Preview: Danielle Everine's YSL-inspired collection at Denver Art Museum

As I reported a while back, local designer and Project Runway season nine darling Danielle Everine would be participating in the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective at the Denver Art Museum (the only U.S. museum to show the exhibition). Yesterday, the exhibition opened, and featured five looks by Everine inspired by the iconic Parisian designer along with a group of seven other PR alums. The collections will debut on March 30 with a full runway show at the museum, but for now you can preview two of Everine's looks in Denver-based publication 303 Magazine, photographed outside of the museum.


A full look at the previous design:


In other Everine news, she was interviewed in the latest issue of Lavender Magazine about her recent winter wedding. Click here to view it online.

Danielle Everine to be featured in new YSL retrospective

The new Yves Saint Laurent retrospective at the Denver Art Museum gets a Project Runway twist when it opens in March. In addition to highlights of YSL's career, from his early days at Dior in the 1950s through his last show in 2002, the exhibition opening will kick off with a runway show of looks inspired by the iconic designer created by a group of Project Runway alumni - including hometown girl Danielle Everine. Each of the eight designers, notably season eight's Michael Costello and Mondo Guerra, will show five original looks. The exhibition overseen by Pierre Bergé, who was YSL’s one-time romantic partner and life-long business partner, will be hosted at the museum from March 25 through July 8.

YSL's Paris retrospective. Photo: © Sophie Carre / Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent

Christopher Straub gets national press for his maurices line

The national press barrage for Christopher Straub's line for maurices has officially begun. Here is his "Waterfall" sequin clutch featured in December's issue of Seventeen:


I've gotta say, it would make a great addition to a holiday party ensemble.

Sunday: Live Chat & Online Fashion Show with Christopher Straub

On the eve of their upcoming collaboration launch with Christopher Straub, national retailer maurices will host a live online chat and fashion show with the Project Runway fan favorite this Sunday on maurices' Facebook page.


The clothing, accessories and fragrance line launches on maurices.com beginning on November 22, and starting Black Friday, November 25, 80 select maurices locations will carry the full line, with the other 720 stores carrying his accessories and fragrance with prices ranging from $12 to $89. Watch behind-the-scenes footage of the photoshoot for Christopher’s new line, hear him talk about his inspiration, and join in a live chat with Christopher at 7 p.m. CST.; questions will be accepted via the maurices' Facebook wall, Ustream tab, or Twitter.

Here's a preview of the line Straub posted today:

In review: Christopher Straub Spring 2012 Collection

Two days after fellow Project Runway alum Danielle Everine held her own fashion show, Christopher Straub debuted his Spring 2012 collection Sunday afternoon at the Westin Galleria hotel. The show doubled as a benefit for the Child Neurology Foundation, of which Straub has been a longtime supporter, and opened with a couple of acoustic tunes from recent The Voice contestant Tim Mahoney.

Straub's 21-look line was, by all accounts, Straub's most sophisticated and focused collection to date, full of colorful prints - the designer's own designs - structured designs, and fluid silhouettes, showing the designer moving into a slightly edgier direction. Though making a few cameo appearances in his handbags, his signature "petals" were otherwise absent, replaced by a trio of spikey, black patent leather looks that seemed at odds with the rest of the otherwise cohesive collection. Straub's digital prints - though clearly influenced by Alexander McQueen's "Plato's Atlantis" from Spring 2010 - added a welcome shot of color and texture into the proceedings, most successfully in a black-and-white print tailored jacket and a floor-length gown. His draped, one-shoulder swirl-print dress offered an understated chicness, as did a flippy little dress with flounced sleeves. For the most part, he worked well with a stiff, white snakeskin print fabric, particularly in a safari-like jacket, ruffle-front top and the evening's wow moment, a full-length gown. The designer also made a small but welcome foray in knits.

At times, though, Straub struggled with proportion - a nearly gynecological ruffled skirt was paired with a barely-there one-shouldered top - and relied too heavily on the prints to hold up an otherwise basic design. Straub also tends to struggle with styling, as in his pairing of tailored jackets with leggings, brings down the sophistication level a few notches, as well as fabric selection, which too often look inexpensive. Overall, though, there was a lot to like here - some well-tailored basics-with-a-twist coupled with a few bold moments that showed Straub pushing himself forward as a designer.





















[Review originally published in Vita.mn. Images by Kevin Ophoven]

More reviews: Click here for a review by Beth Hammarlund for l'étoile with photos by Peter Holme Photography. Click here for a review and photos by Mary O'Regan of METRO Magazine.

In review: "Call Me Ishmael" Danielle Everine Fall 2011 Capsule Collection

After being introduced to the world on season nine of Project Runway, local designer Danielle Everine has made it clear that she's staying true to her roots. Instead of doing a big blowout show with tons of publicity, she opted for an intimate, in-store showing last night at Cliché, where she's sold her line since she debuted on the Voltage runway in spring 2010.

But Everine's fans, friends and family packed into the store nonetheless to see what the designer has been up to in the short time she's been back from taping the fashion design competition. While she showed a mere six looks, the collection was an ambitious one nonetheless, taking inspiration from an adventurous life at sea, as evidenced by turn-of-the-century novels like Moby-Dick. Each look was equal parts soft and languid (like the sea itself) and tough and utilitarian (as life on the sea often would force one to be). Dresses contained screen-prints of custom illustrations by local artist (and Yeti Records co-owner) Lisa Luck, and leather detailed Everine's outerwear, where she excels most.

