Monday, February 28, 2011

Preview: Juut promo shoot featuring Emma Berg

I have recently unearthed some photos that were shot for Juut Salonspa's S/S 2010 campaign. I was enlisted by then-Juut creative director Charlie Brackney (now co-owner of HAUS Salon) to style the shoot culling pieces by local fashion designers, with airiness, lightness and pale being the key words. Though the photos were never used, I'm excited to add these images to my portfolio. Here is a preview of one of the looks, featuring a commissioned design by local designer Emma Berg:


Photo: Matthew Whitcomb
Creative Director & Hair Lead: Charlie Brackney for Juut
Dress: Emma Berg
Model: Whitney Fransway of Ignite Models

Vision's Jane photographed by Emily Utne

It's been a while since we've seen new work by photographer Emily Utne and frequent collaborators Jane Belfry and Smart & Chic's Amber Brenke, but a couple of never seen-before shots by Emily just surfaced. Purportedly from last year's St. Kate's student show promo shoot, they feature Vision model Jane H., with styling by Jane Belfry, makeup by Amber, and hair by Jack Hysell.

Behind the scenes: Eliesa Johnson spring test shoot

Eliesa Johnson is one of those photographers whose behind-the-scenes shots are nearly (if not as) good as her final results. Here is a selection of her behind-the-scenes images from her latest spring test shoot. Dying to know where she found that first look...




Behind the scenes: Secrets Fashion Agency promo shoot

Local styling upstart agency Secrets Fashion Agency just released some behind-the-scenes photos and video from the promo shoot for for an upcoming retail company known as Fidoo Inc.



Here are some samples from the shoot by Sam Nong. It's always fun to see menswear styled right (for the most part - I'm not sure about those hanging suspenders.)

Click here for more images.




Kevin Kramp featured in U Magazine

The press just keeps coming for local men's knitwear designer Kevin Kramp. Most recently, he has been featured in Brazilian online publication U Magazine. Kramp's piece is the knit white pants on the right.


Photography: Caius Christoe
Fashion Styling: Fredo
Model: Eduardo Calero at Request

Fashion link roundup: 2.21-2.27

[Kara Nesvig, photographed by Amy Gee]

Kara Nesvig offers her picks for the best lipsticks of all time for Beauty Bets.

Kara also gives her picks for best spring nail polishes for her own blog, Vanity Project.

Kara asks her stylist pal Ines Kovacevic what's in her makeup bag.

Local blogger Jake Thompson went to Wisconsin to hang out with Johnny Weir at a book signing gig. So jealous.

Mall of America intern and stylish gent Clark Rahman offers his tips on dressing well on an intern's budget.

Corey Tenold of Trnds.com gives an inside look at the new martinpatrick3 / I.D. inside design space.

Mpls.St.Paul Magazine does a Q&A with local Juut Master Stylist Jen Hughes on shooting at New York Fashion Week.

Jane Belfry offers her London Fashion Week favorites.

Carla Ray Thompson of the Minneapolis Examiner interviews Voltage '11 designer Ivan Idland.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

The best (and worst) looks of the Oscars

The Oscar 2011 trends are in, and beading, sequins, white, silvers and shades of red came out on top. But co-host Anne Hathaway's eight (yes, EIGHT) looks, put together by top stylist Rachel Zoe, was the big fashion story of the night. I live-Tweeted the night for l'etoile magazine with l'etoile founder Beth Hammarlund, so be sure to check that out. Here are my top ten looks of the night:

1. Cate Blanchett in Givenchy. Bow down to the queen. She pulls off couture like no one else - particularly because she wears the dress, and the dress doesn't wear her.

2. Anne Hathaway in Armani Privé Spring 2011. Love the liquid effect, the color, and the neckline.

3. Camila Alves in Kaufman Franco. Classic yet modern, she pulls off what could look like a princessy gown with subtly and class.

4. Anne Hathaway in vintage Valentino. Anne had a number of great looks and this was a stunner, pulled from the vaults of the living legend.

5. Hailee Steinfeld in Marchesa. The ingenue has been on best dressed lists for months, and it's no surprise. She looks age appropriate and sophisticated in this floaty frock.

6. Michelle Williams in Chanel. It's surprisingly simple for someone who typically goes for more girlish styles (which I'm usually a fan of), and I dig the change to a more streamlined silhouette. But she doesn't stray away from the pale whites, and she looks positively angelic.

7. Annette Bening in Naeem Khan. The esteemed actress (who was robbed for Best Actress, IMHO) is stunning in this sparkly gown, both chic and flattering.

