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.

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.

Thursday night fashion: Goldstein Garden Party + Calamity!

Tonight is chock-full of local fashion shows and events. Unfortunately, there are only so many hours in the day and I'll have to limit myself to the Calamity! fashion show and Dig Design, the Friends of the Goldstein's annual Garden Party (and kicking off the night with the Meet the Men Happy Hour for One Man Minneapolis at OM).

The Calamity! fashion show at the Lab Theatre will include looks by some of the Twin Cites' up-and-coming designers, including Emily Bryngelson (Tender Cakes), Kathryn Sterner (Kathryn V), Amanda Chaffin (Dawson), and Niki English. Here's a sampling of the looks from the show's lookbook:

[Look by Kathryn V; Photo by Ben Lansky and Natalie Olbrantz]

[Look by Tender Cuts; Photo by Ben Lansky and Natalie Olbrantz]

[Look by Dawson; Photo by Ben Lansky and Natalie Olbrantz]

[Look by Niki English; Photo provided by designer]

And some just-leaked photos from Tender Cuts' upcoming spring/summer 2010 lookbook:

[Images by studio kh]

Visit my shopping blog at l'etoile magazine for details on the show.

The Dig Design Garden Party at Rapson Hall on the University of Minnesota campus will give me the chance to deck myself out in local designer threads (custom Tender Cuts by Emily Bryngelson) and don a straw hat. The event put on by the Friends of the Goldstein will feature the spring lines from two longtime designers in the local fashion industry, Joynoelle and Russell Bourrienne. Here's a sampling of their spring collections:

[Look by Joynoelle; Photo provided by designer]

[Look by Joynoelle; Photo provided by designer]

[Look by Russell Bourrienne at Envision 2010; Photo by Chris McDuffie]

[Look by Russell Bourrienne at Envision 2010; Photo by Chris McDuffie]

Visit my shopping blog, updated weekly, at l'etoile magazine for details on this show and more shopping events on Thursday and throughout the rest of the weekend.