Fashion Week Minnesota Spring 2016 Recap

Spring 2016 marked the second official Fashion Week Minnesota.  There seemed to be even more people and more events than before and I hope the energy throughout the fashion community stays this strong moving forward. 

Samantha Rei - id.ego Homecoming & Elixery Lipstick Release 

Sketches from Samantha Rei's id.ego collection. 

Sketches from Samantha Rei's id.ego collection. 

While not part of the “official” FWMN lineup, Samantha Rei’s Elixery lipstick collaboration launch and id.ego collection homecoming (after walking the runway at Vancouver Fashion Week) event was a great way to get in the spirit.  The collection was paired with John Fluevog Shoes and three custom created lipstick shades from Minnesota based cosmetic line Elixery.  


The three Elixery + Samantha Rei lipsticks 

The three Elixery + Samantha Rei lipsticks 

I tried on all three lipsticks and ended up buying one - the deep burgundy shade "Quantum."

Look from Samantha Rei.

Look from Samantha Rei.

The event showcased the collection at Samantha Rei’s North Loop space and featured pop ups from Fluevog and Elixery, and also newly launched Minneapolis goth-y jewelry line Anhedonie.  

Fashion Week MN - Kickoff Party 

The “official” Fashion Week opener was the kickoff party at Cliche.  I’ve seen Cliche’s offerings at Envision and passed by the store on the bus, but have never actually stopped in until the event.  The DJ was setting the tone for a week of local fashion by dropping a lot of songs by local musicians, which I loved.  


Envision 

The current longest running fashion event in the Twin Cities, Spring 2016 marked the 19th season of Envision.  There were fewer designers showing than in past seasons, but the audience was bigger than ever.  Still a really big fan of everything Lauren of Form Over Function is doing, and loved/hated finding out that a lot of the pieces Kjurek showed had already sold when I inquired about them a few days later.  


Challenger Collection - Kandler 

Some looks from Kandler's Challenger inspired collection.

Some looks from Kandler's Challenger inspired collection.

Luci Kandler held an informal open house displaying her latest collection not only on mannequins and hangers, but also on live models.  In addition to the clothes, the prints that she created by hand were displayed - on canvases and as backdrops.  

At first, I was a little taken aback by the inspiration of the collection being the Challenger explosion, but her further exploration (as documented in CityPages) into human fragility made it somehow less taboo.  There was a lot of thought put into the collection, but it didn’t seem over designed.  

The pinks and blues made it fun for spring, combined with the grey and black make it easy for anyone to wear.  Mostly, I loved all the different uses of texture - from the tinsel-y top, to the mesh, to the embossed leather.  

Minnstafashion 

The second installment of The Scout Guide + The W Hotel’s #Minnstafashion was a lot bigger than the first one.  I got there a bit late and missed some of the highlights, but there were pop up shops from Flirt Lingerie, Martin Patrick 3, and more.  

I moved to Minnesota without knowing anyone here really and met a lot of the people I like to spend time with through social media, so a night out at a social media themed fashion event was a great way to spend an evening.  

Photo by E3 Photography. 

Photo by E3 Photography. 

If you know my sense of style, you know that sometimes I love an outfit that makes my undergarments part of my outfit.  This DVF wrap dress had a really deep V in front, so I layered a Uye Surana cami over my bra and under the dress for coverage.   

Black Hearts Ball 

The third annual formal black-and-white affair headed by Tim and Thom Navarro usually takes place on or around Valentine’s Day, but this year it took place near the end of Fashion Week Minnesota.  

Black Hearts Ball is basically a dressy party centered around a runway show set to classical and opera music, and it’s amazing.  

I rented a ML Monique Lhuillier dress from Rent The Runway for the event and loved both the dress and the experience!


The Shoot: Part II 

A sequel to the Fall 2015 event, The Shoot aimed to show the behind the scenes magic behind a fashion photo shoot.  There was coffee and a pop up shop with clothes from ACG and Workerby, lipstick from Elixery, jewelry from Neal Jewelry, and headwear from Ruby3.  Spring weather was in full effect which meant a couple of food trucks even popped up outside.  

The Shop provided a way to shop local designers while at The Shoot event.

The Shop provided a way to shop local designers while at The Shoot event.

I don't really wear hats, other than the occasional beanie in winter, but I like this one by Ruby 3. 

I don't really wear hats, other than the occasional beanie in winter, but I like this one by Ruby 3. 

