Avoid the Grey lookbook preview

Delayna Sundberg, co-owner of Cliché, just gave me the exclusive preview of next Saturday's "Avoid the Grey" fashion show at Old Arizona. The long-running annual show highlights the boutique's prolific roster of local fashion designers as well as their own well-edited selection of national lines. The lookbook features Ignite model Caitlin, hair and makeup by Kate Erickson, and photography by Josh Stokes. Click here for show details.

Tim Gunn critques local designers on Twin Cities Live

It was all about local fashion last week when Tim Gunn - who was in town for a book signing at the Mall of America - appeared on Twin Cities Live to critique looks by local designers.

[Tim Gunn with Tender Cuts designer Emily Bryngelson and two of her looks]

Jenny Carle showed a couple of holiday party dresses (to be featured in SCENEaSOTA on November 6) on Ignite model Tearra Rosario. Tim was very complimentary on the looks.

[Jenny Carle with two of her looks on Twin Cities Live]

Next Emily Bryngelson of Tender Cuts showed a couple of looks from her fall line, featured recently at "Envision: Artopia" and at this Thursday's "Crosswalk" show at local boutique Cliche, on models Elle Lemler and Lily Adriana of Ignite. Bryngelson described the looks as "menswear inspired with a '60s influence." Tim loved the construction details and was crazy about the prints.

[Emily Bryngelson with two of her looks on Twin Cities Live]

Then Christopher Straub made a "surprise" appearance (which he had leaked via Twitter the day before) and reunited with his former Project Runway mentor.

Watch the full video HERE.

In review: MNfashion Week Preview

[Originally published at vita.mn]

On Tuesday evening, local designers, fashion writers, and the local fashion elite crowded into the swanky underground Honey Lounge in Northeast for a preview of the upcoming fall 2010 MNfashion Week. After an MNfashion video introduction from MNfashion director Anna Lee and designer Joy Teiken of Joynoelle, the crowd parted for a casual fashion show featuring a couple of looks from nearly every event happening during MNfashion Week.

Both Raul Osorio and Danielle Everine of the joint show "Pale Rider" (September 24 at MNfashion Atrium) showed two looks each. Osorio's black structured dress was a hit, and the styling by Molly Roark was spot on.

Danielle Everine's looks were ideal for autumn walks, and the fur stoles and riding boots were perfect additions. Her wool cream swing coat was the show-stopper of the evening.


We were surprised to find out the extremely sophisticated sage green print trapeze dress was by "Project Runway" alum Christopher Straub, who will be previewing more looks from his Spring 2011 collection at Envision: Artopia (September 17 at Graves 601 Hotel). The designer told us after the show he's been working on "cutting down on the frippery" on his designs, which seems to really be working for him.


Envision designer ArielSimone took a risk showing her edgy mini-skirt-meets-bodysuit one-shouldered look. But the construction was solid, and her point of view is clear. Designer Adrienne Yancy is making it clear she's one to watch.


A couple of looks from Cliche's "Crosswalk" show (September 23 at Cliche) included this layered look from hot up-and-comer Tender Cuts by Emily Bryngelson: a crisp, tailored jacket with a filmy, floral-print dress - perfectly on trend for fall.

A look from local line Of Venus and Gaia (September 23 at the Lab Theater) is said to be inspired by '80s dancewear - unfortunately, that was trendy about ten years ago and hasn't really come back. The mish-mashed outfits were trying to be eclectic and quirky but ended up coming off messy.


Another hiccup: the too-shiny, too bright and too-tight looks from the Sweet Life fashion show (September 26 at OM Restaurant). The look is defiantly clubwear and not exactly of-the-moment.


Overall, it was a great sampling of what's to come during MNfashion Week, running September 20-26. For more information on MNfashion Week, visit mnfashionweek.com.

All photos by Stacy Schwartz for MNfashion

Fall 2010 MNfashion Week highlights

The MNfashion Week calendar for Fall 2010 is online!

