The girl in the photo was beautiful, but something about the way she carried herself seemed a bit precarious. She smoldered, unabashed and self-confident for the camera, well aware of the scintillating allure of her bravado.

She modeled a vintage-cut, spaghetti strap dress, modernized with a red-and-black-striped pattern and softened with small adornments of lace near the edge of the bodice -- a creation soon to be released for a fall line by playful couture pioneer Poison Candy.