Projectors displayed the photos as they were being taken.  All of the work that goes into a lookbook shoot tends to be appreciated in the finished product, but not necessarily noticed - all of the styling and editing takes time and it was fun to take an afternoon to get a glimpse of the action.  


I feel like I never caught up on rest after FWMN, but that’s okay because I’m happy to ride the energy of all the creativity and inspiration the designers, producers, and everyone in between have sparked.  

Supporting Minnesota fashion doesn’t end when fashion week does. There are events with local makers, artists, designers, and boutiques year round!  Some upcoming highlights include SAZONmoda’s debut fashion show on May 5, Ruby3 and Allegra Lockstadt’s Kentucky Derby themed party + pop up shop on May 7, various pop-up shops and open houses (including Tessa Louise and Hazel & Rose) during Art-A-Whirl on May 20-21, and FGI Minnesota's "Runway to Ready to Wear" presentation on May 24. 

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Harnessing the Invisible Force at Fusion + Fashion

The 10th annual Fusion + Fashion design competition, hosted by the Northland Chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), was held on November 13, 2015 at Muse Event Center in Minneapolis.  

As the name implies, the competition/fundraiser fuses fashion and interior design by encouraging teams to create garments using construction materials.  It’s like a Project Runway unconventional material challenge, but with more time.  

I’ve mentioned Fusion in previous blog posts about fashion events in Minneapolis, but hadn’t had a chance to attend let alone compete until this past year.  It was a really fun way to combine my career in building design with my interest in fashion.  

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Minnesota chapter sent an email looking for team participants and I quickly responded.  For me, one of the major draws to a career in building design was investigating green building design practices in order to see past buzzwords and greenwashing to get to facts and what makes for good design.

Fitting to the venue, this year’s Fusion theme was “Find Your Muse”.  I brought my interest in fashion to the table and started thinking of picking a designer like McQueen (which another team ended up doing) or a location like London, but that made me think of Stella McCartney which brought me to eco fashion to tie it back in to USGBC, then I thought to bring it back to local and thought of Yevette Willaert. 

The rest of the team was more focused on the message of USGBC and started brainstorming ways to present a garment that promotes the USGBC mission: "to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.” 

Our main idea focused on renewable energy - specifically wind energy.  We went through several iterations of this theme, from a reversible jacket/cape with functioning solar panels, to a motorized wind turbine, and I think something with grass.  

As a team, we decided to meet weekly.  There were five of us at first - four girls who were either interior designers or had a background in interior design, and myself.  A couple weeks in, I brought on two more team members - fashion students at the Arts Institutes International of Minnesota.  I had met  one of them, Cobilee, while volunteering at Tim and Thom Navarro’s LARK fashion show.  She brought her roommate/best friend Anyse.  Cobilee is also in support of a shift to eco/ethical fashion, which fit with the USGBC team.  

The Team:

  • Anyse Mellott - The Art Institutes International

  • Christine Hoene - Design Innovations

  • Cobilee West - The Art Institutes International

  • Elizabeth Mauban - LHB, Inc.

  • Jennifer Brundell - Kraus-Anderson

  • Lynn Skowronski - Senior Lifestyle Design

  • Marlene Hernick - MOH Design, LLC 

The team, minus Lynn and Cobilee.  Photo from Marlene's Facebook. 

The team, minus Lynn and Cobilee.  Photo from Marlene's Facebook. 

THE MUSE:

Together, we pared down the ideas from previous meetings to be a simple dress with flowy chiffon surrounded by a structure resembling a vertical wind turbine.

Concept sketch.

Concept sketch.

From there we decided to run with the idea of “harnessing the invisible force" as our muse.  Lynn found this really cool wind study that helped shape our design and general concept statement: http://hint.fm/wind/ 


We also wanted to somehow incorporate the glass of a LEED certification plaque, and planned to do so with a jacket or cape made from leftover glass bead wallpaper Christine had from a home improvement project.  

Other building materials we obtained were recycled plastic pellets and yarn (donated by Tandus), and recycled plastic wall covering (Bolyu), scrap metal (and the labor to cut the pieces down were donated by Metropolitan Mechanical Contractors, Inc), and hinges/other items purchased from a hardware store.  Chiffon and other fabrics were purchased as well.   Additional donations from LHB were used for tickets to the event - team registration allows for a certain number of models/team representatives, additional attendees must be ticketed. 

Yarn made of recycled plastic, which eventually gets made into wall covering.

Yarn made of recycled plastic, which eventually gets made into wall covering.

