Just announced: Avoid the Grey, L'école de la mode, Sol Inspirations

[Originally posted at Vita.mn]

It may still be December, but spring fashion shows are already being announced.

[Inspiration image for "Avoid the Grey"]

On January 29, local boutique Cliché will bring back its annual late-winter show, "Avoid the Grey." It gives local designers the chance to debut their spring lines early, but also expect some designs that should get Minnesotans through the chilly coming months in style. This year's theme is "jailhouse rock," with retro mugshots serving as styling inspiration. The 40-plus clothing and accessory designers featured include Maritza Ramirez, Needle & Black by Kerry Riley, Ivan Idland and Jenny Carle. (Time & ticket cost TBA. Old Arizona Theater, 2821 Nicollet Ave., Mpls. More info at clichempls.blogspot.com.)

[Blasphemina's Closet; Photo courtesy Minneapolis Institute of Arts]

Minnesota-based neo-Victorian line Blasphemina's Closet has gotten national attention for its exquisitely-crafted, ruffled confections. On March 3, designer Samantha Rei will be presenting her first solo show, "L'école de la mode," featuring her full spring 2011 collection. The runway show will be presented to a soundtrack by local folk-goth rock duo Skittish. Blasphemina's Closet look books will be for sale, with proceeds going to the Civil Society. (9 p.m. $10. 18-plus. Hell's Kitchen, 80 9th St S., Mpls. More info at Facebook)

[Sol Inspirations Promo Photo Courtesy Ignite Models]

On April 23, MNfashion Week gets extended with the Sol Inspirations Eco Fashion Gala & Fundraiser. The highlight of the show from the minds of Ignite Models Inc. should be the eco-friendly fashion design competition, with a $5,000 grand prize. Designers can enter now by visiting sol-inspirations.org (with a February 1 deadline). It will also include a silent auction, green vendors, live music and an eco-fashion show debuting the finalists of the competition. Proceeds benefit the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society and The Grameen Foundation. (Doors at 7 p.m. $35 general admission, $75 VIP (reserved seating). The Depot, 225 3rd Ave. S., Minneapolis. sol-inspirations.org)

Voltage: Fashion Amplified was announced a couple of months ago, taking place April 15 at First Avenue. Runway designers include Raul Osorio, Danielle Everine, Max Lohrbach, Ivan Idland, Frances Zerr, Terri Martin, Kathryn V., Sarah M. Holm, Rachel Blomgren, and Tim & Thom, with bands including Phantom Tails, Me and My Arrow, Fort Wilson Riot, Communist Daughter, and Pink Mink. Spring 2011 MNfashion Week will officially take place April 10-16, though events throughout the month of April should be expected. Details have yet to be announced, but watch mnfashion.org for updates.

NYE hair & makeup guide: Where to go

[Originally posted at Vita.mn]

New Year's Eve is upon us, and apart from having to worry about what to wear, where you're going, and how you're going to get there, having holiday-fabulous hair and makeup is yet another priority. But if you're not lucky enough to have a hair stylist/makeup artist friend (or happen to be one yourself), you could probably use some help getting ready for the big night. To help you out, a number of local salons are offering New Year's Eve hair styling and makeup applications by appointment.

[The Beauty Room]

For the big night, The Beauty Room in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis is a sure bet. The brains behind the salon, Mi Shaun Schmidt-Schwab brings 14 years of experience in the beauty industry and is recognized as one of the nation’s top colorists by Allure Magazine. My regular stylist, MinJo, has been with The Beauty Room since it opened in 2005 and is positively adorable. Hair styling rates range from $50 to $150, with makeup applications starting at $55. (4300 Chicago Avenue South, Minneapolis, 612, 724-4111, www.thebeautyroommpls.com.)

[The Beauty Room]

Appointments are going fast, but if you act now you should be able to nab an a slot.

