Local fashion roundup for 2.8.10-2.14.10

Every week, I gather all the best in local fashion links, fashion show photos and reviews, and social media updates from local fashion makers - so you don't have to.

• Here's our Valentine's Guide to Getting Lucky over at l'etoile.
  
• Visit my sales and shopping guide at l'etoile and my St. Paul sales and shopping guide over at the651.com for more Valentine's events.
  
• Check out Kara Nesvig's Last minute Valentine's Day Beauty Guide for the Ladies for The Minnesota Daily.
• Vita.mn's Alexis McKinnis also has a nifty little guide via her personal blog Girl Friday.

[Faatemah Ampey on episode 2 of Shear Genius; Image courtesy Bravo]

• Faatemah Ampey, contestant on Shear Genius, has just survived the second episode of the third season (she ended up safe in the middle of the pack). Check out her blog on the episode here. Faatemah is interviewed about her hair for Modern Salon Magazine. Check out another new interview with Faatemah over at the Scissor Sharpening blog.
• In other local reality TV news, local model Raina Hein was announced this week as contestant in America's Next Top Model, Cycle 14. It will premiere March 10 on CW. [LOL-OMG!, Le Petit, Vita.mn]
• Local model Will Defiel is interviewed about balancing schoolwork with modeling in Vita.mn's @work
  feature.

[Monique Darton; courtesy Lifetime]

• Local model Monique Darton looking gorgeous in a design by Jay Nicolas Sario on this week's episode of Project Runway. She (and Jay) were deemed safe by the judges.
  

[Mike Elmquist for DKNY]

• Local Vision model Mike Elmquist photographed in DKNY for its Fall 2010 presentation during New York Fashion Week.
• Sara Glassman reports from the Project Runway season 7 finale runway show at New York Fashion Week for Star Tribune.
  

[Carrier Pigeon jewelry]

• Local jewelry line Carrier Pigeon has jewelry in a New York boutique called Old Hollywood.
• Local jewelry designer Robyne Robinson gets her first UK press in glossy Side View Magazine.
• Vita.mn's 2010 Hotness winners have been announced. Finalists included local graphic designer Chris Larson (art director for Voltage, MNfashion and l'etoile magazine) and occassional l'etoile model Trenton Raygor.
• I just received an invite to a private showing of Calpurnia Peach's Spring 2010 collection on February 21. Can't wait to see what these talented girls are cooking up! Look for a review in l'etoile magazine in coming weeks.
• Local fashionistas tweet about Alexander McQueen's death. [LOL-OMG!]
  

In review
Reviews, photos and video of the (In)Sight U of M Senior Fashion Show and more:

[A look from (In)Sight by Mae Rodgers; Image by Stacy Schwartz]

• View photo galleries of (In)Sight by Stacy Schwartz, Amy Gee, and Nick Patton.
• Check out (In)Sight reviews by Lauren Gantner for l'etoile magazine, METRO Magazine, Carl Atiya Swanson of Cake In 15, and my review for Vita.mn.
• The U of M website has a video of the entire show here.
• City Pages has a slideshow of images from Thursday's Funk 'N Fashion Show at Lost and Found Vintage.
• Images from Curster's Dollmighty Fashion Show by Stephanie Colgan are up at SooVAC's facebook page.
  

Social media uploads and updates

• Christopher Straub reports via facebook that's he's "bumming around NYC with Jay." They both attended Friday morning's Project Runway season 7 finale runway show.

[A new JoyNoelle headpiece uploaded this week via facebook]

• Fashion designer Joy Teiken gears up for her (invitation-only) "Evening of Couture" show at the Goldstein on February 25.
• Local fashion writer Sara Glassman reports that Glamorama 2010 is a go and Nordstrom is planning a major fashion show in June locally. [via @PopFizzDaily]
  

• Local hairstylist Faatemah Ampey (current contestant on Shear Genius) meets the inimitable Tabatha Coffey of Bravo's Salon Takeover.

