Le Petit Connaisseur de la Mode: Stuff I wrote: 2.18.10-2.24.10

My weekly roundup of everything I've written this week.

Over at Vita.mn:

[New Land of Milk and Honey]

I cover the Annie Larson, Erin Smith and Brett Smith performance/installation New Land of Milk and Honey, which opens tonight at Soap Factory. Check out my preview of Annie Larson's sketches for the show, posted last February on Le Petit.

A performance art meets fashion show meets art installation, New Land of Milk and Honey is an ambitious project from a trio of designers. The press release has the group exploring such seemingly unrelated topics as communal living, electronic sleep, synesthesia, technicolor, prenatal learning and chronobiology. A bit out-there and lofty, sure, but designers Annie Larson, Brett Smith and Erin Smith all have sturdy reputations. Larson, a onetime Target designer and Voltage alum, is well regarded in the local fashion community for her innovative designs and impeccable construction skills. She'll debut her all-new line of brightly colored, multi-patterned knit sweaters, leggings and onesies (think Gap on crack). For their part, it's a sure bet that brother-and-sister team Brett and Erin Smith will bring their skills as sculptor/installation artist and product designer, respectively. Opening reception 7-11 p.m. Sat 2/20.

One-woman play I Heart Hamas: And Other Things I'm Afraid to Tell You" at Bedlam Theatre this weekend and next;

Vita.mn's Midnight Movie Society's screening of "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" at Red Stag last night.

For the second installment of the Midnight Movie Society, Vita.mn once again teams up with DJ Jake Rudh to present a cult film, drinks, a themed soundtrack and prizes for best dressed. Next up is sexploitation director Russ Meyer's 1970 "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls," regarded as a cult classic for its equal doses of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. The movie, which originally received an X rating from the MPAA, centers around an all-girl rock band that goes to Hollywood to make it big, a goal that quickly dissipates into endless nights of decadence. Think lesbian sex scenes, women masquerading as men and plenty of pill-popping. Dress up as your favorite character for a chance to win prizes, take in a "Dolls"-inspired soundtrack by Rudh, and get your photo shot in the Vita.mn photo booth. A complimentary midnight champagne toast and truffle popcorn are included in the price of a ticket.

National designer Margaux Lange's Barbie jewelry at SooVAC's Soo Too gift shop.

Fashion meets pop art in Margaux Lange's Plastic Body Series, an art jewelry collection that incorporates parts of plastic Barbie dolls in quirky but cute configurations. The line has a cheeky sense of humor -- take the "Have-a-Heart Bust" pendant, which features the doll's chest cut into a heart shape ($180). Year-round, Lange donates part of the proceeds of the Have-a-Heart Collection to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Other pieces from the self-professed "art jeweler" include the doll's arms, legs and face fitted with sterling silver and pigmented resins.

and the Local Jewelry Trunk Show at Parc Boutique today, featuring Liebling Designs among five others.

Six local jewelry designers welcome spring this weekend with all-new collections. The latest work by Liebling Designs, known for delicate, retro-inspired beading and floral motifs, is decidedly bold while staying true to its ladylike aesthetic. Candied Yams combines semi-precious stones (turquoise, onyx, agate) into configurations fitting for a modern-day flower child. Those collections and four others will be priced 15 percent off during the trunk show.

At Le Petit Connaisseur de la Mode: