Fashion Week in January? (full review for Vita.mn)

Below is a full review of last week's fashion shows; read the abbreviated version in this week's issue of Vita.mn.

[A look by PFT Couture at the MNfashion Preview by Stacy Schwartz]

Last Tuesday saw 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 the downtown studio of longtime model agency Vision. It was an ambitious move for Voltage, but the signature show - now in its sixth year - has never been short on ambition, becoming more professional and sophisticated every year without losing its rock ‘n roll edge. If the preview was truly a taste of what to come, including everything from avant-garde men’s knits by Kevin Kramp to more wearable but no less intriguing silk draped separates by George Moskal, Voltage 2010 should be one of the most memorable yet.

[A look by Kelson by Brianne Jones at the MNfashion Preview by Stacy Schwartz]

[A look by Danielle Everine at the MNfashion Preview by Stacy Schwartz]

[A prototype look by knitwear designer Kevin Kramp at the MNfashion Preview by Stacy Schwartz]

Click here for more photos by Stacy Schwartz for MNfashion

On Wednesday, the Fine Line was the scene of the annual Commingle fashion show, which had a decidedly different mood. A live hip hop band kicked off the night, and the following fashion show featured an underground, DIY edge. It was a striking contrast to the sleek studio presentation of the Voltage preview (which had Vision owner Teqen Zéa-Aida talking about “taking the fashion show back out of the nightclub”), the show seemed to harken back to local fashion’s early days (circa 2003) that preferred the avant-garde over the wearable. Though some of the fashions were embarrassingly dated and badly-sewn, it was a treat for the eyes to see well-constructed artwear from the likes of Elizabeth Chesney and SoHo Exchange. The evening's other designers included Wone, Untitled Projects, ArielSimone, and Mary Pass.

[A look by Elizabeth Chensey at Commingle by Kevin Ophoven]

[A look by Elizabeth Chensey at Commingle by Kevin Ophoven]

[A look by SoHo Exchange at Commingle by Kevin Ophoven]

[A look by SoHo Exchange at Commingle by Kevin Ophoven]

Click here to view more photos by Kevin Ophoven

The next day, Cliche’s annual Avoid the Grey show took place in the tiny black box theater of Old Arizona. Featuring a couple of designers seen in the Voltage preview earlier that week (Brianne Jones, Christine Carmichael), it appears that designers aren’t shying away from keeping a busy schedule. Though there’s always a couple of clunkers, the show was the best yet from the local boutique, featuring strong collections from longtime designers such as Red Shoe Clothing Co. while introducing us to a newcomer like Emily Bryngelson, whose wearable separates could easily be spotted at a dive bar in Minneapolis as in the pages of Nylon.

[Looks by Tender Cuts by Emily Bryngelson at Avoid the Grey by Ellen Dahl for Vita.mn]

[Avoid the Grey by Ellen Dahl for Vita.mn]

[A look by Jenny Carle at Avoid the Grey by Ellen Dahl for Vita.mn]

[Looks by Kelson by Brianne Jones at Avoid the Grey by Ellen Dahl for Vita.mn]

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

Local fashion roundup for 1.17-1.31

Last week the Twin Cities saw a handful of fashion shows. Here's all the reviews, videos, and photos I could dig up:

[A look by PFT Couture at the Voltage Preview; Image by Stacy Schwartz]

Voltage Preview, 1.26.10 at Vision Models studio:

• Check out images from the Voltage Preview by Stacy Schwartz and Vision Models.
• Allison Kaplan covers the Voltage Preview for Pioneer Press and blogs about it HERE and HERE. (She calls a Voltage 2010 look by Kevin Kramp a "high fashion Snuggie." LOL!)
• Cake in 15's Carl Atiya Swanson reviews the show.
  
