Local gift ideas from Vita.mn

Last Thursday, Vita.mn published its annual gift guide, put together by Christy DeSmith. It features all kinds of local gift ideas from Twin Cities denizens like event producer Vilay Dethluxay (who spotlights jewelry line Stephanie Lake Design, pictured below), ROX Jewelry designer Robyne Robinson, musician and writer Dessa, artist Amy Rice, and more. Check it out.

[Photo: Tom Sweeney]

Fashion link roundup

A smattering of local fashion news from the Twin Cities and beyond.

[Photo: Mary O'Regan/Art of Wore]

Mary O'Regan does a studio visit with local knitwear designer Kevin Kramp, and it includes a really cool video of the designer in action with his knitting machine.

Local line K.Jurek Couture's "The Galaxy Next Door" skirt is now available on ModCloth.com.

Elizabeth Dehn of Beauty Bets gets interviewed by (and lands the cover of) Twin Cities-based publication HerLife.

Minnesota-based knitwear designer Kevin Kramp has been featured in Spain's We Are Selecters.

BRAVE Magazine does a Q&A with eyewear designers Coco & Breezy.

Plymouth Magazine interviews local designer Adrienne Yancy of ArielSimone.

Amy Gee shoots Monday night's Joynoelle fashion show. Beth Hammarlund of l'étoile reviews the Joynoelle fashion show, as does Mary O'Regan of METRO and Allison Kaplan of Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Check out my review for Vita.mn here.

Beth Hammarlund of l'étoile reviews the Christopher Straub show, and so does METRO's Mary O'Regan. I review the show for Vita.mn. Good Morning Northland interviews Straub on his new collection for maurices.

Nancy Ngo of Pioneer Press catches up with Project Runway designers Christopher Straub and Danielle Everine.

Arts and style writer Joan Erakit interviews METRO Magazine's Mary O'Regan.

E-retailer Of a Kind does a studio tour of former Minneapolis designer Annie Larson's new Brooklyn pad and talks to her about the creative process leading up to her recent Jerome grant project, and Birchbox blog asks Annie how she keeps her super-long hair in check.

Gregory J. Scott's Q&A with fashion designer and arts curator Emma Berg for last week's Vita.mn cover stories on the Twin Cities' most influential people from the past five years.

Check out a new interview with ROX Jewelry designer Robyne Robinson by Harlem's Fashion Row.

MPLSTYLE.com interviews former Minneapolis designer Eugene Lumpkin

During New York Fashion Week, MPLSTYLE.com talked to Eugene Lumpkin, Director of Design at Sears Holdings Management Corporation, after being introduced to him by local arts patron and Rox jewelry designer Robyne Robinson.

[Photo of Eugene Lumpkin & Robyne Robinson via MPLSTYLE.com]

JM: How did you two meet?

Eugene: When I was in Minnesota, I had my collection I was doing. I got to know Robyne through mutual friends. She used to wear my clothes and she supported me a lot. She would wear a lot of my stuff on-air. She’s just amazing; very supportive of artists and of creative people.

JM: She is a fantastic individual. How did your interest in fashion begin?

Eugene: Both of my parents were very stylish. That’s how I grew up. My mom used to do some modeling for a store on Nicollet that was owned by Dayton’s. It was kind of like Bergdorf Goodman… and my grandmother used to sew when I was young. Then I was at the Children’s Theater Company for many years as a kid. I was in plays there and exposed to a lot of things, one of them being costume design. Then when I was in high school, I used to impersonate Michael Jackson. I would make all my own costumes. At the University of Minnesota I started off in merchandising then I switched to fashion design.

Visit MPLSTYLE.com for the full interview.

MNfashion Week Recap: l'étoile presents "Bright Society"

[Content shared with l'étoile magazine]

This past Sunday at the historic Alexander Ramsey House in St. Paul, l'étoile's MNfashion Week event, "Bright Society," was greeted with balmy October weather and an enthusiastic, stylishly retro crowd. At once paying homage to the past and looking forward to the future, the crux of the event centered upon five Victorian-era garments - some of which were worn by Ramsey family and friends - that served as points of inspiration for five of the Twin Cities' most esteemed fashion designers.

[Looks by Samantha Rei, Max Lohrbach, Laura Fulk, Russell Bourrienne & Danielle Everine. Photo: Peter Jamus]

The fashion presentation featured musical accompaniment on the house's antique 1875 Steinway piano by Matthew Curney of local Britney Spears cover band Spearz, who played a smattering of Top 40 radio renditions - tying the new to the old once again. Afterward, textile curator Linda McShannock of the co-presenting sponsor Minnesota Historical Society lent her considerable knowledge on the inspiration costumes while former local news anchor (and current arts patron and jewelry designer) Robyne Robinson led a spirited Q&A with the formidable group of designers, giving the audience a chance to hear straight from the designers about their design process.

Before and after the presentation, guests - including jeweler Stephanie Lake, painter Caitlin Karolczak, and designer/curator Emma Berg - socialized on the house grounds and adjacent carriage house, sipping old-timey cocktails courtesy of Phillips Distilling, bites from Ginger Hop, and delectable desserts, and partaking in game of croquet. It was, quite simply, a perfectly refined beginning to Fall MNfashion Week.

[Look by Danielle Everine. Photo: Peter Jamus. Model: Brittany McKee]

[Look by Laura Fulk. Photo: Peter Jamus. Model: Cate Lehman]

[Look by Russell Bourrienne. Photo: Kate Iverson. Model: Monica Ulrich]

[Look by Max Lohrbach. Photo: Peter Jamus. Model: Kouwai Potocnik]

[Look by Samantha Rei. Photo: Peter Jamus. Model: DaeTeaira Tucker]

[Inspiration garment]

[Inspiration garment]

[l'étoile Fashion Editor Jahna Peloquin, in a Max Lorbach dress, and designer Max Lohrbach. Photo: Kate Iverson]

[Dennis Brost, right, and friend, both wearing Max Lohrbach designs. Photo: Kate Iverson]

[Matthew Curney. Photo: Kate Iverson]

[Caitlin Karolczak & Beth Lorraine Bowman. Photo: Kate Iverson]

[Emma Berg in a Max Lohrbach skirt. Photo: Kate Iverson]

[Stephanie Lake, Vicki Norby Rivkin, Robyne Robinson & l'étoile Founder & Creative Director Beth Hammarlund. Photo: Kate Iverson]

View more event photos by Peter Jamus here, Kate Iverson here, and Minneapolis 2Night here.

Styling credits:
Hair: Catlin Weston of Mezzanine Salon, Mark Dolan of Evolution Hair, Claire Powers of Darting James Salon.
Makeup: Julie Swenson.
Fashion styling: Jahna Peloquin.
All jewelry provided by Rox Jewelry by Robyne Robinson, except Max Lohrbach's look provided by Bionic Unicorn.
Models: Brittany McKee, Monica Ulrich, Cate Lehman, Kouwai Potocnik, DaeTeaira Tucker.

In review: Ra'mon-Lawrence & Robyne Robinson at NYFW

On Saturday evening, former Minneapolis designer (and Project Runway contestant) Ra'mon-Lawrence Coleman rejoined forces with local jewelry designer Robyne Robinson of ROX for a presentation showcasing his Spring/Summer 2012 line at Happy Monkey Studio in Manhattan’s Garment District. I unfortunately was not able to make it, but Pioneer Press' Nancy Ngo was on the scene and snapped some pics. In another local twist, former Minneapolis hairstylist Kelsy Osterman (now with Cutler Salon in New York) led the hair for the presentation.

Unsurprisingly, these pieces look a lot like the last collection Ra'mon sent down a runway - his Spring 2010 line, which he showed back in fall 2009 at New York Fashion Week. They're wearable, chic, and modern, packed with color and prints, but a bit on the commercial side. It's a side of Ra'mon we didn't see during his time on Project Runway, nor in his more avante-garde looks he showed during his time in Minneapolis, particularly during his Spring 2008 "Eluded Love" collection that he showed at MNfashion Week.

Of the pieces he showed, there were a few standouts - the blue shirtdress appears to have some interesting fabric contrasts, as well as a nice detail in the patterned collar. Same goes for the white men's shirt (far right, above) - classic with a twist makes for great design. The left and center patterned dresses, though, seem like something we've seen before without bringing anything new to the table.


The blue shirtdress at a second glance is indeed quite intriguing. I wish I could have seen this in motion.

That's a great color combination and cut on the men's shirt on the left. It really encapsulates Ra'mon's menswear aesthetic - neatly-cut and European in styling, executed in a bold color and slightly exotic pattern. The slouchy silk dress (center) is pure Ra'mon - the draped shoulder detail over the cinched waist gives a sophisticated yet relaxed look, and the rich color and subtle print are just perfect. I'm not sure what's going on with the men's look pictured on the right - it looks sort of like a men's onesie, and cuts the model in half at a weird spot.

I appreciate the color combinations and mixing of prints in the above looks, but these pieces on their own look fairly basic to me. I would have liked to see more of the striped pants - they have possibilities but the styling of the blue top over it makes it look more sloppy than chic-ly relaxed. The skirt on the left is sort of ugly, to be honest - it looks like she has a curtain for her crotch.


The black and white patterned dress has an interesting neckline, and the shirring on the sides is masterfully done. A chic, flattering little dress any girl would love to wear.

I like what Ra'mon did with the placketed shirtdress - a little bit of on-trend sheerness mixed with a bold print in a demure silhouette, which is just the way to play sheer fabrics.

One other slight criticism: from these photos, it's hard to see an overall thread running throughout the collection. One one hand, you have these lovely unstructured shirtdresses with contrasting fabrics; on another, a sort of breezy, tropical feel. But overall, it's good to see Ra'mon back in the game, working toward his strengths - namely, color and pattern - and pulling some chic looks together. But as a longtime Ra'mon fan, I long for the days of the more sculptural, artful designs he was known for.

As far as the jewelry goes, this is some of Robyne's best work to date - bold, luxe and statement-making, without being overbearing or overdesigned. More new ROX designs are pictured below:



[Photos by Nancy Ngo, Amy Gee and The Style Circuit]

Click here for more photos by Amy Gee and here for a review by The Style Circuit.

Ra'mon-Lawrence and Robyne Robinson to team up again for NYFW

This fall at New York Fashion Week, local jewelry designer Robyne Robinson (of ROX) will be teaming up with Ra'mon-Lawrence Coleman, a fashion designer who cut his design teeth in the Twin Cities fashion community. The two previously collaborated in fall 2009 for Ra'mon's spring 2010 collection, right after he appeared on the sixth season of Project Runway. The Spring 2012 collections will be shown September 10 at Happy Monkey Studios in New York City. She will also be previewing the line at a private event in Minneapolis this Friday at Amsun & Ash Gallery. Here are a few pieces of the forthcoming line:





And now through September 9, Robyne needs your votes to win a spot in the SCOPE Miami Art Show 2011. You can vote daily at roxjewelry.see.me through the 9th.

Robyne Robinson honored in documentary celebrating MN's African-American groundbreakers

ROX Jewelry designer Robyne Robinson has just been honored in a documentary on Minnesota's African American groundbreakers. "Firsts" is another in a continuing series of collaborative endeavors made possible thanks to the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. The Humanities Center in partnership with the Council on Black Minnesotans has developed a series of interviews with African American Minnesotans to capture what it means to be a "First."


You can see segmented 10-minute clips of all the interviews categorized by name on the Minnesota Humanities Center website. (Unfortunately, the clip is non-embeddable.) SPNN will also be airing “Firsts” on SPNN, Channel 17 in Minneapolis and Channel 19 in St. Paul beginning August 19 through August 26. TPT is also planning on airing “Firsts” some time late summer or early fall.

Local fashion link roundup: 3.30-4.3

• The April issue of METRO features a vintage dress from Mighty Swell Vintage.