Some highlights:

September 17: Envision: Artopia at Graves 501 Hotel
This show is produced every season by Ignite Models Inc., and it's always a well-done, professional show. I'm excited to see new fall lines from Calpurnia Peach and Tender Cuts, plus newcomers YQY by Vivian and ArielSimone (all new to the show this year), as well as Envision regulars Jenny Carle, PFT Couture and Russell Bourrienne. Click here for details. (Envision Promo Photo: Sera Sauser)

September 19: Haste Sans Waste fashion show at Honey
I'm on the fence about this one until I hear what designers are involved, but it's definitely a cool idea: "Pantsuits transform to evening gowns, pajamas morph to workout gear and band uniforms transition to elegant bathing suits." Click here for details.

September 23: Crosswalk at Cliché
This was a cute concept when Cliché debuted it last spring - take three of their local designers, parade them through the store, and watch them transform the crosswalk outside onto a catwalk. Designers this time around include up-and-comers Tender Cuts (a personal favorite), Kathryn V. and Niki English. Click here for more details. (Photo: Tender Cuts S/S 2010 by studio kh]

September 23: Joynoelle fashion show at International Market Square
Joy Teiken is one of the more established designers to call Minneapolis home, and we're lucky to have her. Her craftsmanship is unparalleled, and her vintage-inspired design aesthetic continues to expand into edgier territory. This should be one of the more popular shows of MNfashion Week, so tickets should go fast. Click here for more details. (Photo: Joynoelle F/W 2010)

September 24: Pale Rider at MNfashion Atrium
Raul Osorio and Danielle Everine share a good deal aesethetically, but definitely have distinct styles on their own. Osorio is known for incorporating feminine, Grecian draping into tough, militaristic menswear; now we'll see his womenswear for the first time. Danielle Everine, on the other hand, is known for her menswear-inspired womenswear, while incorporating sculptural, fine art elements and highly conceptual garments that still manage to be wearable. Both are ones to watch. Click here for more details. (Photo: Danielle Everine F/W 2010 by Ingrid Werthmann)

September 24: SGMS: Full Fashion Panic at MCAD
The annual fashion portion of the weekend-long anime workshop Schoolgirls and Mobilesuits is produced by steampunk afficionado Samantha Rei (of Blasphemina's Closet), and the show always features the latest in steampunk/Lolita/anime-inspired fashion. It showcases the work of students as well as established designers like Rei. Click here for details. (Photo: Fashion by Blasphemina's Closet)

September 25: Split Personality Launch Party at The Hub Bike Co-Op
The "unusual materials" challenges are always my favorite on Project Runway, so this event featuring garments created with bike parts should be a fun one. Again, no list of designers has been revealed but it should be fun to check out. Click here for details.

And of course, you can get a taste of all of this at Tuesday's MNfashion Week Preview Party at Honey. Click for details (Free, but RSVP required).

Tender Cuts S/S 10 Lookbook Preview

Check out these just-leaked photos from Tender Cuts' upcoming spring/summer 2010 lookbook:














Designer Emily Bryngelson is promising a website to be launched soon. The line, recently featured in the Calamity! fashion show, is currently available at Cliche (2403 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis). Select pieces will be shown at next week's Vita.mn Poolside Fashion Show.

Photography: studio kh
Models: Ashley Moe, Melissa Bownik
Hair/makeup: Brittany Rendler

In review: Calamity! fashion show

[Originally published at l'etoile magazine]

by Jahna Peloquin

If there's any sign the local fashion industry is alive and well, it's when it becomes self-sustaining. Believe it or not, there once was a time when Voltage: Fashion Amplified was the be-all, end-all opportunity for local designers to show their lines (in addition to boutique Cliché, long a seller and supporter of locally-produced fashion). Now, with Voltage acting as a signature event under the umbrella that has expanded into non-profit organization MNfashion, more and more designers are making their own statement in the local fashion scene - from conception to execution, and from production to promotion. Not to mention sewing, sewing, sewing!

[Look by Dawson; Image by Adam Reyna]

Today, many freshly-graduated design students don’t wait wide-eyed for opportunity to come to them - they make it happen for themselves. Leading that charge is the Minneapolis Fashion Initiative, a collaboration between four enterprising local designers (Emily Bryngelson, Amanda Chaffin, Niki English and Kathryn Sterner) and a jewelry designer/stylist (Andrea Oseland) - all of which have been selling at local boutique Cliché beginning as recently as last fall. The four presented their spring/summer 2010 collections in a group show, Calamity!, at the Lab Theater last Thursday evening.

