Orlando Fashion Week August 2015 Opening Night

Just as my parents will always find the tennis on our family vacations, I will always find the fashion.  

Photo by Brion Price. 

Photo by Brion Price. 

This summer, my family and I spent a week in central Florida on vacation.  We enjoyed the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, EPCOT and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, spent time bumming on the beach with my aunt and her fiancee, and went shopping.  Rather, I went shopping while my brother spent time on his computer and our parents and sister played tennis.

 

Knowing our general game plan, I somehow still thought we’d have some downtime and I looked in to my options.  Lo and behold, the week we would be in Orlando coincided with Orlando Fashion Week.  I bugged my dad about which night(s) might work best if I wanted to attend an evening event and we figured out that opening night would work.  OFW consisted of 3 nights of shows: Aug 13 - 15 featuring 4-5 designers each.  

Promo poster by Orlando Fashion Week Corp.

Promo poster by Orlando Fashion Week Corp.

My little sister (who has her own fitness/lifestyle blog) had never been to a fashion show before so I asked if she wanted to go since it might be a fun way to spend time together.  Of course she said yes! 

The venue for the show (Baterby’s Art Gallery) was further away than we anticipated and a little hard to find for us tourists.  Luckily, Orlando has Uber so we were able to use that to get home safely rather than bug our dad to drive all the way back out to come get us (we were staying in Kissimee near the Disney parks, the show was in Winter Park - clear on the other side of Orlando).  

Having a fashion show in an art gallery further reinforces the connection between fashion and the arts, and I loved being able to get a feel for talent in other parts of the country.  Orlando didn’t previously stick out to me as far as fashion capitals, and the event was not as full as a Chicago fashion show or even Minneapolis fashion show; but there was an enthusiastic amount of support for each designer showing.  

VIP seating promised a “first look” at the collections, which meant the seats near where the models emerged onto the floor.  The path for the models went through that stretch looped through another room in the gallery before circling backstage.  The speaker system set up made it a little hard to hear the designer introductions clearly, but I definitely appreciated the prime view.

Showing on opening night were designers Vanessa Shelly, Hadascha Brutus, Senia Soto, Jacquelyn Brooks, and Fabiola Moreno.  

 

VANESSA SHELLY

Vanessa showed a wide variety of looks ranging from casual to office to cocktail.  There were a lot of different colors, fabrics, shapes, and techniques.  I really liked her creativity. 

 

HADASCHA BRUTUS 

Out of all the designers, Hadascha was the one I was looking forward to the most.  I had recognized the name a little bit from some Fashion Week Las Vegas coverage awhile back.  There were definitely looks that made me gasp, and I loved the play of solids, prints, and metallics.  Everything was really pretty.  

*Swoon* I love this look.

*Swoon* I love this look.

 

SENIA SOTO 

Jarix by Senia Soto was intriguing to me as Senia is only 18.  I was definitely impressed.  When I think about what I was doing at 18, I wasn’t nearly as started on my dream path as Senia is. Her segment had a lot of capes, jackets, and vests. 

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Model with the designer herself, Senia Soto.

Model with the designer herself, Senia Soto.

 

JACQUELYN BROOKS 

Strawberry Blonde by Jacquelyn Brooks ended up being one of my favorites from the night.  The flattering shapes in easy fabrics made a great base for the vibrant prints and colors.  I did a lot of “ooh”-ing and “ahh”-ing.  

Kelly Mock-Turtleneck Maxi Dress from the Animal Collection - http://shop.strawberryblondeclothing.com/The-Kelly-Dress-Day-and-Night-Collection-57.htm

Kelly Mock-Turtleneck Maxi Dress from the Animal Collection - http://shop.strawberryblondeclothing.com/The-Kelly-Dress-Day-and-Night-Collection-57.htm

 

FABIOLA MORENO

Fabiola had a really fun collection to close the night with.  Sequined sleeves, voluminous shapes, and lots of details.  

 

None of the designers were shy with using color and prints, which is really nice at a time when minimalism seems to be popular.

It was a very different experience attending a local fashion show outside my local community.  A lot of people already knew each other, and I could sense that there were attendees that  were prominent locally that I was oblivious to.  Also, we entirely missed the fact that an Orlando City soccer player was doing a meet and greet.  

Overall, I enjoyed supporting designers in another part of the US and definitely look forward to seeing as their work develops.  

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Fashion Week Minnesota: Celebrating and Supporting Fashion in the Twin Cities (and Beyond)

It’s surprising to me when I meet people that have no idea there is an active fashion community in Minnesota.  From my coworkers, to old friends, to people attending other fashion events, I get a look of disbelief every time I mention it.  

One of my main questions when attending Pollen's Rally Cry: Fashion was if MN Fashion would be resurrected, or if there would be some kind of consolidated event calendar.

My other question was how as a consumer, I could help support local designers and artists by encouraging others to also buy the clothes, and not just go to the events and shows. (I recall hearing something to the effect of "Designers aren't making a living throwing cool parties.”) 

Fashion Week MN graphic by Fashion Week MN http://fashionweekmn.com/

Fashion Week MN graphic by Fashion Week MN http://fashionweekmn.com/

I am very excited by the start of a new Minnesota fashion organization - a collaboration between event producers and creatives around the Twin Cities, including Sarah Edwards, John Mark of Hotrocity. and Tim and Thom Navarro.  #FWMN Fall 2015 runs from Sept 20 - 26.  There is also an extended event calendar, which I find very exciting. I keep track of a lot of fashion events in Minnesota, but even I've found some I hadn't already marked down.

Some highlights during FWMN include a men's show (the after party will be DJd by DJ Fundo, which is awesome because he's Prof's tour DJ and I'm a huge fan of both) and LARK from Tim+Thom.  Of course, no mention of fashion in Minnesota could be complete without Envision - the longest running fashion event in the Twin Cities.

Outside of fashion week, highlights include the (now postponed to November 20) Minnesota Fashion Awards/Rumble On The Runway, the screening of “The True Cost” film, and the 12th annual Full Fashion Panic, exploring the influence of anime, manga, and pop culture on fashion.

I am surprised that RAW Artist's Minneapolis most recent event, PARAMOUNT, or upcoming event, MERGE, isn't listed.  There is such a strong connection between the various arts communities that I would think an organization focused on supporting fledgling creatives would be more visible.  I am definitely looking forward to going to MERGE after having a great time at EXPOSURE and SPLENDOR, but missing PARAMOUNT for a work obligation. 

Image for MERGE by RAW Artists Minneapolis - www.rawartists.org/minneapolis/MERGE

Image for MERGE by RAW Artists Minneapolis - www.rawartists.org/minneapolis/MERGE

Other organizations that suggest a strong tie between arts and fashion are MN4MN and Made Here MN, the latter of which sponsors the various pop up art exhibits downtown.  Made Here MN also held weekly Loring Alley Rally events in Loring Park this summer, with free music and pop up shops.  MN4MN hosted a fashion weekend in St. Louis Park last fall, and recently displayed an exhibit at Public Functionary featuring 13 artists and 13 photographers collaborating on one blank canvas: a canvas shoe.  I loved seeing how many different takes on the same inspiration came together.  Also bringing Minnesota creatives together, Meet Minneapolis is hosting a Creative City Market on September 10 in downtown Minneapolis.  

For other fans of supporting US made goods and a good cause, Key North Boutique will be hosting "Fashioning a Future" with proceeds going to help Nepal earthquake survivors.  The show will be held on September 11 and will be hosted by Grant Whittaker, featuring clothes from Key North and custom jewelry by T Lee.  

