Oct 7, 2010 | Fashion
It’s October again and that means another Portland Fashion Week a.k.a. PFW! (I can’t believe it’s my THIRD year covering the shows. Amazing that time has gone so fast.)
(From top left, clockwise: the Vigor Shipyards venue for the shows; hanging lasercut chandelier; painting on the building; art by Lisa Golightly; the runway – made entirely of solar panels! – ancient anchor chain marking the entrance to the building)
I won’t treat subject you to a shot of what I wore since I schlumped about under the premise of “I’m working, I don’t care.” And of course I ran into into a reader of mine – DIY enthusiast Grishley! We’ve been following each other’s blogs for some time and she’s super-sweet in person. She’s a very talented designer and posts lovely photos chock-full of inspiration. I was so glad to have met her! (Check out her blog if you haven’t already *hint, hint*) At least I didn’t have a gigantic spaghetti stain on my shirt. Fate smiled down upon me.:-)
Tonight’s show was a standing presentation from local and up-and-coming designers (including Adam Andreas, menswear designer – some of his pieces pictured above.)
Thought-Provoking Fashion
R.A.W. by Rio Wrenn began with a pair of rust-stained (but it looked like something else) underwear lying on the floor of their section, followed by a woman in garters and a slip walking around and posing on a fainting couch. There were a few displays of the rust-stained fabrics that the label is known for also in the installation, but it still left you wondering what exactly the label produced and what its message was (besides stained underwear). [Ah, Portland!] The artist in fact utilizes insects, rusted objects, plants, and copper to hand-dye her silk and silk blends, making them into lingerie and selling the fabrics. R.A.W. Textiles strives to pave the way to a sustainable future by being conscientious of the dye, fabrics, and production methods used in their clothing.
Laura Allcorn provided a small sampling of her jewelry and a display of a model “pollinating” a a rack of orchids with a feather duster. Concerned with the phenomenon of colony collapse disorder [a potentially serious problem for honeybees, the plants they pollinate, and the rest of us who depend on those plants for food] she created a small line of modular jewelry. She was also gifting pendants made from pollen suspended in resin to remind people of the importance of this issue – one she said can be helped by shopping locally and in-season, supporting local beekeepers, and planting wildflowers native to your region in your garden to encourage honeybee colonies to return and flourish.
Established Local Brands
Idom showcased a few of designer Modi Soondaratok’s signature dresses, featuring quirky, sweet design details that elevate them from the ordinary to the amazing.
Dawn Sharp, who has achieved incredible success with her line of fun, detailed separates and dresses, presented a few pieces from her Spring 2011 collection [entitled “Free Spring/Summer 2011”]. Inspired by psychedelia in all its complex forms, her dresses were comprised of the highest-quality silk burnout fabrics, silk velvets, and charmeuses in kooky prints. In business since 2007 and selling online in her Etsy store, Bonadrag, and Cultist (as well as a number of brick-and-mortar stores in LA), the price point for her pieces is affordable and the pieces themselves covetable.
Designer Emily Christensen showcased a number of dresses from her line Filly in a variety of neutral hues. Inspired by the environment around her, she creates her dreamy pieces to be the ultimate testimony to the beauty of the female form, utilizing no zippers, buttons, or fasteners of any type. Her pull-on designs allow for ease of wear and enhance her customers’ natural beauty. She only uses American-milled fabric (a true rarity these days!), working closely with a manufacturer and dyer in San Francisco so all her prints and colors are completely unique to Filly. The line is sold in more than 75 stores across the US, Canada, and Japan, and online at Vickerey.
Accessories
Metalsmith and jewelry artist Emily Baker presented a few pieces from her recent collections for her line Sword + Fern [you may have saw the brand mentioned in Lucky Magazine awhile back]. The recycled glass and oxidized chain pieces were hauntingly charming, and her use of recycled fabrics, metal, and vintage findings in her chic statement jewelry truly embody the ideas of Reuse and Recycle. Purchase Baker’s beautiful
pieces in her shop in Portland [811 East Burnside #114] or online in her Etsy shop.