• The Mighty Swell pop-up vintage shop has found a permanent home in the former digs of Umber Studios. Their next sale will be April 30 and May 1.

• METRO does a Q&A with local men's fashion blog Trnds.com founder Corey Tenold.

• METRO also spotlights new local handbag line Ila Handbags.

• The Minneapolis Examiner has a new interview with ROX jewelry's Robyne Robinson on moving from a full-time journalist to full-time jewelry designer, and her recent travels to Greece.

• ALL Knitwear by local designer Annie Larson is now available at two new retailers: Douglas + Bec in New Zealand, and General Store in San Francisco.

• Local beauty blogger Kara Nesvig tries on a couple of spring makeup trends: DIY matte hot pink lips and Yves Klein blue nails.

Local fashion link roundup

[Photo: Todd Buchanan for Minnesota Monthly]

Kate Nelson highlights new Parisian-style St. Paul boutique Metro Allee Chic for the January issue of Minnesota Monthly.

The Examiner Minneapolis highlights some upcoming local shows and offers at Q&A with MNfashion founder/Voltage producer Anna Lee.

Local style blogger Shannon Licari of Dirty Hair Halo offers a basic self-portrait photography tutorial.

Robyne Robinson, Rox jewelry designer, reminisces over Ra'mon-Lawrence Coleman's Fashion Week Fall 2009 show on her blog. (I was lead stylist for the show.)

Local stylist/blogger Jane Belfry gives her take on national/international spring ad campaigns.

Coco & Breezy are heading to Europe to take part in the Born Designers Festival in Courchevel, France, and collaborate on a project with French brand Vuarnet.

My Q&A with Robyne Robinson for Vita.mn

Check out my Q&A with Robyne Robinson, with more details on her jewelry line for Beyonce in Vita.mn online today. (It will be in the print issue this Thursday.)

Last weekend, Robyne Robinson made a big announcement via her Facebook page: “Guess who’s now designing jewelry for Beyoncé????” Yep, the Fox 9 news anchor — who moonlights as a jewelry designer for her Rox line — will create custom gems for the pop star.

[Robyne Robinson in her own designs. Photo by Kate Iverson]

Apparently, Robinson met Scott Nylund — design director for House of Deréon, the fashion line started by Beyoncé and her mother, Tina Knowles — through a mutual friend a few months back. Robinson played phone tag with Nylund (an Owatonna native) and sent him some samples. Nylund reportedly told Robinson, “Miss Tina loves your jewelry,” and sent the biggest pieces to Beyoncé on the road. When they arranged to meet last weekend, Robinson came loaded with her latest designs. Though the plan was for Robinson to collaborate on a jewelry line for House of Deréon, talk of Beyoncé’s upcoming appearances in April took over. “All of a sudden dude is like, we want you to design for Beyoncé on the red carpet,” Robinson gushed.

Robinson left armed with swatches, photos and sketches of Beyoncé’s upcoming award show dresses for inspiration. It should make for a busy spring for the designer, who’s also creating a custom line for the Voltage show at First Avenue on April 16.

Robyne Robinson to design jewelry for Beyonce

Check out my blurb on this hot news tidbit on local jewelry designer Robyne Robinson for social media gossip blog LOL OMG!:

We had the inside scoop from the local jewelry designer and newscaster herself a few weeks back, but now it's official: Robyne Robinson will be designing custom jewelry for none other than Beyonce! (She made the big announcement today via her facebook account.)

[Robyne Robinson photographed by Kate Iverson]

Her line ROX has long had esteem locally for its mix of semi-precious stones and metals in configurations both bold and feminine. Most recently, Robyne was enlisted by l'etoile to create jewelry for Ra'mon-Lawrence Coleman's Spring 2010 line during New York Fashion Week last fall, and this spring she is creating a line for Emma Berg's spring line at Voltage 2010.

Congrats, Robyne!

City Pages' blog Gimme Noise gave my post a shout out and used it as its source. Thanks, Andrea!

I talked to Robyne on the phone yesterday from her hotel in New York. Look to Vita.mn next week for more details on the partnership.