In review: "Fashion Ball"

What would theater be without costumes, and fashion without theatricality? For local dance company Ballet of the Dolls, a separation of the two would be unthinkable. Their costume designer Grant Whittaker (also a dancer in the company) is, after all, a noted local fashion stylist, known equally for his high-fashion looks gracing Macy's Glamorama year after year as he is for his '90s club culture-referencing costume work for the Dolls. The combination of fashion and dance is never more apparent than at the dance company's third annual "Fashion Ball" benefit, which combines dance interludes imaginatively choreographed by Myron Johnson with runway fashion segments.

The two-part show kicked off with - what else? - an early '90s club scene, also in a nod to the current neon trend in fashion. Dance performances alternated with runway segments, each taking us to a different corner of the earth - a Far East opium den, the Arabian desert, ancient Egypt - mashing up historical and fairy tale characters with pop culture references ("Cleopatra Meets the Hip Hop Divas," "Rapunzel at the Toddlers & Tiaras Pageant"), set to a booming club soundtrack. The show is a clear labor of love by Whittaker, who not only created six different sets of elaborate themed costumes for the Ballet of the Dolls dancers, but also styled six segments of ten looks each (not to mention the ridiculously over-the-top wigs) - which, let me tell you, is no easy feat. It's a full-on fashion marathon, featuring looks from Fashion Avenue, Ragstock, Grethen House, and local designer Joynoelle.



As much as "Fashion Ball" is about the fashion, dance also plays a key role in the show. The sure highlight of the performance was a hilariously cheeky riff centering around an incestuous Hansel and Gretel, a down-and-dirty soundtrack of songs like Vanity 6's "Nasty Girl" and Kelis' "Milkshake," and glittery, gaudy costumes in a Christmas-y palette of red and green. In this case in particular, it was all about the energy and personality of the company's excellent, charismatic dancers - most memorably John Paul, a beautiful black man who makes dancing in heels look effortless and pulled off a mean Azaelia Banks impression in a blue wig, walking the runway as he lip-synced to the words "I'm fierce, goddamn it!" The clear takeaway of the night: fashion shouldn't take itself too seriously. It should be fun, goddamn it.

"Fashion Ball" continues tonight with an 8 p.m. show (7 p.m. doors, $35) and a VIP night tomorrow evening that includes a cocktail reception, silent auction, and dessert post-reception at 8 p.m. (6:30 p.m. reception, $75). Visit www.fashionball.org for details and tickets.








[Originally posted at Vita.mn]

Madame Butterfy-inspired fashions at Minnesota Opera kickoff

For most, the opera conjures ideas of old, white-haired rich folks tottering around with noses in air, and performers singing in Italian for hours about who-knows-what. Not exactly the most glamorous, exciting to-do in the world. But with last night's splashy fashion and art-infused kickoff event for the Minnesota Opera's upcoming eight-night run of Madame Butterfly hosted by the opera's young patrons membership group Tempo, held downtown Minneapolis at Seven Sushi Ultralounge, it was clear that this wasn't your grandma's opera. Puccini's classic tragedy clearly offered a depth of inspiration for local designers, who crafted impressively constructed looks in rich, sumptuous fabrics in a runway show impeccably styled by Grant Whittaker, who himself is known for a penchant for the theatrical. (His credits include costuming Ballet of the Dolls and styling fresh-from-New-York-Fashion-Week looks at the annual Macy's Glamorama blowout). As guests sipped on complimentary TEMPO-tinis, singers from the upcoming production previewed songs from the opera. Perfectly poised models provided by Vision Management Group walked in looks by Emma Berg, Russell Bourrienne, Samantha Rei Crossland (Blasphemina's Closet), Anna Lee (Ruby3), Kerry Riley (Needle & Black), and Jared Zachary (Freedom from Doubt), alongside newcomers Caroline Hayden, Tony Eliason, Lauren Mayhew, Sina Yi, and Hitomi K. It was an incredibly well-executed and realized showcase, only marred by the difficulty in seeing the looks as they whipped past at eye level. (At one point, I mistakenly thought the opera singers were a recording.) An elevated runway, or seating, could have helped. But the event was a beautifully executed one that made the point clear - that the opera could be not only stylish, but - dare we say - sexy.

Look by Emma Berg

Look by Anna Lee

Look by Jared Zachary

Look by Kerry Riley
Look by Samantha Rei Crossland

Look by Sina YiLook by Sina Yi

For tickets to the upcoming run of Madame Butterfly, visit the Minnesota Opera's site.

[Originally posted at Vita.mn.