• Former Minneapolitan identical twin designers Coco and Breezy walk the space for their debut New York Fashion Week show. [via Facebook]

In review: U of M Senior Show

(Originally posted at Vita.mn)
Last Saturday, a sold-out crowd packed Rapson Hall to view one of the strongest student showing the Twin Cities has seen in sometime. For the 42nd year running, the 14 graduating seniors from the University of Minnesota's School of Design attempted to put their best foot forward, and they largely succeeded.

[A look by Emily Bryngelson; image by Stacy Schwartz]

[A look by Emily Bryngelson; image by Stacy Schwartz]

The strongest collection of the night was second to hit the runway. Emily Bryngelson, who had her runway debut only last week at Cliche's Avoid the Grey show, showed her five-piece senior collection, which she tells us was inspired by the interactions of light and British military silhouettes. A pale grey jumpsuit and color-blocked, multi-seamed one-shouldered minidress were the highlights, and the separates will likely fly off the shelves at Cliche, come summer. It was the full package - well-made, extremely wearable and strongly designed.

[A look by Judy Bender; image by Stacy Schwartz]

[A look by Judy Bender; image by Stacy Schwartz]

Judy Bender, who appeared to be in the 30-plus age range, brought a level of sophistication and fine tailoring rarely seen in a student show with her four-piece line. A plaid shirt-dress looked fresh thanks to strongly rounded sleeves and a mandarin-inspired collar, as did a bubble-sleeved frock in a gorgeous grey silk shantung.

[A look by Shirley Schlievert; image by Lauren Gantner]

Though the collection from another above-30 student, Shirley Schlievert, was a bit staid and mature-looking (though one floor-length silk gown would make sense if donned by Dame Judy Dench), a couple of strong, well-executed designs hint that perhaps with age comes a sophistication and wearability that the younger students haven't yet grasped. I especially loved the dark grey silk cocktail dress with whimsical shoulder detail.

[A look by Carmen Tseng; image by Nick Patton]

[A look by Carmen Tseng; image by Nick Patton]

Later in the show, youth had its moment in Carmen Tseng's acid-bright collection, apparently inspired by Lady Gaga (set to the pop stars "Bad Romance," fittingly). The mix of separates and dresses incorporated a unique cross-drape effect, particularly unique and edgy on an turquoise sleeveless hoodie. Local boutiques, buy into this one now - this stuff would fly off the racks.

[A look by Mae Rodgers; Nick Patton]

[A look by Mae Rodgers; image by Nick Patton]

The finale of the shop came courtesy of Mae Rodgers, who seems to prefer couture over ready-to-wear. Whimsical dresses and jackets with a cape-like drape were rendered in a black-and-white palette, fitting for a Tim Burton film. The amount of detail and craft in her work is definitely commendable. My only complaint is that some of the pieces seemed over-designed and over-worked - for instance, the attached train to the ivory chiffon blouse looked like a bridal gown that had lost its way.

But overall, these designers - still in their infancy - seem well on their way to finding their aesthetics. It's more than likely that this isn't the last you'll be hearing from this heady group.

Stuff I wrote: 2.4.10-2.10.10

Here's stuff I wrote last week for Vita.mn, including a mini recap of last week's Avoid the Grey, Voltage Preview and Commingle fashion shows, my article on Lowertown First Fridays, plus writeups on Red Shoe T-shirts, Pierrepont Hicks ties, (In)Sight U of M fashion show, "Till Death Do Us Part," VERVE Spoken Word Showcase, and "Young Frankenstein."