[Look from Cliché; Image by Adam Reyna]

Kicking off the show was that fashion incubator itself, Cliché, showing a selection of styled looks from the national brands lining their racks. Denim made an impact (in the form of cutoffs and a sweet mini-dress) coupled with sheer blacks and wide-brimmed straw hats - a must-have accessory of the season.

[Look by Dawson; Image by Rod Hasse]

Next up, Amanda Chaffin's line Dawson hit the runway with a perfectly-styled pastel-print romper, with super-'70s round sunglasses and wide-brimmed woven hat. The St. Kate's 2009 grad (and former intern to Amanda Christine) showed an increasingly polished and cohesive collection. Some of the pieces were a little on the basic side - after all, why buy a locally-designed top you could easily find at American Apparel for half the price? The point of local design, besides supporting locally-made items, is for the special-ness factor. But with her incorporation of some interesting design elements (the twist-tie at the top of the shorts romper, draped ivory pants with pleating going the entire way around the waistline) into wearable, sellable pieces, Chaffin shows she's moved beyond "recent grad" status to be one to watch in local design.

[Look by Dawson; Image by Adam Reyna]

Oh, and did we mention, she did swimwear? Yes, and not only swimwear (a tricky item for a designer to tackle), but statement-making swimwear featuring a lovely floral print and interesting cutout details. Love that she did cover-ups to make it a complete look.

[Look by Kathryn V; Image by Adam Reyna]

Next up we have Kathryn V by Kathryn Sterner. The designer first seen at last fall's Scene-A-Sota fashion show has come a long way - her designs are increasingly sophisticated and polished, not to mention cohesive and wearable. In her spring line, she incorporated some interesting textile prints to add some interest, and a few cute details (a faux-peplum look on the vests, and a top ruffle to an otherwise fairly basic but excellently-fitted strapless jumper). As is the case with many fresh-faced designers, Sterner's line lacked a definitive aesthetic, but we can only hope that continues to be developed.

[Look by Tender Cuts; Image by Rod Hasse]

The highlight of the night when it came to execution, uniqueness, wearability and styling, was Tender Cuts. I've been a supporter of designer Emily Brygelson since I first saw her designs show up at Cliché last fall before the designer had even graduated from design school at the U of M. (I even wore one of her designs from that collection to this show.) Her spring line further exhibited her ability to beautifully construct garments, her impressive adaptability in creating separates, and an increasingly-strengthened aesthetic that had her models styled with adorable animal ears and knee socks. The jackets were particularly impressive, something most designers hesitate to tackle until well into their design careers.

[Look by Tender Cuts; Image by Rod Hasse]

The collection was perfectly spring, in a pastel color palette with varying textures and patterns. This is exactly how I imagine dressing all spring - and summer. (Minus the animal ears, of course.)

[Look by Niki English; Image by Rod Hasse]

Ending the show with a dramatic finale was Niki English. English perhaps has the longest design history, having been carried at Cliché for some time now. The collection comprising edgy zippered jackets (a strength of English), leggings, skirts, tops and dresses in shiny, slinky fabrics. While it was easily the most dramatic collection of the night, so much black and slate gray seemed a little dark for spring. Despite their intended dramatic impact, her pointy-shoulder minidresses literally fell a little flat, points dropping in odd directions, and by now, the bold-shoulders look popular last fall felt a little dated. But dug the elastic leg pieces English made to add to the impact of the line.

[Look by Niki English; Image by Rod Hasse]

Where English shone most brightly was with looks such as her draped and pleated pants, paired with a crop top and sleeveless vest, showing the designer does indeed have her finger on the pulse of the moment. Though English clearly aimed to show less ready-to-wear pieces than the other designers, it would've been nice to see some of the more wearable pieces in her collection, such as these, that still incorporate her signature look. After the show, English told us she was heading to New York for the summer and fall to intern at Zac Posen. (We wish her luck, despite the fact that she certainly doesn't need it!)

These designers were smart to bond together - five heads are better than one when it comes to taking on such an endeavor. Calamity! presented a sure sign that the local fashion industry is alive and well.

Jahna Peloquin is the Fashion Editor for l'etoile magazine and a freelance writer and stylist based out of Minneapolis.

All photos by Rod Hasse and Adam Reyna. Click here for more images by Rod Hasse.

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.