Mike Elmquist's style celebrated by Stylecaster.com

Cute! Vision hotshot model Mike Elmquist (who recently walked the runway for Patrick Ervell, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Native Son and Duckie Brown at New York Fashion Week) was spotted by Stylecaster.com's street style contingent outside his day job at Opening Ceremony in NYC - in a Patrick Ervell jacket, of course.


Photos courtesy Stylecaster.com

MNfashion announces Holiday Bazaar

MNfashion just announced its plans to launch its first annual Holiday Bazaar at their headquarters in the Grainbelt Bottling Building. It comes after its pop-up holiday boutique at Gaviidae Common over the past couple of years - but instead of a holiday season run, it will last only one day.

They're currently looking for local boutiques and designers to be a part of it, with offerings including everything from one-of-a-kind, handmade wearables to festive gems - anything you can wear or gift over the holiday season, all by local designers and artisans.

The event, co-sponsored by l'etoile magazine, is slated for Saturday, November 13 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 79 13th Avenue Northeast in Minneapolis, where you'll be able to indulge in local treats, sip cocktails and cocoa, and enjoy personal styling services. l'etoile will have styled models and more during the event.

Applications are due to katie.mnfashion@gmail.com by October 8; visit mnfashion.org to find out how to become a vendor.

Megan McNierney at Paris Fashion Week

And now it is Paris: Vision model Megan McNierney at Felipe Oliveira Baptista SS11:

Vision guys land national mag spreads

Vision guys are on fire.

On the heels of Hamilton Kruchten landing the Bloomingdale's campaign and Blake Kuchta appearing in a spread in Hong Kong magazine Uno Men, the local modeling agency just got a couple of high-level placements in national publications

Here is Blake Kuchta in Details' October issue:


Here is Nique Jenkins in the August/September issue of Vibe:

Blake Kuchta for Men's Uno

I just stumbled upon this new shoot with Vision model Blake Kuchta (also with DNA in NYC) for the October 2010 issue of bi-monthly Chinese publication Men's Uno, with photos by Kwannam and styling by Michael Fisher.

Hamilton Kruchten for Bloomingdale's

Vision model Hamilton Kruchten, a St. Cloud native, has been featured in the national fall campaign for Bloomingdale's.

Vision's Mike Elmquist at New York Fashion Week

Minneapolis-based modeling agency Vision has been prolific at New York Fashion Week this fall. Representing the guys: Mike Elmquist.

Mike Elmquist at Native Son S/S 2011 (via Models.com's Of the Moment blog):

[Photo: Christian Rios/Models.com]

[Photo: Christian Rios/Models.com]

Mike also documented the Native Son S/S 2011 video for Opening Ceremony; read more HERE.

Mike Elmquist at Marc by Marc Jacobs S/S 2011:

[Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com]

Mike Elmquist and Nic LaFrance both modeled in the recent Duckie Brown Spring 2011 fashion presentation during New York Fashion Week. Models.com's Of The Minute blog posted some photos from the show.

Mike Elmquist at Duckie Brown S/S 2011:

[Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com]

[All above photos by Betty for Models.com]

Click HERE for more Vision models posts on Le Petit.

Tim Gunn critques local designers on Twin Cities Live

It was all about local fashion last week when Tim Gunn - who was in town for a book signing at the Mall of America - appeared on Twin Cities Live to critique looks by local designers.

[Tim Gunn with Tender Cuts designer Emily Bryngelson and two of her looks]

Jenny Carle showed a couple of holiday party dresses (to be featured in SCENEaSOTA on November 6) on Ignite model Tearra Rosario. Tim was very complimentary on the looks.

[Jenny Carle with two of her looks on Twin Cities Live]

Next Emily Bryngelson of Tender Cuts showed a couple of looks from her fall line, featured recently at "Envision: Artopia" and at this Thursday's "Crosswalk" show at local boutique Cliche, on models Elle Lemler and Lily Adriana of Ignite. Bryngelson described the looks as "menswear inspired with a '60s influence." Tim loved the construction details and was crazy about the prints.

[Emily Bryngelson with two of her looks on Twin Cities Live]

Then Christopher Straub made a "surprise" appearance (which he had leaked via Twitter the day before) and reunited with his former Project Runway mentor.

Watch the full video HERE.

Video: "Pale Rider" on Metromix

KARE-11's Metromix segment recently featured designers Raul Osorio and Danielle Everine on their upcoming MNfashion Week show, "Pale Rider." Check it out below:

Mike Elmquist documents Native Son fashion video

Vision model Mike Elmquist isn't just a pretty face. Based out of New York, the Minnesota native also works as a sales associate for Opening Ceremony and is a budding filmmaker. The Opening Ceremony website posted this behind-the-scenes video he made to document a short film made by NYC-based menswear line Native Son, a brand carried by the retailer, to promote its Spring 2011 collection. (And it's entirely possible he had a hand in getting Minnesota band A Night in the Box on the film's soundtrack.)