8. Anne Hathaway in Lanvin tuxedo and Brian Atwood shoes. The shoes make it.

9. Anne Hathaway in Tom Ford. Sorry to have this list so dominated by her, but it's undeniable the fabulous job Rachel Zoe did putting these looks together. Bravo.

10. Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine was stunning in her stage performance look (in Roksanda Ilincic). I love the 1940s old Hollywood silhouette, and the color is really wonderful on her.

Honorable mention: Sandra Bullock in Vera Wang. It's undeniable how great she looks, and the lines in the dress and bust bring it up a notch. Wish she would have done something different with her hair.

Honorable mention: Amy Adams in L'Wren Scott. I'm grading a little bit on a curve here as miss Amy typically flubs up in her red carpet appearances, but it's refreshing to see this bright blue in the sea of white, silver and red. I love the color with her hair and the fit is perfect.

Late addition: Sunrise Coigney in Jean Paul Gaultier. This is just a cool, unique dress, and oh so Gaultier.

Honorable mention: Mandy Moore in Monique Lhuillier. Again with the off-white and sparkle, but I love how it's hard to tell where the sheer begins and sparkle ends.

The night definitely wasn't without its disappointments. ScarJo looked like a lamp in a whorehouse in her burgundy lace Dolce & Gabbana. A very expensive lamp.

What was Reece Witherspoon thinking with that hairpiece? She looks like a Barbie doll down to the (Armani Privé) dress.

I want to like this - as typically Nicole Kidman does no wrong - but the cut on this Dior does weird things to her figure, and the bust is too tight. Plus, the hair and accessorizing is all wrong. I do like her return to red hair, though.

It's hard to imagine Halle Berry not looking great in something, but this Marchesa just looks like a mess. The tulle looks like it was stapled to the bottom as an afterthought.

What looks did you love? Hate?

Local inspiration: muses and lenses

The best in local street fashion, portrait and fashion photography from local muses and lenses, gathered via Twitter, Facebook and blog uploads from the past week.

Stylist/blogger Kitty Cottengets shot for street style blog Minneapolis Affair.

Kitty tries out her cute peach trench over at her new personal style blog, kittycotten.com.

Amy Gee shoots Lucas Joe Cajucom at the Fidoo Inc. shoot that Secrets Fashion Agency did last weekend.

Local style blogger Katie Mae Dickinson fades out.

Crooked Teeth Magazine editor Caitlin Angelica slips into the fog.

Dirty Hair Halo blogger Shannon Licari shields her eyes from the bright white snow.

Former Minneapolis eyewear designing twins Coco and Breezy do a photoshoot on a merry-go-round in Courchevel, Franche. (Photo: Peka Devé)

Ellen Dahl Lawson of The Minneapoline shoots Vision model Mary Cann at the Vita.mn Hotness runway show earlier this month at the Women's Club of Minneapolis.

Fred Holson shoots local stylist/blogger Jane Belfry in the cab on the way to Milk Studios during New York Fashion Week earlier this month.

Cliche designer Niki English gets her U of M senior line shot by Veronique Viardin. Click here for more photos from the shoot.

Former Minnesota model Lauren Wade (now with Ford in Chicago) hunkers down. (Photo: Patrick Xiong)

Hairstylist and HAUS Salon co-owner Charlie Brackney looks adorable in his salon bio pic. Read my preview of the salon at Vita.mn.

Photographer Sohail Akhavein whips his hair back and forth.

Style blogger Hina Khan tries out the neon lip trend.

Actress/singer/model Hannah von der Hoff goes French Riviera retro, courtesy of Filipe Marques.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Spinario Design featured in Mpls.St.Paul Magazine

Local vintage shop Spinario Design gets featured in the latest issue of Mpls.St.Paul, inspired by the off-Broadway run of Hair that's coming to town on Tuesday. Love these groovy prints.

Macy's debuts Kinder Aggugini for new cheap-chic line

Everybody loves a designer collab, and the news of the latest to hit Macy's is at Rodarte-for-Target levels. The department store's new Impulse line seems to take a long-overdue cue from Target's celebrate GO International line and enlist Kinder Aggugini, whose resume includes designing for houses like Vivienne Westwood and Versace. The limited-edition collection looks a bit like Coco Chanel-meets-Sid Vicious, if you can imagine, and is being sold at three Macy's locations locally - Downtown Minneapolis, Rosedale, and Southdale, plus www.macys.com/impulse. After Aggugini's two-month stint, expect to see more designs from big names like Karl Lagerfeld, Calvin Klein, and Paul Smith.

Personally, I'm digging the jackets, particularly the cropped black leather motorcycle style. It's hard to find well-cut, well-designed jackets on the cheap that don't look it.