I'm very looking forward to the International Interior Design Association - Northland Chapter's 10th annual Fusion + Fashion event, especially since it connects fashion with my career in building design.  The IIDA hosts an "unconventional material" fashion challenge to teams ranging from architectural/engineering firms, construction firms, or even the USGBC-MN chapter.  This year's theme looks like #findYourMuse and cites inspiration from Yves Saint Laurent, Andy Warhol, and more.  I'm planning to get involved in the competition this year, so stay tuned.  The show will be November 13 at Muse Event Center.

Logo by IIDA Northland.

Logo by IIDA Northland.

Not only is fashion in the Twin Cities gaining more support, but I am seeing more events and community in other parts of Minnesota as well.  Style on the Plaza will be taking place September 17 in Rochester, and the Zenith City Style zine/website in Duluth has recently launched. Also in Duluth are occasional pop up shops by DLH Clothing and Crave by Carly Rae Vergamini.

If I would be able to venture out to New Ulm, Modenschau would be fun to attend.  German for “fashion show”, Modenschau will be held on September 11 and include looks by Joeleen Torvick as well as boutiques in the area.  Part of the proceeds from the event will go to The Committee Against Domestic Abuse, Inc.  I’m a big fan of German culture after getting inspired by Rare Dirndls at Germanfest in Milwaukee for years with my cousins, and wonder if the event name has anything to do with the clothes that will be shown.

Other upcoming Minnesota fashion events of note:
*Showroom's "THE SWITCH" seasonal sale: Sept 2 - 9
*Silhouette Fashion Show & Gala hosted by Lindsey Herzog of Ruby Girl: Sept 17
*Fashion Forward with Hardt Jewelry and Moth Oddities: Sept 18  
*Faribault Woolen Mill's tent sale: Sept 25 - 26
*Plus Size Pop Up Shop by Amanda of Bella Moxie: Sept 26

Fashion Week Minnesota is going to be great for the fashion community in Minnesota and I'm looking forward to getting involved, and also to see how the community can grow and support each other. 

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Envision Spring 2015

Ah, Envision...the highlight event of each fashion season in the Twin Cities.  Clear skies and a warm sun setting over downtown Minneapolis created the perfect spring evening to celebrate the season's best in local fashion.  

Set in Orchestra Hall on May 2, the event consisted of two runway segments showcasing local designers and boutiques, with music and art before, after, and in between.  

The Atrium/VIP Room featured several artists creating new works for sale via silent auction, proceeds going to Public Functionary.  I noticed that this season, the artists works were the only items up for auction (as opposed to donated/sponsored gift sets and services) and that there were more artists.  

Also new this season was the addition of a pop-up shop.  Locally based online retailer Hotrocity had a bunch of accessories for sale in their pop up, including some items that walked the runway. Hotrocity carries Cynthia Rae, Objects & Subjects, Koon Yai, Hardt, and other Minnesota based accessory and clothing designers.

Hotrocity pop-up shop at Envision Spring 2015.

Hotrocity pop-up shop at Envision Spring 2015.

The runway background was a beautiful floral sculpture, really bringing home the idea of tying together fashion and art. 

Introduction to Envision.

Introduction to Envision.

Tricia Khutoresky, the curator at Public Functionary, kicked off the event in a stunning white maxi-dress with perforated leather top.  

Trisha in a white maxi dress hosting Envision. 

Trisha in a white maxi dress hosting Envision. 

She was excited by the support for Envision but reminded us that all the art and inspiration being showcased is made possible by local artists and businesses, and that if we like what we see, we should continue to support them.   

She was also excited by the fact that Beyonce’s tour DJ would be providing thing the music for the runway segments and the after party.  DJ Monsieur Adi worked with the designers to put together a set for each collection, another something different for Spring 2015. 

Part I: 
Emah Ellie Hottinger 
House Of Ginamarie + Mienkielo 
Yevette Willaert
Kjurek 
Idle Child 

EMAH by Ellie Hottinger 

Floaty white dress by EMAH from Ellie Hottinger.