On the video, Elmquist says: "It’s tough to remain serious when you have a dozen guys working on a fashion video, and I guess that’s the energy I wanted to capture. It was a great day for shooting, with great people working on the project- including two models who are polar opposites in personality - Christopher and Niclas. With the help of local Minnesota band A Night in the Box providing the tunes, the final result of course turned out to be a good representation of an awesome day of shooting!"

Megan McNierney in German Glamour

Vision model Megan McNierney in the latest issue of German Glamour.

In review: Envision: Artopia Fall 2010

[Originally posted at Vita.mn online]

[Looks from Cliche]

Over the past few years, the Ignite Models-produced "Envision: Artopia" shows have become one of the most consistent (and well-attended) staples of MNfashion Week. As usual, it was packed with a who's who of the Twin Cities' independent fashion industry - and at 15 designers and five boutiques plus a live hair styling segment, it was the longest-running show to date. Though a bit light on the "Artopia" aspect (the lone efforts being a live painting by Jesse Draxler and Christopher Park and limp visuals from Anthem Heart), the show offered a wide cross-section of what's happening in local fashion in a clean, smoothly-run production, modeled on a solid roster of Ignite models.

As usual, Amanda Christine and Kimberly Jurek of K.Jurek presented highly wearable, retail-ready pieces (though a bit unimaginatively styled).

[Looks by Kimberly Jurek for K.Jurek & Amanda Christine]

So was the case with YQY by Vivian, whose lovely spring collection featuring coral prints would've been greatly helped by some (any) styling. Russell Bourrienne showed an exquisite collection of his signature men's outerwear in luxurious wool plaids with unique details (like overlapping buttons on an otherwise classic peacoat).

[Looks by YQY by Vivian & Russell Bourrienne]

Tender Cuts and Kathryn V. showed on-trend, well-styled separates fit for a chic Brooklyn boutique or the pages of Nylon. Local boutique Cliche also showed imagination with paper crown and paper necklace accessorizing.

[Looks by Kathryn V. & Tender Cuts]

But for the most part, the show was largely hit-or-miss - both Jenny Carle and Calpurnia Peach succeeded with when they stuck to their girlish looks and faltered when they went outside of their comfort zones.

[Looks by Calpurnia Peach & Jenny Carle]

Same went for Christopher Straub, who previewed his Spring 2011 at the close of the show. A hydrangea-print trapeze dress hinted at a different direction for Straub, and his signature "petal" work on a shrug and mini dress were both adorable, but the fabrications and fit were off elsewhere.

[Looks by Christopher Straub]

Newcomer Allilamodie showed some intriguing (if not exactly on-trend) knitwear, while PFT Couture brought the drama but proportions were off and fabrics were unsophisticated.

[Looks by Allilamodie & PFT Couture]

But despite the largely impressive roster of talent involved, the unstyled look of the show gave it a hurried, unfinished feel, as if it was too much spread too thin. It's clear the producers have a great product on their hands and know how to put on a show; here's hoping next spring, they'll rein in their ambitions, whittle down the lineup (and altogether eliminate the live hair styling segment), and fine tune what's working.

All photos by Josh Stokes

Annie Larson F/W 2010 lookbook

Colony Stripe Legging

I'm a huge fan of Annie Larson. The local designer first hit the scene a few years back at Voltage with her playful rompers and separates in pastel dyes, but she's made a name for herself nationally as of late with her machine-made knitwear. The original designs still feature Larson's playful aesthetic, but the modern, bold pattern puts them on the level of something you'd find in a hip Scandinavian city (Stockholm, Copenhagen) or on ShopFatal.com.

For now, you can purchase her brand-new fall collection at her E-shop, allforeveryone.com. Here is the complete lookbook, with items priced at $90 to 240 and available in a variety of colors.

BTS Box Top

Avalanche Box Top

Vari Vari Stripe Mini and Box Top (love the floral Docs!)

Rainbow Block Leggings

1x1 Tiny Topper


1x1 Accent Mini Dress

1x1 Accent Box Top

1x1 Pocket Mini

Editorial: Fall MNfashion Week by l'etoile

The l'etoile staff and I put together this spread with photographer Chris McDuffie featuring designers participating in MNfashion Week shows. Click HERE for our MNfashion Week guide, which I edited.

Faatemah Ampey for Aveda in M.O.D. Magazine

I just ran across these gorgeous images from North American Hairstyling Award-winner (and local hairstylist) Faatemah Ampey in hair and beauty publication M.O.D. Magazine, styling for Aveda with photography by Buck Holzemer. (You may also remember Ampey from the most recent season of Shear Genius!) I'm not sure I dig the dude's anime hair (though I believe that's Hamilton from Vision models), or the newspaper clothing, but lovely to see this local talent get national exposure. Ampey is also interviewed in the magazine, viewable in online form here.

Jenny Carle Fall 2010 lookbook

Now that Envision: Artopia is under her belt, Local designer Jenny Carle has posted her Fall 2010 collection lookbook on her website, shot by Stephanie Hynes with Ignite model Rikki and hair/makeup by Bethany Brihn. I adore how it's styled with "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" hats in matching fabrics, as well as the washed-out feel.