Cobilee and Anyse measured out patterns for the scrap metal and the pieces were cut by Jennifer’s contact for a project.  Having dedicated people with experience in garment production tasked with making the dress proved really helpful - we didn’t have too many hands trying to do one thing or too too much pressure on one person, as I was told was something that had happened on past/other teams.  

Cobilee making modifications to the metal pattern.

Cobilee making modifications to the metal pattern.

Assembling the turbine inspired structure.

Assembling the turbine inspired structure.

The wind turbine structure was a challenge.  We wanted a metal that was lightweight enough to walk with and also to bend, but that flexibility meant giving up the ability to be rigid enough to support itself. Figuring out a structural support system (where the support points would be, would it be held with wire or with some type of rebar, how many points/pieces, would they be taped, glued, or screwed in, etc) and finally putting it together were definitely the more tense moments of construction.  

We used strips of scrap metal that were twisted and rotated to form the turbine shape.  The strips were fastened to a scrap metal belt that we lined with the recycled carpet wall covering, to make sure it didn’t scratch or otherwise injure Christine.  

Structure coming together.

Structure coming together.

It was 10pm the night before the competition and our structure still wasn’t quite put together, but I hoped that the girls available the next day for finishing touches could make it work after some rest and with fresh eyes.  (They did, with some help from an "invisible force" on a project site.  Hint: in addition to some sturdier support sticks, it also involved good ol’ duct tape.)    

The original idea of a cape/jacket made with the wallpaper didn’t quite work out, but backstage, some accessories were made with the material instead.  

Glass bead wallpaper "bracelets"

Glass bead wallpaper "bracelets"


Runway music was chosen by each team and submit with other project requirements (like material and sponsor list, photos/video, inspiration, and concept statement) a few weeks before the event.  We chose a song based on our wind theme - Scorpion’s “Rock You Like a Hurricane”.  

Hair and makeup followed the wind theme and 80's vibe as well - we went with big dramatic hair and a monochromatic look, except for one accent color.  Recycled plastic pellets were used on her face and the yarn was “tangled” in her hair.  Eyeshadow and nail polish in a coordinating color were also used.

Big hair, don't care. 

Big hair, don't care. 

I loved the creativity on the runway!  Our design was pretty cool, but there were some other absolutely amazing pieces on the runway that night.  Minnesota creatives exist outside of the typical art/fashion/music realms, and into architecture and interior design so this was a great way to tie it all together.  

Show finale

Show finale

After the runway show, I texted and social media-ed our vote code, but we did not win “People's Choice”.  We did however win “Most Unique Building Material” for our use of scrap metal.  

Christine accepting the award sash for "Most Unique Building Material". 

Christine accepting the award sash for "Most Unique Building Material". 

IIDA Northland Fusion + Fashion Winners 2015: 

Overall, participating in the Fusion + Fashion competition was a fun experience I am happy to have been a part of.  I will definitely have to evaluate my workload as the season draws nearer to decide if I will do it again - I would have liked to dedicate more time last year.  If I do decide to participate again, I promise to blog about it sooner than five months after the fact 😜

Save the date for the 11th annual event - it will be held Friday, October 28th, 2016 at U.S. Bank Stadium.

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Freelancing

It’s been quiet here, but I’ve definitely been busy. 

In addition to a mess of work deadlines, projects, and even winning an award; I have started to pick up freelance work with City Pages Arts & Culture online, writing about fashion happenings in the Twin Cities.  I am working on catching up on posts here (FWMN Spring 2016 review on the way!) and continue to pick up work for City Pages as it comes up.  

In the meantime, check out what I’ve worked on for City Pages so far:
11/18/2015 - Now open: Flirt Boutique offers lingerie in the North Loop - http://www.citypages.com/arts/now-open-flirt-boutique-offers-lingerie-in-the-north-loop-7837490

12/17/2015 - Hardt Jewelry, a brand with a heart, celebrates one year today http://www.citypages.com/arts/hardt-jewelry-a-brand-with-a-heart-celebrates-one-year-today-7901119

03/17/2016 - Hazel & Rose fights fast fashion with ethical and sustainable clothes- http://www.citypages.com/arts/hazel-and-rose-fights-fast-fashion-with-ethical-and-sustainable-clothes-8129047

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Inaugural Season of Fashion Week Minnesota in Review

September 20 – 26, 2015 marked the first official Fashion Week Minnesota. 