Floaty white dress by EMAH from Ellie Hottinger.

House of Ginamarie + Mienkielo 
Loved how their collaborative looks were so sharp, but also seemed so effortless. 

Look by House of Gina + Marie and Mienkielo.

Look by House of Gina + Marie and Mienkielo.

Yevette Willaert 
I loved the fun spring prints and even more love Yevette’s dedication to sustainable style.  Her line and her philosophy are very in tune with mine, that supporting socially and environmentally conscious clothing is important for the betterment of the world and it doesn’t have to be boring. 

Excellent pattern mixing on this look by Yevette Willaert.

Excellent pattern mixing on this look by Yevette Willaert.

Kjurek 
Kim and Jen’s use of fringe was right on trend with a 70’s vibe, and it had gorgeous movement down the runway. The tie-dye made me want to take a beach vacation ASAP.  Everything looked comfortable and stylish, which can definitely be hard to do.  

Idle Child  
The collection was 20’s inspired, and I appreciated that it didn't hit you over the head with a flapper dress.  There was a lot of mixing of sheer and prints, and the iridescent beading was fantastic.  Monsieur Adi mixing in a lot of the Gatsby movie soundtrack definitely amplified my admiration of the collection.  

And the finale dress!

Part II: 
Jenny Carle 
Kozol 
Cliche 
Emily Trevor 
George Moskal 

Jenny Carle

Emily Trevor
The intro video revealed that Emily’s collection was inspired by the outdoors and tennis, two things I don’t super love. The clothes started down the runway and even though I’m definitely not preppy (maybe the 12 years of private school uniforms made me want to rebel?), I was really drawn to them.  Each look was clearly inspired by exactly what she said, but wasn’t over the top.  And the last dress had the crowd gasping and clapping...

And the finale dress...tennis wedding anyone?

George Moskal
George Moskal closed the show for a second season.  The sparkly prints mixed with soft fabrics would make an excellent sophisticated but playful spring wardrobe. 

Envision is always the highlight of my MN fashion season, and the Spring 2015 event brought in lots of new elements. I hope the video introductions continue and would love to see even more ways to shop the runway the night of the event.  

I’m very excited about the talented designers in the Twin Cities and hope that all my Vegas and Chicago friends reading can rest assured that Minnesota has a lot more for me than we all anticipated. 

What I wore:


Dress from Ragstock Duluth, Shuriken ring by Kristin Hassan, vest by Punkktual (bought it at RAW: EXPOSURE and saw it on the runway at Voltage 2013), leopard calf hair wedges by Banana Republic, clutch from Target.

Envision now has it’s own Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/envisionminneapolis.

Save the date for the Fall 2015 show - Sept 25, 2015!

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RAW Artists Minneapolis Presents: EXPOSURE

On Wednesday, April 29, RAW Artists Minneapolis held EXPOSURE - a showcase celebrating the work of several artists across many mediums - paintings, fashion, music, film, photography, makeup, hair, and performance art.  The Pourhouse made a very cool venue because of the different levels and open floor space.  

RAW is a community of artists that is focused on providing "the tools, resources and exposure needed to inspire and cultivate creativity" for emerging artists.

Artist spaces and seating on the upper levels of the Pourhouse 

Artist spaces and seating on the upper levels of the Pourhouse 

Live models showing off clothing designs, hair, and makeup by featured artists. 

Live models showing off clothing designs, hair, and makeup by featured artists. 

I scaled the steps to the upper loft space and explored the artists’ wares.  Absolutely could not stop staring at the paintings from Contagious Light by Krista Wanous.

Further exploration of her website revealed that she was inspired by the lack of color in Minnesota winters and "these female perspectives show the range and variance of feminine emotion and their moments of light and darkness.”  That statement gave me chills! 

Omade jewelry had a great spot near a stairwell and the mah jong tile bracelet caught my eye.  I am Filipino and family functions almost always feature grandparents, aunts, and sometimes even my brother playing mah jong for hours. 