Other recommended salons with openings on New Year's Eve:

Mezzanine Salon
Hair styling: $35-90; Makeup application: starts at $45.
2225 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-333-9913, www.mezzaninesalon.com

Denny Kemp Salon
Hair styling: $30-100; Makeup application: $75.
605 Central Ave. NE., Minneapolis, 612-676-0300, www.dennykempsalon.com

The Fox Den Salon
Hair styling: $45-65. (No makeup.)
704 W. 22nd St. Minneapolis, 612-872-4556, www.foxdensalon.com

Jungle Red Salon
1362 LaSalle Ave., Minneapolis, 612-870-0653, www.jungleredsalon.com

Evolution Salon
2836 S. Lyndale Ave., Minneapolis, 612-870-2979, www.evolutionhair.com

Juut Salonspa
Various locations, including downtown Minneapolis, 651 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 612-332-3512 & Uptown Minneapolis, 2947 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, Minnesota, 612-823-0977, www.juut.com

MAC Store
Makeup only - $50 purchase commitment toward product. take appointments but only 4 left.
Various locations including Uptown: 2922 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-825-0685,
www.maccosmetics.com

Local inspiration: muses and lenses

Here's another edition of my weekly smattering of fashion-infused photography culled from local photographers and muses via Facebook, Twitter and the blogroll.

Photographer Vanessa Meade shoots her model/muse Marjorie Braddock looking gorgeously festive.

New street style blog Minneapolis Affair shoots artist Courtney Pace.

Photog Cayla Anderson gets blinded by the light.

Musician Rachel Palmer shows some face.

Sohail Akhavein shoots stylist/artist John Sand at work in the raw.

Photographer Amanda Bailey shows off her sweet red Doc Marten kicks.

Stylist/blogger Ines Kovacevic whips her hair.

Amanda Bailey shoots DJ/producer Josh Clancy Americana-style.

Style blogger Shannon Licari tries on some faux fur for size.

Style blogger Hina Khan gets shot at the Weisman's WAMarchy! closing party in front of a digital creation by Clement Shimizu for l'etoile (courtesy of stylist Molly Roark's eye).

Photographer Sohail Akhavein gets raw and glittery in a dual self-portrait.

Jewelry designer Lauren Neal fades out along St. Anthony Main.

Hollie Mae & Kate Erickson's holiday spread

Local stylist Hollie Mae Schultz and makeup/hair stylist Kate Erickson put together this lovely holiday spread, as photographed by Sarah Sauser, with layout design by Chris Larson. Click through below for the full spread.

Open publication - Free publishing - More minneapolis

Voltage accessory designers announced

Voltage accessory designers have been announced. They include Needle & Black, Jennifer Merchant, Bionic Unicorn, Freedom From Doubt, and Lela Horst Baumann, among others. I'm the show's lead stylist (for the fifth year running!) and had a hand in selecting and pairing these designers. Here's a sampling of their past work and proposed designs from some of my favorites:

Acrylic jewelry by Jennifer Merchant (for Frances Zerr)

Leather accessories by Needle & Black by Kerry Riley (for Raul Osorio)

Leather and burlap bow accessories by Freedom for Doubt (for Danielle Everine)

Lingerie by Jagress Intimates by Sarah White (for Danielle Everine)

Ceramic skull buttons and accessories by Lela Horst Baumann (for Rachel Blomgren)

Jewelry by Bionic Unicorn by Kristin Berwald (for Max Lohrbach)

Local fashion link roundup

Here's my weekly roundup of fashion links and news of all things local.

[Dearling Physique in Kevin Kramp designs]

City Pages posted and extended interview with one of their Artists of the Year, local knitwear designer Kevin Kramp.

You can see Kevin Kramp's knitwear designs (along with that of fellow local designer Hilary Falk) in Dearling Physique's music video "Discipline Your Hands," debuting this Friday, January 7 at the Uptown Apple Store.

In even more Kevin Kramp news, the designer just announced he'll be showing at Paris Fashion Week at the end of January in an emerging menswear designer showcase.

AOL interviews Anna Lee, founder of Voltage: Fashion Amplified and MNfashion.

Local personal style blog Dirty Hair Halo interviews national style blog icon Tevis Swain.

Dirty Hair Halo is also unloading her well-edited closet and filling up a e-shop with her finds.

