fashion season, Tumbler and Tipsy presented a capsule collected entitled "Tres Tipsy" which was inspired from Kuluva's travels to Paris, France.Kuluva used his designs of the Tumbler and Tipsy brand and transformed them into a blue, white and red nostalgia which also included a finale "French Flag" gown worn by the formerPussycat DollKaya Jones.

Tumbler and Tipsy by Michael Kuluva showed their Spring/Summer 2016 "Champagne Wishes & Candy Dreams" Runway Collection presented byKia Motorson September 16, 2015 at the Metropolitan West in New York City, NY.The S/S 2016 collection was candy inspired with having strategic collaborations with different candy manufacturers such asJelly BellyandPop Rocksplus the Tumbler and Tipsy brand officially debuted The Glitter Bar, an edible glitter chocolate candy bar.

"The Glitter Bar" wrapper gown opened the Tumbler and Tipsy Spring/Summer 2016 New York Fashion Week runway show which was hand made with of over 100 Glitter Bar wrappers sewn together to form a bustier for the top of the pink, white and black tulle gown. The "Jelly Belly Couture" collaborative gownwas worn byAmerica's Next Top ModelCycle 22 contestant Ava Caprawhich had thousands of hand-placed Jelly Belly beans attached onto the colorful hand made corset and also hand placed on the collaborative "Jelly Belly Couture" shoes which were paired with the signature "Tipsy Tutu".As for the Pop Rocks Candy gown collaboration, Kuluva hand sewed the Pop Rocks candy wrappers together to make two corseted gowns, one of which was worn down the runway by reality tv starJill Zarin.Other reality TV stars such as Jonny Drubel,Ava Capra, Bello Sánchez and Hadassah Richardson made their way down the Tumbler and Tipsy runway.To encourage children to read more books, Tumbler and Tipsy partnered up with the iconic kids television show,Reading Rainbowthis fashion season by creating a one of a kind Swarovski Crystal collaborative gown which was modeled by America's Next Top Model contestant Hadassah Richardson.Front row celebrities includedBig Ang,Ally Shapiro, Bobby Zarin and Josh Canfield.

Kuluva's Spring/Summer 2017 "Creaky and Tipsy" collection at New York Fashion Week brought arthritis awareness while still staying true to Kuluva's iconic, fun-loving Tumbler and Tipsy brand."I created very sporty, spandex-like material and garments that emphasize different bursts that would be on your elbows or different joints," Kuluva says."When an outfit is completely worn, all the different joints light up with these bursts. You'll see exactly where our pain is; where we feel pressure. You can view it from the clothing."With this arthritis inspired collection being presented, Kuluva partnered with the non profit organization, CreakyJoints, to become public that he was diagnosed withRheumatoid Arthritisat age 28. The spring/summer 2017 runway show featured Olympic gold medalistDalilah Muhammad,Olympic silver medalistNia Ali,Somaya Reece, Asaf Goren from "So You Think You Can Dance"and reality television starTeresa Giudicedaughter Milania Guidice.

Kuluva's fashion designs and himself have been published internationally inVogue Italia,ElleUS September 2012,Women's Wear DailyElleUS December 2012,ElleUS May 2013,ElleJapan September 2016andElleThailand December 2016issues.

In 2015, Kuluva made a guest appearance onAmerica's Next Top ModelCycle 22 as the models compete for the "Go See" designer competition which included the Tumbler and Tipsy brand.

Personal life

Kuluva began dating figure skaterRuss Witherbyin December 2012. The two were engaged in December 2013, and married on December 13, 2014, at theRitz-Carltonin Rancho Mirage, California.Kuluva separated from Witherby in 2015 and the couple divorced in 2017.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2017	Growing Up Supermodel	Himself	TV series
2017	First Family of Hip Hop	Himself	TV series
2016	Cholos Try	Himself	TV series
2015	America's Next Top Model	Himself	TV series
2014	Fashion News Live	Himself	TV series
2014	Beverly Hills Pawn	Himself	TV series
2013	Fashion News Live	Himself	TV series
2012	Entertainment Tonight	Himself	TV series
2012	Access Hollywood	Himself	TV series
2012	E! News	Himself	TV series
2012	Fashion News Live	Himself	TV series
2011	Deal or No Deal	Himself	TV series
2006	The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold	Skater (Cameo)	Motion picture
2005	Good Morning America	Dash Parr	TV series
2005	The Today Show	Dash Parr	TV series
2005	Live with Regis and Kelly	Dash Parr	TV series
2005	The Daily Buzz	Dash Parr/Himself	TV series

External links

• Official website
• Michael KuluvaatIMDb