Mah-jong tile bracelet by Omade. 

Mah-jong tile bracelet by Omade. 

One of the live models gave me some closet inspiration.  I have a pleather corset and I hadn’t thought to wear it like this, but may try something similar. 

Live model whose styling gave me some inspiration. 

Live model whose styling gave me some inspiration. 

I was extremely excited to check out what Lucie of Punkktual would be showing.  Punkktual showed at the last season of Voltage/the only season I had ever attended/the first time I had ever been to Minneapolis.  The name of her line and the use of leather drew me in. 

I ended up purchasing this chiffon and leather vest - it’s the perfect layering piece for summer and into fall.  

Vest by Punkktual.

Vest by Punkktual.

It was also part of the collection she showed at Voltage 2013 (2nd look in the link), also pictured below.

 The vest I now own walking the runway at Voltage 2013 to Lizzo, Claire De Lune, and Sophia Eris of The Chalice.

 The vest I now own walking the runway at Voltage 2013 to Lizzo, Claire De Lune, and Sophia Eris of The Chalice.

Performance art at EXPOSURE included Sarah Supernova, who had some fancy hooping tricks with a flaming hula hoop, appropriately set to Ellie Goulding’s “Burn”. 

As an engineer, you’d think I would hate something called “Form Over Function Designs”, but that is entirely false.  Form Over Function is a rock n’ roll musician inspired line that is unisex, so actually I really love it.  Leather and studs/hardware are totally my style, and the unisex aspect makes it even more rock n’ roll.  I am a fan of androgyny and identify as part of the LGBTQIA community, a clothing line that makes it clear that clothing doesn’t care about gender really speaks to me. 

Womp-A-Wear had some festival/animal inspired looks.  While not my style, it is very creative and reinforces the idea that fashion is wearable art.  And damn if some of the hoods don’t look super cozy. 

Chemistry, a Duluth based fashion line, had some looks in the No One Fashion/New American Model segment and is the reason I knew about the show in the first place. It’s always exciting to see Duluth based talent get more exposure (haha, pun intended) in the Twin Cities.

The segment featured steampunk looks by the No One Fashion collective - LED fascinators made it clearly modern while still under the Victorian meets sci-fi style.

Looks by Anna Peshock inspired by her recent travels abroad closed the show.

The transitional winter to spring weather was perfect for experimenting with fun hosiery.  This dress I picked up at the Duluth Ragstock has become one of my go-to “going out” dresses, and I usually wear it with my Pretty Polly for House of Holland Suspender Tights.

Typical pairing for a night out in this dress.  This was in November 2014. 

Typical pairing for a night out in this dress.  This was in November 2014. 

But I decided to play on the EXPOSURE theme and wore these patterned fishnet suspender tights I bought at Frederick’s instead. 

There were a lot of art mediums represented at this RAW Artists event, but it wasn’t a sensory overload.  The leisure to explore the artists booths while live music was happening on the main stage kept it from being overwhelming.

RAW Minneapolis is hosting a summer event on June 24 at The Pourhouse, featuring a different mix of artists (some the same, some new, and some very recently established) entitled “SPLENDOR”. Tickets are available here: http://www.rawartists.org/minneapolis/splendor/71329. 

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MN4MN Fashion Weekend 2014

MN4MN was the perfect close to my Fall 2014 Twin Cities Fashion Week experience.  The two day event was held at the Shops at West End in St. Louis Park (which I’ve likened to Town Square in Las Vegas).  The weekend involved two nights of fashion shows with looks from local retailers and designers, and a pop-up market including Minnesota based brands and stores.