Before FWMN, there was MNFashion- an organization that provided the local fashion community with a hub of resources and peers, produced fashion showcases such as Voltage and The Shows, and defined the official Minneapolis-St. Paul Fashion Week (MSPFW).   As the fashion community grew, MNFashion was no longer able to do what they were formed to do, and more independent designers produced their own shows.  MNFashion dissolved shortly after I moved to Minnesota, so I am not able to speak to fashion in Minnesota before this.  I can say that it was clear at last summer’s Rally Cry: Fashion hosted by Pollen that this too was becoming unmanageable. 

Among the major discussion points at Rally Cry were how to bridge the disconnect between people who go to the shows and the people who actually buy the clothes, and to encourage designers to treat fashion like a business…because nobody is making a living throwing fun parties. 

Enter Fashion Week Minnesota – an initiative formed by “a collective of independent producers and designers with a goal of engaging the Minnesota fashion community and celebrating the best designers, brands, retailers, stylists, and producers in Minnesota fashion through a series of public events”.

FWMN excites me because there is such a large and talented creative community in Minnesota, that having a central focus week and way to connect everything will hopefully inspire collaboration and strengthen it. 

I had a few work/personal conflicts over the week, but was able to participate in most of the events.  

I AM INSPIRED

I actually won a raffle at a pre-FWMN event for tickets to I Am Inspired and I’m so grateful I did!  Hardt Jewelry and Moth Oddities had a pre-fashion week shopping event/clothing drive with raffle entries for fashion show tickets as an incentive to donate.  I Am Inspired was the only show I hadn’t already planned to attend, so I entered the raffle and ended up winning.  

Event program for I Am Inspired

Event program for I Am Inspired

The event aimed to merge art and fashion, and was in collaboration with The Art Institutes International Minnesota.  Art students had were snapping photos, created animations inspired by the boutiques, and made garments inspired by the art of Justin James Sehorn.

Sarah Edwards in a floral dress by Emma Berg. 

Sarah Edwards in a floral dress by Emma Berg. 

Event mastermind Sarah Edwards said, “We are all artists in some way. We have different jobs and titles, but we are all artists.” to kick off the night.

There was harp music as the sun was setting – it was a beautiful way to spend a Sunday evening. 

Music provided by James Buxton

Music provided by James Buxton

The runway portion included six different boutiques/brands in Minnesota, including My Sister – an organization that works to stop human trafficking and encourage other women to empower each other. 

Feminist sweatshirt from My Sister.

Feminist sweatshirt from My Sister.

#MINNSTAFASHION

A portmanteau of “Minnesota”, “Instagram”, and “Fashion”; the event was presented by The Scout Guide and the W Minneapolis Foshay hotel on Tuesday, September 22.  

The Scout Guide is available in several cities and highlights local businesses both in print and online.  Through this event, I learned that W Hotels International partner with the CFDA to create different events and garments, some of which were shown on live models throughout the night and were given as prizes in an Instagram contest.  

Scarf and beanie by Orley for W Hotels

Scarf and beanie by Orley for W Hotels

There was also a pop-up shop where some of the CFDA+W Hotels items were available, as well as items from local boutiques Merilou, Stephanie’s, and Flirt Boutique.  The pop-up shop also featured jewelry by Valerie Carpender and accessories by Danielle Sakry.

Kaftan by Misha No Noo, necklace by Valerie Carpender

Kaftan by Misha No Noo, necklace by Valerie Carpender

LARK

In order to stay true to supporting the fashion community beyond going to shows and buying clothes, and at the suggestion of Thom Navarro, I wanted to help be behind the scenes at a fashion event. 

I still made time to get in front of the camera, though!

I still made time to get in front of the camera, though!

I loved being able to work with Tim and Thom Navarro, get involved with the community, and meet great Minnesota creatives.  The event opened with a pop-up gallery showcasing editorial photos of Jagress Intimates’s latest collection, as well as a pop-up shop of Black Spoke Leather accessories, and an Instagram hashtag printer. 

Black Spoke Leather Co pop up at LARK.

Black Spoke Leather Co pop up at LARK.

The runway portion featured not only the return of TIM+THOM, but Samantha Rei’s latest collection, and a collection from a Shiader Vue – an emerging designer and recent graduate of the Art Institutes International Minnesota. 

LARK was recently voted the year’s “Best Fashion Show” by CityPages.

PLUS-SIZE POP-UP SHOP 

Bella Moxie and Cat Inspired partnered with Second Debut in St. Louis Park for a pop up shop featuring discounted pieces from plus size faves like Torrid, Ava & Viv, Asos Curve, Lane Bryant, and more - including bags, jewelry, and shoes.  Also available were tumblers and mugs from The Golden Gurl and treats from Ginger and the Kid Sweets. 