Pinkham Millinery (the only operating millinery in the city of Portland!) showcased a number of hats from the line. Renowned milliner Dayna Pinkham, whose hats have appeared on the heads of celebrities, athletes, rock stars, actors, and the Kentucky Derby, still designs and constructs each hat by hand in her downtown Portland studio.
The man himself. Or at least a giant cardboard photo of him.
And of course the big draw this year for the entire world is Seth Aaron Henderson, recent winner of Project Runway Season 7, who will be showcasing his Spring collection this Saturday. He has collaborated with PFW sponsor SolarWorld for his collection, inspired by the company’s black photovoltaic solar panels.
A necklace made from a solar panel which will be auctioned off later on during the week.
Amazingly, they’ve closed the rest of the week to more press (probably due to the high profile he’s brought to the shows this year), so who knows if I’ll be able to return to cover any more of this week’s events. I probably will have to stow away in somebody’s bag.:-(
Oh well, whether I attend or not – there’ll be more coverage of the days to come on the way!
xoxox
Carly
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Mar 14, 2010 | Fashion
From Sunday, February 14 – Luca Luca showcased their Fall/Winter 2010 Collection.
My seating assignment, the Run of Show, and my Press Pass to the Tents.
From the press release: “Melgoza’s design aesthetic is rooted in classicism, yet his vision incorporates the ever-changing role of women in society. His design philosophy is to transcend seasons and trends to accomplish clothing that can be worn for a lifetime. The brand has expanded the distributon of its collection from freestanding boutiques in major US cities to international markets such as Europe, Russia, and the Middle East.”
The makeup look for the show.
A shot of the makeup table.
A favorite of celebrities and socialites alike, Luca Luca was founded in 1992 by Luca Orlandi. (Tinsley Mortimer -looking rail-thin – was in attendance, as well as former American Idol finalist Constantine Maroulis, and a member of the Real Housewives of NYC who I loathe so intensely I refuse to type her name and give her any more press.)
Plus this lady whose name totally escapes me right now…can anyone help me out?
“Melgoza’s new collection is inspired by the sculpture and contour of architecture and embodies the juxtaposition of polar opposites. With the collection, he harmonoiusly combines opposing elements – masculine and feminine, structure and fluidity, soft and corase, dense and sheer, matte and shiny.”
With jewelry by Dannijo (interview coming up soon!, it was destined to be quite a show of sophisticated luxe. And it truly did not disappoint…see below:
Watch the video of the show here:
I also had the wonderful opportunity to interview Creative Director Raul Melgoza, appointed in 2008 by founder Luca Orlandi. Originally from Italy but raised in L.A., Melgoza is a Parsons graduate, and joined the company in 2005. He cites Tim Gunn as a mentor, says he is in love with the seasons (that’s why he loves New York); and was inspired by beautiful buildings, sculpture, and the architecture of Frank Gehry in the creation of this collection. Utilizing clean lines that focus the eye on the silhouette, Melgoza combined fabrics in a palette of steel blue, midnight, dusty rose, and metalic-infused fabrics of antique silver, bronze, and charcoal.silver, liquid gold with silver undertones to create chic, wearable pieces.
Listen to the interview below:
Transcription of the interview:
Carly J. Cais: Did you always know you wanted to be a designer?
Raul Melgoza: Actually, you know, I did not…it’s funny because I was always inspired and drawn to things that were beautiful, but it wasn’t necessarily just clothing it was music, it was homes, travel – I had an innate sensibility for what was amazing; what was artistic…so having said that I never grew up drawing; nobody in my family sewed. So I actually got an undergraduate degree in finance and it was during those years that having a marketing course really opened my eyes to the possibility of merging commerce and art, so that was when i decided I’m attending parsons, so I moved from L.A. and Parsons was really my first experience with any kind of schooling in the arts.
