Rana Rojo @ BeTru Store Opens Friday December 14th, 2012 -"Accessorizing The Body and Soul"

Online, December 9, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Like its dual name, Rana Rojo is a unique clothing line inspired by the union of art and nature, spirituality and technology - created by two artist/designers for whom unorthodox creativity has been a way of life. Established in 2008 by Nepalese designer Ash Rana and South Beach artistic pioneer Damian Rojo, Rana Rojo filters ancient traditions through a contemporary matrix, using intricate craftsmanship to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Now a full range of Rana Rojo designs for men, women and children will be available for the first time at a retail store, when Rana Rojo @BeTru opens December 14th at 55th on Miami's trendy Upper East Side.

Born in Kathmandu, Nepal, Ash Rana was adopted by a princess of the royal family and raised in one of its palaces. He grew up loving Western pop music and Bollywood movies, attending temple services where women wore silk saris with t-shirts, and men donned blazers over kurtas, traditional baggy drawstring pants and long shirts - a mix of ancient custom and improvised modernity that would forever inspire his work. Rana attended high school in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, then left Asia to study fashion design and illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. After graduation he veered into nightlife, working as a drag performer and door personality at clubs and restaurants in New York and South Beach. In 2000 he launched his first fashion company, Ash Rana Inc, and designed clothing for major pop acts including Colombian rock star Juanes, as well as fellow Latino stars Paulina Rubio and Luis Fonsi, country singer Tim McGraw, and rappers Lil Kim and Trina.

Born in Santa Clara, Cuba, Damian Rojo and his family fled the turmoil and repression of the Cuban Revolution in 1971. His artistic talent quickly became apparent when he was recruited for Miami's first public school gifted program for the arts. He later went on to study fine arts at Miami Dade College and LACC. In the 80's, Rojo was one of a small group of artists, designers and creative trailblazers who pioneered the cultural explosion of South Beach, working as an independent artist and designer and as art director of the Artifacts Group and arts salon. Rojo's versatile and wide-ranging creativity would also lead him to work as an art director for Miami Vice at 18, later MTV U.S. and to create stage sets and ad campaigns for such music and fashion talents as Grace Jones, David Byrne, Erykah Badu, Donna Karan and Calvin Klein.

Their eclectic, global vision and experience come together in Rana Rojo. Images from ancient Tibetan spiritual texts are collaged with playful retro sixties prints. The pair have invented their own dying and printing processes, including natural ingredients like ash and salt with computer-generated graphic designs, creating richly mutating colors and multi-dimensional layers of textures and effects. Gold embroidered Thai fabrics are inset into bleach-splashed custom printed denim. Each Rana Rojo piece is printed and dyed by hand, a unique and wearable work of art. The line includes dresses, skirts, and jeans, jackets for men and women, and t-shirts for men, women and children.

Rana Rojo finds a natural home at BeTru, a gemlike boutique showcasing local artists and designers who combine global tradition with fresh contemporary style. Owner Donna Hughes, former co-owner of 190 Restaurant, features her and sister Cheryl Freeman's theFFS line of jewelry, which was just picked up by Barney's New York. Hughes also conducts spiritual readings in the back room of BeTru, which is nestled in the magical courtyard of 55th Street Station on Miami's Upper East Side.

Rana Rojo @ BeTru Opens Friday December 14th, 2012 from 5 to 11 p.m. at the 55th Street Station, 5582 NE 4th Ct. Suite 6B Miami, FL 33137

Contact: Damian Rojo. (786) 390 6235

Ashish Rana, (305) 205-9135

[email protected]