Feature
Portland Fashion Week
Lisa Radon
Two designers, Emily Ryan and Leanne Marshall for her line Leanimal, create sculptural pieces with innovative surface details. Emily Ryan’s rigid charcoal trapeze of strips of fabric horizontally smocked suggesting a honeycomb was an engineering marvel taking surface detail and turning it into structure. Also notable were her gathered circular insets on a caped dress (with the cape attaching at the waist…a PFW theme of sorts). Leanimal plays with volume, gathered insets, jabot-like flounces at the neck, in complex organic constructions.
Souchi’s cashmere line is among Portland’s best, with separates, sexy underthings, delicious wrapped sweaters and deconstructed dresses for spring in a pale palette all made in Portland.
For men, a broken spoke by John Blasioli (who costumes the Decemberists) incorporates the kinds of details and cuts that you expect from a women’s line like three fabric covered buttons at the back neck of a seafoam sweater vest or another cream-colored sweater vest cut almost like a jumper, all the while turning out crisp jackets, fashion-forward well-fit denim, and interesting shirts.
Other notable collections included those from Anna Cohen, Portland’s sustainability evangelist, who showed a strong collection with her signature brand of sexy, a meeting of the artful drape and crisp tailoring with superbly cut jeans and trousers and trim little jackets. And the debut of IDOM, Modi Soondarotok’s (who has worked with Peter Som, Donna Karan, Twinkle, and Armani) line, included some especially strong dresses, ranging from an oversized poet’s blouse to a sundress formed with vertical strips of brown cotton.
Portland Fashion Week was billed as the nation’s first sustainable fashion week with more than a dozen sustainable designers on hand. Importantly, sustainability didn’t stop at the hemline but was threaded throughout the production: a bamboo runway, décor with recycled fabrics and materials, low-energy lights, a VIP Lounge (sponsored by The Changing Room magazine) stocked with bamboo furniture and eco-friendly carpets. All printing was done on recycled paper, the hair team used eco-friendly Sidlab hair products (based in Portland), even the food and wine was organic.
The final question, if you build it, will they come? Unlike NY Fashion Week whose attendees comprise buyers, patrons, and press, Portland Fashion Week audiences were heavy on consumers and the curious. But then, things are done differently in Portland. It may be interesting in coming years, as more buyers push further afield for “undiscovered” labels, to see whether a trek to Portland in October might start to make sense.
Portland designers to watch:
a broken spoke, John Blasioli http://www.abrokenspoke.com
Adam Arnold http://www.adam-arnold.com
Church and State (at Seaplane)
Anna Cohen http://www.annacohen.com
Genevieve Dellinger (at Denwave)
Elizabeth Dye http://www.elizabethdye.com
IDOM http://www.idomdesigns.com
Liza Rietz http://www.lizarietz.com
Souchi http://www.souchi.com
Holly Stalder http://www.hollystalder.com
The Daily
Pixie Geldoff creating Fashion Line for New Look
Bob Geldoff's daughter, Pixie, is getting ready to unleash her fashion creativity to the waiting world. The rock executive and promotions kingpin is fully supporting his offspring's collection. Pixie's collection will receive the backing
July 25, 2008
Bluefly Sells Christian Siriano
Christian Siriano, the 22 year old wunderkind designer that managed to beat out a large field of competitors on Project Runway Season 4 officially has his collection for sale now at Bluefly. Siriano has put together a collection...
July 24, 2008
Fashion Rocks Performers Announced
The Conde Nast extravaganza that is Fashion Rocks is returning again for another season. Normally taking place during New York Fashion week, Fashion Rocks melds the entertainment industry with the spectacle behind the Spring
July 23, 2008
Gwen Stefani Designs for Oz
Gwen Stefani has done almost everything that can be done. She's been the front person for a major rock group, she's had major hits as a solo artist, she's played the role of actress all while designing a popular fashion line.
July 22, 2008
Model Ben Grimes Enters the World of Design
One of the former faces of the Burberry brand is looking to branch out on her own and create a line. Ben Grimes is taking her love of fashion to the runway, only this time she won't walk in a show, her collection...
July 21, 2008
see all daily headlines >>