• Alexandra and the City reviews the Preview and posts images.
• Voltage 2010 designer George Moskal gives how-to demos on designing three pieces from his upcoming Voltage collection, as previewed last week.
• Visit www.voltagefashionamplified.com for more info on Voltage 2010.
• Head to 501 Club this Sunday, February 7 for the first edition of Vintage Voltage. In the weeks leading up to show, the Voltage folks have put together a series of all-star fests to take you back, and give you a taste of what’s to come. This month, it’s power-pop band The Melismatics (Voltage 2004), R&B soul groovers Black Blondie (Voltage 2007), and psychedelic super-family First Communion Afterparty (Voltage 2009). Staffers of local online magazine l’etoile will provide a stylish soundtrack in between bands (8 p.m., free, 21+).
• Voltage's facebook page has uploaded tons of images from past shows. Check out shots from Voltage 2005, Voltage 2007, Voltage 2008, and Voltage 2009.
  

[A look by Amanda Christine from Avoid the Grey; Image by Stacy Schwartz]

Cliché's "Avoid the Grey" fashion show, 1.28.10 at Old Arizona:

• Check out photo galleries from photographers Stacy Schwartz, The Minneapoline, and Rod Hasse.
• Mary O'Regan Tweets pix from the Avoid the Grey Cliche fashion show [via LOL-OMG]. View all the images on Mary's image gallery.

[A Spring 2010 look by Kathryn V]

• Cliché designer Kathryn Sterner posts images of her spring line Kathryn V, which had its debut at Avoid the Grey last week. Loving the plaid Louis Vuitton-esque hair bows.
• Designer Amanda Christine has backstage images on her blog.
  
• Midwest fashion site The Midwasteland reviews the show.
  

[Elizabeth Chesney with one of her looks at Commingle. Photo by Tony Nelson for City Pages]

Commingle fashion show, 1.27.10 at Fine Line Music Café:

• Preview video featuring some of the fashions from the show.
• Tony Nelson shoots Commingle for City Pages.
• More photos by Kevin Ophoven.

Look for my full reviews on all three shows in Vita.mn and l'etoile magazine later this week.

In other local fashion news...

[Ryan Patrick Norton photographed by Emily Utne for City Pages]

Photographer Emily Utne and fashion writer Stacey Tuthill say this is their last run of the Freestyle Fashion feature on citypages.com. Apparently it was an amicable split, but they're inexplicably being replaced by a fashion stylist, Hollie Mae from HMStyling. Those two have always had a great eye for detail and presentation - it's too bad CP couldn't hold onto them.

Fashion designer Laura Fulk visits the Walker Art Center's Skyline Room as a potential location for her MNfashion Week solo spring fashion show.

Midwest style blog The Midwasteland has a hilarious beauty guide in honor of Conan O'Brien. Read "Beauty Mark: We're With Coco". [The Midwasteland]

The creative crew behind upcoming fashion-meets-art-meets-performance event New Land of Milk and Honey is posting updates on their respective blogs. Annie Larson has posted pictures of her knit "winteralls" and other various knits, as well as a crazy-looking woven nylon windbreaker. [Swank Dollar]

l'etoile staff writer Juleana Enright's launches a new nightlife blog on Twin City Scene.

Here's Kara Nesvig's take on stylish Twin Citians' takes on top models for her Fashionista column The Minnesota Daily. My fashionita pal Marina Maric is used as a source.

Ex-pat designer Ra'mon-Lawrence Coleman announces a new spring collection and upcoming fashion show in Chicago.

Metro Mag's Self-Styled feature showcases the personal style of St. Thomas instructor and opera aficionado Marcia Aubineau. I can only hope to be that fabulous at when I'm her age.

[Ellen Dahl photographed by Stephanie Colgan for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine]

The Minneapoline and Vita.mn style shooter Ellen Dahl's interview with Mpls.St.Paul Magazine is now online.

[Rosci in Coco & Breezy; image courtesy BET]

As Coco and Breezy are busy preparing for the New York Fashion Week show, their sunglasses and accessories are getting exposure all over the place. Here's a new interview with the twins at GlobalGrind.com; here's their report about meeting with Essence Magazine; and here is Rosci, host of BET's "106 & Park," wearing their Spike bracelet.

The University of Minnesota's College of Design site has a video preview of this Saturday's senior fashion show. Look to this week's issue of Vita.mn (out Thursday) for my preview of the show.