[A look from Voltage Preview by Danielle Everine; Image by Stacy Schwartz for MNfashion]

Crawl: Fashion week in January? (via Vita.mn)
January has never been a big month for fashion, but local designers are becoming so productive that Minneapolis was blessed with fashion shows three nights in a row last week. It started on Jan. 26 with the first-ever Voltage retail preview, in which Voltage's 2010 roster of designers previewed a selection of their most retail-ready designs for Twin Cities buyers at Vision modeling agency. Highlights included avant-garde men's knits by Kevin Kramp and silk draped separates by George Moskal. One night later, the annual Commingle show at the Fine Line featured an underground, DIY edge that seemed to hark back to 2003, when local designers preferred the avant-garde over the wearable. While much of the fashion struck out, looks from Elizabeth Chesney and SoHo Exchange were a treat for the eyes. Finally, Cliche's annual Avoid the Grey show returned to the tiny Old Arizona last Thursday. The show ended with a surreal, "Midsummer Night's Dream"-meets-"Twin Peaks" finale that had soot-covered models in plaid holding glittering axes, surrounded by men in suits and animal masks. The rest of the show packed in an astounding 15 designers including Brianne Jones and Christine Carmichael. (View full recap with images here.) -Jahna Peloquin


Fashion: Red Shoe T-shirts (via Vita.mn)
After struggling to keep the tees in stock at local boutique Cliché, Red Shoe Clothing designer Kerry Riley is now selling her popular screen-printed tees in a newly launched e-shop. Her signature chain-print shirts, designed in collaboration with Anthem Heart and printed on super-soft Alternative Apparel T-shirts, are available in various colors and cuts (V-neck or crew) and men's and women's sizes. -Jahna Peloquin

Fashion: Pierrepont Hicks ties (via Vita.mn)
Guys are dressing up more and more these days, thanks to the influence of "Mad Men" and the resurgence of classic menswear. Locally designed neckwear company Pierrepont Hicks is capitalizing on that trend via one of a well dressed gent's most vital accoutrements, the tie. Manufactured in New York's Garment District, Pierrepont Hicks' dapper selection includes both neckties and bowties in various tweedy fabrics. And now's the time to shop: Select ties are up to 20 percent off (originally $59-$89) through Valentine's Day at www.pierreponthicks.com. -Jahna Peloquin

[A look by Emily Bryngelson from (In)Sight; Image by Erin Johnson]

Fashion: (In)Sight U of M Senior Fashion Show (via Vita.mn)
The University of Minnesota’s annual fashion show has long served as a launching pad for fledgling designers. Last year, it was Calpurnia Peach’s Luci Kandler and Ashley Wokasch, as well as Voltage 2010 designer Brianne Jones. This year, all eyes should be fixed on Emily Bryngelson, who has a substantial head start: she’s been selling her line Tender Cuts at Cliché since this fall. Her innate ability to combine a strong point of view with wearable, well-constructed separates is a rarity for such a green designer. Other designers to watch out for are Lee Jackson, the lone male designer in the show, who combines conceptual thinking with wearable, architectural lines, as well as Judy Bender, who says she “finds inspiration from around the globe” for her sophisticated designs. -Jahna Peloquin

[Art by DC Ice, who is featured in an opening reception at the AZ Gallery as part of Lowertown First Fridays in St. Paul]

Art: Loving Lowertown (via Vita.mn)
The St. Paul artists' community moves to the fore with First Fridays crawl.
By Jahna Peloquin

Much has been made of the entertainment boom in St. Paul's Lowertown district over the past year, thanks to the success of bar/eateries Barrio and the Bulldog. Now, thanks to new First Fridays monthly open studio and gallery crawl, the Lowertown arts community comes front and center.

In fact, it's the arts scene that has long given downtown St. Paul's eastern end its distinct flavor. Lowertown has a long history of artist residencies dating back to the late 1970s when a group of artists formed the Lowertown Lofts Artists Cooperative. "I think it's one of the oldest artist communities in the United States where artists have been living continuously, because the artists actually live in the community," says Robyn Priestley, executive director of the St. Paul Artist Collective, which has been around for about as long, and has organized the biannual St. Paul Art Crawl for 15 years.