Voltage 2011 designer Rachel Blomgren shares her sketches and inspiration (part one, part two, part three)

Local style blogger Hina Khan tries the ombre hair trend thanks to Mark Dolan of Evolution Salon.

Ellen Dahl Lawson shoots stylish show-goers at the Rock Your Frock fashion show a couple of weeks back for Vita.mn.

Sara Glassman covers local up-and-coming fashion and beauty lines HAROLD by Laura Nelli, Galen Labs, Daub and Bauble, and BlackBlue for Star Tribune.

City Pages offers highlights from the ongoing Mao to Now Chinese fashion exhibition at the Goldstein Museum of Design.

Local jewelry designers Heads Twogether do a how-to guide on how to make a jewelry charm necklace.

Meghan McAndrews of High Plains Thrifter does a Budget Beauty Gift Guide for Beauty Bets.

Stylist/blogger Ines Kovacevic has tons of great photo inspiration updates on her blog, Merci Beaucoup, as does stylist/blogger Jane Belfry's new blog Couture et Cuisine.

The Mall of America has a new blog; add it to your blogroll for updates on trends, sales and shopping ideas.

Kevin Kramp named one of City Pages' Artists of the Year

Along with local favorites like photographer Alec Soth and GAYNGS main man Ryan Olson, locally-based, avant-garde knitwear designer Kevin Kramp was named one of the Artists of the Year by City Pages. (And deservedly so.)


Choice quotes:

"Woven fabric is boring. I didn't design it, I didn't manufacture it, and I barely control it when making a garment. All the work is already done. Whereas with knit, I start from the beginning and control everything."

"My life is not separate from my design work; they are one and the same," Kramp says. "I'm inspired and enthusiastic to create objects of beauty and moments of joy, continually paralyzed by insecurity while simultaneously taking bold steps in daring directions."

Read the article here.

muses and lenses: Benjamin Fredrickson photography

Photographer Benjamin Fredrickson is one of the brightest talents to come out of Minneapolis. His work has been featured in subversive, gay-centric photography magazine BUTT and online magazine Oakazine, and he's currently based out of New York and working for e-shop Oak NYC. His photography typically features a lot of nude men and gay sexuality, but here's a smattering of his work that is safe for my blog. View more at www.benjaminfredrickson.com or Ben's Polaroid blog, if you dare.

[Self-portrait]

[Naures]

[Albert]

[Troy]

[Daniel]

[Self-portrait]

He has also occasionally turned his lens onto female muses. Here is a selection from his blog, Female Benjamin Fredrickson.

[Mary]

[Jane]

[Ines]

Ellen Dahl Lawson models for BlackBlue

I've loved St. Paul menswear shop BlackBlue since it opened its doors last year - and was secretly jealous there wasn't a similar store for women. Apparently, a lot of other girls feel the same way - and shop there anyway. Apparently, owner Steve Kang is about to roll out a selection of women's clothes. The Minneapoline street style blogger Ellen Dahl Lawson recently stepped in front of the lens to model the new women's looks (paired with some men's) from the shop. Here are the photos in full. (Click here for clothing credits.)

BlackBlue is located at 614 Selby Avenue at Dale Avenue in St. Paul.











All images courtesy BlackBlue

Jane Belfry launches new fashion, lifestyle & food blog

Prolific stylist and blogger Jane Belfry has a new blog Couture et Cuisine. The blog takes off after her previous fashion-oriented blog, The Fashion Critic (which went offline about a month ago) but adds a new element: food Expect beautiful vintage and modern fashion photography combined with decadent food menus from all over the world.

Photo: Stan Shaffer via Couture et Cuisine

Add this one to your blogrolls now. View Jane's styling work at www.janebelfry.com.

Fairshadow previews "Whimsical Red" shoot

Local photographer Carla Haglund of FairShadow Photography just posted this preview of a new steampunk/Lolita-infused photo shoot, and I must say it's quite spooky yet adorable. Perfect for tonight's not-since-the-1600s lunar eclipse coinciding with the winter solstice.

The model is wearing a dress by Megan Maude, a Decatur, Georgia-based steampunk designer who is tightly-knit with the local neo-Victorian contingency, Libertine Asylum.