CJC: How old were you at the time?
RM: I was twenty-five. I had done my undergrad, I had actually worked a couple years in the Treasury Department, totally a corporate career. It has helped me a lot as a Creative Director to understand that it has to be more than just a 10-minute show that people watch, it has to have a sell-through if I want to have a job.
CJC: Have you adjusted your strategies at all given the recent economic difficulties?
RM: We’re working obviously on being a little more sensitive, if your going to bead something then perhaps not get so crazy with very elaborate construction because at the end of the day it’s going to be a ten-thousand, fifteen-thousand-dollar piece, and yes it’s beautiful, but we also want to have a few more so that people see it. So if you’re creating things that are unattainable, you’re almost defeating your objective: which is to be out there and be part of the wardrobe of as many people as you can.
CJC: Makes sense. But in lieu of that, are there any specific embellishments or deisgn elements or fabrics that you really loved working with and want to talk about?
RM: Oh yeah, in this collection you’ll see some amazing, amazing fabrics. There’s a lot of wools and tweeds that have a lacquered finish to give it a modern, it doesn’t look like an older woman…everything has a bit of a gloss, there’s lacquered wools, there’s modern cuts on fur, and an overall shorter, flirtier silhouette.
CJC: So what do you want Luca Luca to embody or encompass in one phrase?
RM: I think Luca Luca shoold stand for timeless, modern clothes.
An incredibly well-spoken and intelligent man – and I loved the shiny sheaths – ESPECIALLY the slate blue -part-pleated dress, which is calling my name.:-)
What do all of you think of the collection?
xoxox
Carly
All runway photos taken from the front: Getty Images.
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Mar 3, 2010 | Fashion
Samantha Pleet showed her A/W Collection last Tuesday, Feb 16, as part of The Green Shows Collective. To a small studio venue in the Lower East side we tromped, despite the slowly melting slush, and were packed into the small space to view a short presentation of muted plaids, short-shorts, and exquisitely-cut body-hugging dresses.
Sorry for the quality of these photos; these are Elle.com’s photos [in need of heavy color-correction] since I could not find anything on any of the “official” image sources on the web for this particular show…goes to show you Samantha Pleet is still considered a bit “under the radar” by mainstream fashion. Well, at least these photos are better than the cruddy ones I took on my Blackberry!
Um, yeah. Much better.
I also interviewed Samantha Pleet herself.
She’s so cute I could just put her in my pocket.
Here’s the transcribed version:
Me: Do you want to talk a little bit about how you incorporate eco-friendly design into your pieces?
Samantha Pleet: I love helping the Earth and I do anything I can…my whole lifestyle revolves around eating organic food, sourcing local fabrics, producing everything here in New York in the garment district. I just want my company to be as ethical as possible. It’s really important to me and my lifestyle.
Me: Why do you think it’s important, when you produce clothing, to do it in an ethical manner?
SP: I like to have my hand in everything, and I have a relationship with my factory, and I know that people are treated fairly there; they’re kind of my friends, so I think that having a company, it’s great to be aware of what you’re doing with it. And I think every designer should be an ethical designer. You don’t have to make things that look “eco,” really, to do that. You can make any silhouette. I mean, my collection is not typically looking “eco,” but I use organic wools from Vermont, organic cottons for everything, and I love the feel of it…recycled ultrasuede, this is really cool.
Me: So what kind of woman wears your clothes?
SP: I think a woman that is a creative woman; a Renaissance Woman. People who are creative, are artists, who want to conquer the world in a fun way.
Me: Any advice on how to get that Samantha Pleet look to your outfit or your style?