The show also served to debut her own laser-etched leather handbags. By the end of the night, many one-off pieces found their way into the hands of shoppers, but the designer said she would be taking custom orders on the pieces shown (at www.danielleeverine.com) and be adding additional pieces to the collection at Cliché in the coming months.

[Danielle Everine and me]

Click here for more photos by Corey Tenold, and here for my recent interview with Everine for l'étoile.

My interviews with Danielle Everine & Christopher Straub of "Project Runway"

Check out my interview with Project Runway's Danielle Everine and Christopher Straub for l'étoile:

Calling all Project Runway fans: Two of the design competition's local contestants are showing their latest collections in two separate fashion shows this weekend: Danielle Everine on Friday, and Christopher Straub on Sunday.

After having made her mark in the local scene with last fall's MNfashion-produced runway show "Pale Rider" and making two appearances in Voltage: Fashion Amplified, Danielle Everine made it onto the profile-raising Project Runway, making her one of the most recognizable names in Twin Cities fashion. The busy designer gives us a peek at what's next for her with an intimate, in-store fashion show this Friday at Cliché featuring her abbreviated fall 2011 collection inspired by the sea, "Call Me Ishmael."

[Danielle Everine. Photo: Sara Kiesling]

l'étoile: For the show, you're collaborating with illustrator Lisa Luck on custom screenprints (who we worked with on a paper dolls-inspired spread last April). How did you and Lisa get hooked up?

Danielle: Lisa is an incredible illustrator. She drew the beautiful imagery for the Pale Rider lookbook and promotional material. We had been hoping to work on another project together. When I started to design this collection, she immediately came to mind.

Head over to l'étoile for the full interviews.

Christopher Straub announces maurices collaboration

Last night, Christopher Straub officially announced that his forthcoming partnership with Duluth-based national chain maurices will launch later this month.

For now, you can check out the namesake collection from the Project Runway season six darling in a Spring/Summer 2012 runway show this Sunday. Judging by previews, the collection will debut some of Straub's own custom designed prints and feature a tougher edge than we've seen from the designer in the past. Here's a preview of his "Shattered Leather Dress":

Front row VIP ticket holders will receive a custom bag/tote designed by Straub ($100), and first and second row VIP ($50) are invited to a pre-show reception (includes apps and one drink ticket); general admission is $25, available in advance here. Enter to win a limited edition Christopher Straub Petal Purse ($350 value) with purchase of a $10 raffle ticket. Proceeds will benefit the Child Neurology Foundation. (Doors open at 3:15 p.m. for VIP ticket holders and 3:45 p.m. for general admission, 4 p.m. fashion show, Sunday, November 13. The Westin Edina Galleria, 3201 Galleria, Edina, 952-567-5000, www.christopherstraub.com)

Preview: Danielle Everine's fall 2011 capsule collection

This weekend, Danielle Everine of recent Project Runway fame is unveiling her new fall 2011 capsule collection, “Call Me Ishmael." The collection is said to be inspired by life aboard a ship, and features soft, silky dresses juxtaposed with heavy, utilitarian outerwear in wool, leather, oilcloth and rope. The looks also feature custom textile prints by local illustrator Lisa Luck, and for the first time, Everine is debuting a collection of travel handbags with laser-etched motifs. Here are some of Everine's sketches of the line:


I also adore Lisa Luck's hand-illustrated poster for the show, "Call Me Ishmael":


The collections debuts this Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Cliché, 2403 Lyndale Avenue S, Minneapolis, 612-870-0420, www.clichempls.com.

Danielle Everine offers items in new Etsy shop

National (and international) fans of recent Project Runway aufee Danielle Everine can get a piece of the designer with some new pieces she just added to her Etsy shop. The items don't wane from her apparent love of silk chiffon, as they include four sleeveless silk chiffon blouses screenprinted with her original horse design (priced at $68), as well as two screenprinted t-shirts ($24 each). It's a smart move on Everine's part - the blouses should fit a variety of shapes and sizes, and the t-shirts are a no-brainer for fans of the designer. Look for Everine's fall 2011 mini collection exclusively at Cliché.

Silk Chiffon Blouse - Black Sheer Horse Print

T-Shirt - Black Water Buffalo Print

Chiffon Blouse - Pale Pink Water Buffalo Print

Silk Chiffon Blouse - Ginger Sheer Water Buffalo Print

Silk Chiffon Blouse - Paprika Red Feather Print

Heather Gray Horse Print T-shirt

Photo recap: Christopher Straub and Patrick Kemal Pryor at "Fashioned"

I spent Saturday night at the MCAD 125 year gala celebration, which unfortunately meant that I missed "Fashioned," an exhibition of visual and textile artists at the Northrup King Building. Among those showing were Project Runway's Christopher Straub, who collaborated with painter Patrick Kemal Pryor on a line of architectural dresses. Pryor's imaginative painted "prints" provided the perfect counterpoint to Straub's structured mini dresses and gown, all of which were perfectly wearable yet striking and intriguingly designed, and the color and patterns definitely work in his favor. Dare I say this may be Straub's best work to date.





Photos by One Offs Yippee and Christopher Straub

Mondo hangs out with Christopher Straub in Minneapolis

I unfortunately had to miss Project Runway season eight finalist Mondo Guerra's Twin Cities appearance at Macy's Rosedale on Saturday, but here's some fun pix of him hanging out with Minnesota homeboy and season six contestant Christopher Straub while he was in town. Mondo reported via Twitter that he hung out at the Walker Art Center (which I recommended during my interview with him for l'etoile) and LUSH Food Bar while he was in town.



Photos via cocoocox and Christopher Straub