Mnartists.org delves into the fabulous closets of Ballet of the Dolls

Mnartists.org writer Lightsey Darst offers an in-depth look into the fabulous closets of Ballet of the Dolls in the latest edition of the online literary arts journal. The Ritz Theater's in-house dance group is known for its abundance of feathers, glitter and color, particularly in its annual "Nutracker" performance, thanks largely to the decadent touch of costume designer, dancer and fashion stylist Grant Whittaker. Here's an excerpt:

Some costumes are custom-built, as ballet costumes usually are, but more seem rescued from thrift stores. I can just picture the shy fifties debutante who first wore this strapless peach floral confection with rows and rows of tulle and satin ribbon, then how it languished in her closet for years before she gave it away -- giving away with it the memory of her first kiss? Stained as it is, I think this dress is happy here -- as all these clothes are happy, glowing with use. Tatty, ratty, faded or frayed, it all pleads wear me, become.



Head over to mnartists.org to read the entire article; it's a good read. (My only complaint: it's a little short on visuals.)

Photos by Parker Michels-Boyce

Stylists styling stylists: Vote now!

Last month, I shared behind-the-scene photos of a really fun shoot I had the opportunity to be a part of for METRO Magazine. The concept: local stylists styling one another. I was styled by Molly Roark, and I styled fellow stylist Cindy Warner. You can vote for the best styled at www.metromag.com, and the winner gets to style a future METRO spread. See all the images below:

Cindy Warner, styled by me:


Me, styled by Molly Roark:


Molly Roark, as styled by Hollie Mae Schultz:


Hollie Mae Schultz, as styled by Grant Whittaker:


Grant Whittaker, as styled by Cindy Warner:

Visit www.metromag.com to vote.

Photos: Marshall Franklin Long. Hair & makeup by Rhonda Jackson and Jen Santoro Rotty.

In review: Fashion goes around the world in "A Holiday Bazaar"

Though it took place in the heart of Northeast Minneapolis, Saturday night's "A Holiday Bazaar" fashion show took the audience on a trip around the world. The brainchild of fashion producer and stylist Grant Whittaker and choreographer Myron Johnson (both of Glamorama and Ballet of the Dolls fame), the five-segment, briskly-paced show took inspiration from some of the world's top fashion cities: Paris, Berlin, New York, Tokyo and Beverly Hills. The show offered production values (including video interludes and a stellar roster of Vision models) and an attention to detail not found in most local fashion shows. But in the end, it was all about the clothes, culled from the racks of designer resale stores gh2, June, Rags From Riches, Second Debut, Fashion Avenue and Rodeo Drive, all of which gave guests the chance to shop the looks via mini popup shops following the show. And with Whittaker's statement-making styling, wearable designer pieces were transformed into theatrical moments of high fashion, boldly making the case for affordable style in the Twin Cities.

[Photos by Ed Neaton for City Pages]

Click here for more photos by Ed Neaton for City Pages.

Behind-the-scenes: METRO's stylists styling stylists shoot

On Monday afternoon, I had the opportunity to participate in a unique styling challenge: styling stylists stylists. Five local stylists - Grant Whittaker, Cindy Warner, Hollie Mae, Molly Roark and myself - were challenged to style each other in a photo shoot that will appear in the November issue of METRO Magazine. METRO fashion editor Mary O'Regan snapped some behind-the-scenes photos of the shoot:





View more over at Mary's blog Art of Wore.

Editorial: "Lady in Waiting" in Minnesota Bride

Bridal fashion shoots can tend to get a bit rote, which is why I rarely feature them on my blog. But a spread in the latest issue of Minnesota Bride is worth taking a look. Local stylist Grant Whittaker took bridal looks from international lines as well as local line Joynoelle and added over-the-top jewelry by local designer Stephanie Lake and black accents. In some shots, I think the effect works, but in others I wonder if all the extra black fabric makes the looks overworked and "too much" - and conceal the beautiful simplicity of the original bridal gowns. (Though I think the headpieces and jewelry pairings are fantastic.) Regardless, it's still good to see something a little bit outside of the box with a bridal fashion shoot.







Via Art of Wore
Photos: Miles Schuster
Production & Styling: Grant Whittaker
Hair & Makeup: Rhonda Jackson
Model: Tennille Stoute

Editorial: Glam of 10,000 Lakes

Local photographer Miles Schuster (a regular over at METRO Magazine) just published a test shoot he did with fashion stylist Grant Whittaker (of Ballet of the Dolls and Glamorama fame) featuring a fresh face in the local modeling world named Kate Potter, represented by Wehmann Models & Talent. How perfectly Minnesotan - gothy glamour on the lakeside.







Photos: Miles Schuster
Styling: Grant Whittaker
Hair & makeup: Allison Jean AuBuchon
Model: Kate Potter