SP: Watch a lot of movies, like a lot of fantasy films, and you’ll get the inspiration! As you can see, I used the David Lynch music, which is kind of sexy and soulful and has this really special feeling to it, which is really dramatic and brought out a lot of the emotion in my collection. finis
Samthana Pleet also designs a menswear line with her husband Patrick, as well as Rapscallion, a line exclusive to Urban Outfitters. The brand, found in 2006, received a 2009 Ecco Domani sustainability design award for the premiere collection of Bodkin. Samantha Pleet is sold online at stores such as I Don’t Like Mondays, Bona Drag, and Revolve Clothing, as well as better boutiques nationwide, in Tokyo, and in Taipei. (Can you believe the designer is only 27??)
What do you think of her pieces? Would you wear any of them?
xoxox
Carly
photos source
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Mar 1, 2010 | Fashion
From the website:
Designer, visionary, artist, Rad Hourani reinvented fashion by transcending its conventions, creating a unisex luxury that is changing women’s and men’s wardrobes since he launched his namesake label in 2007 in Paris. He follows no gender, no season, no rules, epitomising the very modern values of freedom, passion and unisex elegance.
RAD by Rad Hourani is a complementary unisex collection to the main label, and is recasting the same silhouettes in more casual cuts and fluid materials. Launched in 2009 in New York, the aseasonal collection consists of light and wearable basics in shades of black, white, grey and midnight blue. Classic styles include one size unisex top/dress with suspender straps, bold prints or dress/top/veste sheer paneling, zip straps pants/jeans, and drapey cardigans, embodied in long, layered silhouettes, razor-sharp tailoring, and simple and geometric yet intricately detailed pieces.
With prices ranging from $170 to $390, this diffusion line is just as cool but far more affordable than Hourani’s eponymous line. Buy online here.
And just because I love it, I’d also like to share with you images of the Rad Hourani A/W 2010 Unisex collection:
I’d argue that maybe the tights and liquid-look bike shorts on the men are not exactly unisex, but everything else is utterly covetable. I just want to drape myself in black, cocoon-like layers, like some insect shedding skin after successive skin.
Think Forever21 will ever do some knockoffs of this??
And would rad be too pedestrian a description for this anti-social chicness?
xoxoxo
Carly
images from radhourani.com
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Feb 28, 2010 | Fashion
“Preppy With a Pop”
From the PR company:
“The Fall 2010 collection retrofits Tommy Hilfiger’s preppy heritage from 1985 for a dynamic new decade. All-American sportswear that is uncontrived and luxurious; casual but refined. Classics get a cheeky spin as conventional Ivy League looks turn sophisticated.
“The women’s collection is for the rose-cheeked co-ed turned successful entrepreneur who channels a young Katharine Hepburn- East Coast pedigree with a whole lot of sass…The charm is in the mix…Dashing between work and play, she knows that confidence and a little savvy go a long way.”
Classic American sportswear. Many of these pieces I felt, were a surprise (in a good way!) coming from Tommy Hilfiger, a brand that hasn’t had a lot of good press in recent years. (Sweatshop accusations; the sale of the company to a private group; lagging sales, etc.)
But what distinguishes this from say, Michael Kors or Ralph Lauren? (Less luxe, I suppose.)
There’s a bit of unevenness going on, and I would have liked to see a more tightly-edited collection, but still there are some very wearable, covetable pieces in the bunch. (Silvery-gray gown at the end? Spangled black jacket? Yowza!)
Plus, it was the final show at the Bryant Park Tents forever…like as in, final for ever and ever, since Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will be moving its venue to Lincolm Park come September. I would have loved to actually be inside and watch the show – but they were way over capacity, and while I was still standing in line to get in they closed the doors. I did meet a really cool girl with covetable Jil Sander booties while waiting in line – who works as a designer for the brand’s intimates line…and we had a fabulous time talking and bonding over her love of fine cuisine and our shared love of M.A.C. cosmetics. So I ended up watching the last show of the season on the TV monitors outside the venue.
What do you think of the pieces?
xoxox
Carly
(photos from Getty Images)
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