Unfortunately, I missed the first part of the first night of shows.  Since I hadn’t been to the venue before, it took me a lot longer to find the tents than I anticipated.  It wasn’t until I followed a pack of ladies also wearing impossibly tall shoes that I figured it out.  The weather was also not ideal and the tent was very muggy and warm.  The shows that I did see included Atmosfere, Blackblue, Hackwith Design House.  I found that the show ended rather abruptly and earlier than I anticipated, but that left me time to get some room service and rest for the next day.  

First night lineup:

Target 
Arrow 
Emma Berg 
Atmosfere 
Blackblue 
Hackwith Design House 

There was a live performance by between the runway segments.  It was unexpected, and an interesting way to make the show more than just models down a catwalk, but I wish it could have been more integrated with the rest of the show.

I was most excited to see looks from Hackwith, as they really stress having pieces that are handmade and limited edition, so you can wear something that you won't see on someone else.  The pieces were beautiful and flowed elegantly on the runway, but most weren't cut for me.  Glad to see they now have plus pieces and swimwear as well.

The market was really fun.  I loved seeing booths from local brands like Duluth Pack, Faribault, Marked Leather, Oh Dier, Stephanie’s, and Atmosfere and getting to know more about them.  The smaller inventory and crowds allowed for more conversation and enticed me to want to come back to see their full offerings in store. Since it was on a Saturday afternoon at a large retail center, I bet the tents attracted a lot of people who weren’t aware of the event beforehand, which is definitely a good thing.    

I came across jewelry designer and artist Cheryl Shohet at the market.  Her pieces are very unique and mostly wearable day to day, but some pieces are more like art that you can wear, as opposed to just jewelry.  This is something that I appreciate because I love that fashion is like art you can wear - that your personal style is a form of self expression. 

Some of Cheryl's work

Some of Cheryl's work

Cheryl handcrafted these rings.  They're amazing.

Cheryl handcrafted these rings.  They're amazing.

The Oh Dier block bots created for MN4MN were so freakin’ cute!  I received the Coco Chanel block bot and keep her as inspiration at my desk at work :-)  Other block bots include Paul Bunyan and these awesome Pac-Man ghosts.

Pac Man ghost block bots by Oh Dier.

Pac Man ghost block bots by Oh Dier.

More fashiony block bots at the event included Marc Jacobs, Betsey Johnson, Karl Lagerfeld, and Tom Ford.  

Night two of shows went a lot better for me since I knew where to go, and the weather was much more favorable.  

Night two lineup:

Christopher Straub
Stephanie’s
Heimie’s Haberdashery featuring Duluth Pack
Faribault x MN4MN x Caroline Hayden
Target 

Been seeing a lot of Chris Straub’s dinos on social media and they were really fun on the runway too. Chris is one of the seven designers from Minnesota to be on Project Runway.

MN4MN introduced me to a lot of boutiques in St. Paul I think I'll have to visit.

Red coat from Stephanie’s.

Red coat from Stephanie’s.

A friend of mine recently asked me for recommendations for menswear shopping in the cities and I’m very happy to add Heimie’s Haberdashery to the list.  So many great looks...and Duluth Packs. 

Almost thought I was more into menswear than womenswear at this event until I saw all the Caroline Hayden x Faribault pieces.  So cozy looking but also chic.

I don’t think I’ll ever get used to Target being “local”.  The chance to see some of the faces and names behind the brand was amazing.  Since Target is such a large corporation, I sometimes forget that there are real people and designers involved.  Also interesting is how Target showed both nights - the first night showcasing items from it’s house brands (Merona, Mossimo, etc) and the second night, looks from creatives on their design team (Lindsey Hopins, Marissa Bridges, etc). 

Ran into some old friends and made some new ones, which is another thing I love about the Minnesota fashion community.  Everyone is so supportive of each other and there are new faces that come around all the time to keep things fresh.  

The whole weekend really focused on the same ideas that I do - not only were the featured designers and retailers based in Minnesota, but many of them still manufacture here too.  So much is going on for the Minnesota fashion scene right now, and I am glad to see it will be continuing again this year.

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