I love leather and leather look pieces, so I had to have this pleather skirt.  I found it in Cat’s “costume/costume inspiration” section, but it’s definitely something I have been wearing just out and about.  And even to work.

Pleather skirt by Venezia Jeans I picked up at the Plus Size Pop Up.

Pleather skirt by Venezia Jeans I picked up at the Plus Size Pop Up.

ENVISION

Envision is the longest running fashion showcase in the Twin Cities, completing its eighteenth season at the end of Fashion Week Minnesota.  This season saw a more direct way to encourage interaction between attendees and artists – with the return of the Hotrocity pop up and a new artist designed washi tape photobooth with live photo editing. 

Photo by Alex Butterfield, editing by Allegra Lockstadt.

Photo by Alex Butterfield, editing by Allegra Lockstadt.

Live music was joined by live dance both during the pre-show party and at intermission, making the evening a full immersion in the creative community, very much thanks to art gallery and event partner Public Functionary.

This season was really exciting to me as it brought back menswear designers, saw the re-emergence of my favorite Minnesota designers (namely Tessa Louise and Caroline Hayden), and some fresh talents, including one I fell in love with at RAW Minneapolis’s EXPOSURE show in April – Form Over Function. 

Digging this menswear look by Russell Bourrienne.

Digging this menswear look by Russell Bourrienne.

Look from Kjurek at Envision all 2015.

Look from Kjurek at Envision all 2015.

Months later and I’m still absolutely obsessed with this jacket from Form Over Function. 

Neoprene and patent jacket by Form Over Function.

Neoprene and patent jacket by Form Over Function.

All in all, the first FWMN brought an amazing new energy to the Twin Cities fashion scene that continued on through the next season.  

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Spotlight On: Shopping Spots in Bemidji, Minnesota

School has started, sweater weather is imminent, and pumpkin spice everything seems to be rolling out.  If you are planning to head up North later this season to check out fall colors, stop by Bemidji.

Lake Bemidji

Lake Bemidji

There was recently a major renovation to a building on the Bemidji State University campus that I’ve had the pleasure of working on (and learning from) over the past few years.  Part of the construction process includes a walk through to ensure things were installed as designed and I was tasked with the electrical walk through.

Checking receptacles and luminaires in a restroom.

Checking receptacles and luminaires in a restroom.

It’s a 3 hour and 40 minute drive from Minneapolis to Bemidji and the project gave me a hefty amount of square feet to cover, so I knew I’d be needing more than one day.  I asked social media to give me suggestions on where to eat and what to see in my down time.  Other than Paul and Babe, because that was a given.  

Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox 

Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox 

Recommendations from social media included Bemidji Brewing, Bar 209, Tutto Bene, and Keg N Cork. 

One of the nice things about Bemidji is how close everything is to each other.  My hotel was near the BSU campus, and Paul and Babe were an easy .9 mile walk (much of it along the lake) from campus…and also about 2 blocks from all the food recommendations from Twitter and the spots on the Downtown Bemidji shopping map.  

Downtown Bemidji shopping map by Emily Krueger Illustration.

Downtown Bemidji shopping map by Emily Krueger Illustration.

It may or may not be common knowledge that I hate driving (but mostly parking), so after the ~4 hour drive up to Bemidji from Minneapolis, I opted to take cabs or walk to campus and around town.  Huge thank you to Bemidji Cab for being responsive, reliable, and for taking credit cards.  

I got to campus and worked until I couldn’t stand it anymore.  Luckily, the sun was only barely setting and I still had time for my photo op!  A lovely couple from Pennsylvania caught me awkwardly trying to fit Paul and Babe in the background of a selfie and came to my assistance. 

Afterwards, I walked to Bemidji Brewing and had the Summer IPA. 

Summer IPA at Bemidji Brewing.  A well deserved beer after a long day.  

Summer IPA at Bemidji Brewing.  A well deserved beer after a long day.  

People in Bemidji were very welcoming and laid back.  I had a great conversation with the gal working behind the bar in the taproom, who also recommended Bar 209.  I grabbed a glass of water from the cooler and that’s where I saw the handy Downtown Bemidji map.