Another element that makes Lowertown unique is the high concentration of artists living and working within a four- to five-block radius. Priestley, an artist herself, estimates there are about 500 artists in the studios and co-ops of Lowertown. "I don't really know of any other community with that amount of artists in such a small area," Priestley says.

Despite the longevity and depth of the community, it took more than 30 years before it would institute a monthly studio crawl, a standby of any thriving arts community. But given the conceptual, right-brained nature of artists, it's not too surprising. It all started late last year when photographer Rhea Pappas joined forces with fellow Lowertown artists Barbara Evan, Tracy Olson and Ann Larson and began trekking to the area's various studios and galleries to propose the monthly crawl.

Pappas says it came out of the need to connect with the outside community and showcase its active artist environment. "The [St. Paul] Art Crawl is great, but it's literally only two weekends of the year," she says. "Then we shut down for the rest of the year." Besides, she says, "it's a good excuse to produce work and hang out with my friends."

Hooking up with neighboring galleries Black Dog Cafe and AZ Gallery was key, as the two have been serving as anchors at the Northern Warehouse for 12 years and have partnered on joint gallery openings for two years. Black Dog co-owner Sara Remke, chief curator of the cafe's art gallery, has the benefit of having seen the community develop over the years. "The Art Crawl has just expanded every year," she says. "Even though people come and go, there is a strong core of people who live here. It's just always been sort of hidden and off the grid."

But now with First Fridays, the Twin Cities' most obscure arts community is making its way to the surface. AZ Gallery member artist Cheryl LeClair-Sommer espouses its perks: "You get to snoop in people's houses, see their art and talk to them, and the buildings themselves are really historic." Besides, she says, "it's the cheapest date in town."

[Karen O'Bryan's "Goat Girl"]

Art: 'Till Death Do Us Part' (via Vita.mn)
Love and hate are popular themes during the month of love. In this dual show from artist couple RM Hanson and Karen O'Bryan, the subject matter reliably focuses on those expected topics, but there's some variety thanks to the conversely different styles of each artist. While Hanson's horror and graphic novel-inspired illustrations emphasize the ugly, monstrous side of relationships, O'Bryan's pastel paintings of animal-headed human figures showcase a gentler, subtler take on love. By managing to balance the sticky-sweet with the dark, there should be something here for everyone to relate to, regardless of the current status of one's love life. -Jahna Peloquin

Performance: VERVE 2010 Spoken Word Showcase (via Vita.mn)
Unless you've attended the weekly Soap Boxing Poetry Slam at the Artists' Quarter in St. Paul, the thriving local spoken-word scene may have eluded you. It's so hot that just last year, a St. Paul team took home championship honors at the National Poetry Slam. Now the best spoken-word artists in the Twin Cities will gather in Minneapolis this weekend at VERVE's annual Spoken Word Show Showcase, which honors emerging Minnesota-based spoken-word poets with grants totaling up to $3,000 a year. Performers include a few members of the winning Poetry Slam team, including Kyle "Guante" Myhre, known for his darkly funny monologues, and Khary "6 is 9" Jackson, whose theatrical poems command the audience. Also on hand will be Poetic Assassins and their rapid-fire, hip-hop-infused poetry, Tou Saiko Lee's bilingual ruminations on Hmong identity, and musings on life, love and loss from Tish Jones. -Jahna Peloquin

Performance: 'Young Frankenstein' (via Vita.mn)
It's unusual for a Broadway musical to be based off a (nonmusical) film, but less surprising when there's a quirky comedy genius behind it. After their runaway success with 2001's "The Producers," Mel Brooks and his songwriting partner Thomas Meehan penned the musical version of 1974 comedy-horror spoof "Young Frankenstein." For the most part, it's a faithful rendition of the original film, with the same gags and biting humor -- the main difference being the addition of the campy score. It almost goes without saying that fans of the film should enjoy the musical version, despite the lack of Gene Wilder's eccentric presence. -Jahna Peloquin