On my way to Bar 209, I passed by Chocolates Plus and stopped in.  Bemidji residents are very, very friendly and I had an fun conversation with the enthusiastic staff at Chocolates Plus.  They had a variety of house made truffles and fudge.  I picked up a spicy jelly and peanut butter truffle and their Aztec (chile-chocolate) truffle.  Also, obviously could not resist the milk chocolate Babe the Blue Ox truffle: 

Babe the Blue Ox truffle from Chocolates Plus

Babe the Blue Ox truffle from Chocolates Plus

After the quick detour, I started to notice all the thrift stores, boutiques, and gift shops with surprisingly appealing displays.  They were all closed for the night, unfortunately, so I made my way to dinner.

I will say that the food at Bar 209 was good - the scorpion sauce they served was actually spicy, and not just Minnesota spicy.  

Chicken sandwich with fontina cheese and "scorpion sauce".

Chicken sandwich with fontina cheese and "scorpion sauce".

The long day on my feet tired me out so I went straight back to my hotel to indulge in my favorite guilty pleasure - Food Network shows.  

I got up early the next day to make sure I had enough time to finish my walk through before the building was too crowded with students and to make sure I beat traffic back down to Minneapolis.  I finished earlier than anticipated and had time to stop by a few shops before heading back.

 

Kelsey's "As You Like It" Jewelry

Necklaces by Michael Kelsey.  I love the cut out designs on some of them that can be seen through the stones. 

Necklaces by Michael Kelsey.  I love the cut out designs on some of them that can be seen through the stones. 

Michael Kelsey's jewelry has had a presence in Bemidji for over 40 years.  He is based in Bemidji and the store features some other local jewelers, as well as other brands.  What struck me about their selection is that everything is fair trade/ethically sourced.  They also offer custom pieces, hence the "As You Like It" slogan.  

I swear I am not obsessed with Paul and Babe, they just seem so iconically Bemidji. 

I swear I am not obsessed with Paul and Babe, they just seem so iconically Bemidji. 

Pearl jewelry on the sales table.  Love the beaded structure on those earrings.

Pearl jewelry on the sales table.  Love the beaded structure on those earrings.

 

Morell's Chippewa Trading Post

From the outside, the Chippewa Trading Post looks like a tourist trap.  And inside, there are a lot of the gift shop keychains, salt and pepper shakers, and other trinkets and tokens you'd expect *cough, cough, Paul and Babe merchandise*.  But they also had a lot of copper, agate, gemstone, and beaded jewelry made by local (many Native) artists.    

The bright gems against bold shapes made these pendants really interesting.

The bright gems against bold shapes made these pendants really interesting.

I may be easily distracted by sparkly things.  Love those red and black earrings with the opalescent stone in the middle.  Also, there are buttons that rotate the racks in the jewelry cases so you can see everything without having to crouc…

I may be easily distracted by sparkly things.  Love those red and black earrings with the opalescent stone in the middle.  Also, there are buttons that rotate the racks in the jewelry cases so you can see everything without having to crouch over.  

 

Urbanesque

Urbanesque definitely had an Anthropologie feel.  From the shabby-chic furniture,  "found" light fixtures, and even to the styles of clothing.  There were a lot of cute things, including this plaid jacket, faux leather clutches, and a rack or so of plus size styles.  

Inside Urbanesque in Bemidji.

Inside Urbanesque in Bemidji.

What I really like about Urbanesque is that they carry Krochet Kids and other socially conscious brands.  The Krochet Kids tags are all hand signed by the person who made it and you can trace where your clothes are coming from.  

 

Urban Treasures

Urban Treasures thrift store (108 Third St NW 56601) was not listed on the shopping map, but from what I can tell is a new store.  There aren't a lot of fancy decorations and the lighting is a little stark, but they find a way to repurpose preowned clothing, and part of their sales go right back into the Bemidji community.  The store owners give part of the proceeds from donated items to the Bemidji School District lunch program.  

The items are in great condition and there are a variety of sizes for men, women, and children.  Not everything is my style, but I did pick up some fabulous colored jeans.  I'm no a stranger to colored denim and had cobalt, red, and grey pairs of Old Navy Rockstars a few years back.  Thrifting is a great way to reduce textile waste and update for fall without spending a lot of money.  

Yes, they are purple.  Yes, that's my favorite color.  No, I'm not sorry. 

Yes, they are purple.  Yes, that's my favorite color.  No, I'm not sorry. 

The pricetag on these ZanaDi purple pants?  $4.75! 

The pricetag on these ZanaDi purple pants?  $4.75! 

 

Other stores I visited included Yellow Umbrella, which had a lot of plaid and flannel, and Lucette Boutique, which had a lot of super cute/girly decorations inside.  

There's a phase two to the project I'm working on, so I'll be back in Bemidji and plan to check out other shops, both on the shopping guide and not.  

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