WE WON! WE WON! (X 2)

l'etoile is proud to announce a couple big dealios! This month we've scored some pretty sweet accolades from our pals at both Metro Magazine AND Minnesota Monthly Magazine. Both glossies put out their "Best of 2009" issues and l'etoile made 'em both! Fancy! We'd like to thank our fabulous staffers and readers who so passionately support arts and culture in the Twin Cities -- you guys make the scene! And keep your eyes peeled on l'etoile this year, as we plan to launch a new, more dynamic website before 2010 so we can cram in even more coverage of what makes our cities so special.

Peep the excerpts from both mags below. Thanks Metro and MnMo! l'etoile hearts you longtime!
From Metro Magazine's Best of 2009 issue:

Metro 100: l'etoile magazine

Such events are the medium through which boutiques and the local fashion scene collide, especially when they have the stamp of approval from professional party-throwers like (70) l’etoile, an online magazine with the biggest Rolodex in town. “Drawing attention to independent designers and boutiques is a win-win situation,” says l’etoile editor-in-chief Kate Iverson, who helps promote and produce roughly two events a month. “If the little guys can make enough money to grow and evolve, they’ll eventually be spending that money to take their business to the next level, which means buying more goods and services from the medium guys, who in turn buy from the big guys.”

From Minnesota Monthly's Best of 2009 issue:

Best Social Director: Kate Iverson

It's commonly believed that Kate Iverson has not slept in years. How else can you explain the fact that the indefatigable Iverson has helped produce or promote just about every cool arts and fashion event in the Twin Cities, from Art-A-Whirl to Project Runway showcases to Fall Fashion Week at International Market Square. All this while compiling a popular weekend guide to hip happenings as the editor of L'etoile magazine online. In everything she does, Iverson strives to open up an oft-exclusive scene to the rest of us. "I want people to be excited about the scene, to feel like they're a part of it," she says. "Events should encompass the cool vibe of the Twin Cities without being pretentious."

Le'TALK: l'étoile interviews 'Nobody' writer/director Rob Perez

by Kate Iverson

Screenplay writer Rob Perez arrived in the Twin Cities two years ago and set up camp in Josh Hartnett's Lake Minnetonka home to pen the indie comedy Nobody, and subesquently fell in love with his surroundings. So much so, that when it came time to scout locations to shoot the flick, Minneapolis/St.Paul was the obvious choice. Best known for writing the romantic comedy 40 Days and 40 Nights, which starred local boy-made-good Hartnett (who aptly enough is executive producer on Nobody), Perez set forth with co-writer Ryan Miller to design a thoughtful film about an artist on a mission of self-discovery, and Nobody was born. His first crack at writing and directing one of his own films proved fruitful -- Nobody opens with plenty of fanfare with a red carpet premiere at the State Theater on Thursday night.

The film stars Minnesota-bred actor Sam Rosen (now of NYC) as Lindeman, an art school student who struggles with his final project -- and hence the meaning of life. Through a series of comedic events and revelations, Lindeman eventually realizes that "he doesn't need to be somebody to be someone." Filmed at numerous recognizable Twin Cities locations such as the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and even featuring a scene at Porky's Drive-In, Nobody has plenty of local flavor (and plenty of familiar faces).

The red carpet premiere of Nobody happens this Thursday, October 1st at the State Theater. Tickets are available HERE. Nobody opens to the public with an exclusive engagement at Kerasote's Block E in downtown Minneapolis on Friday, October 2nd -- for more info click HERE.

We chatted with Perez this week about his new film and his appreciation for the Twin Cities....

Your new flick, Nobody, is opening October 1st with a fancy premiere party at the State Theater. How did this labor of love come to fruition and why did you choose to set the film in the Twin Cities?

The short version goes something like this: Nobody came about because I was tired of writing screenplays for a living and wanted to get back to what I set out to do in the first place - make movies. It involved taking a huge paycut and finding a new place to call home, but it was well worth it.

Co-writer Ryan Miller and I choose to set the story in the Twin Cities because the vibe of the film felt right here. The tone of Nobody is sweet and charming and this town has that feeling in spades. Coincidentally, Sam Rosen, my leading man is from here. Josh Hartnett, as everyone knows, is also from here. So as we started scouting locations, everything kept pointing us to the Twin Cities. Even after scouting a few other cities, there was no other place we could shoot the film but here.

Nobody and your first film, 40 Days and 40 Nights, seem to be very different in tone, though they both fall under the "romantic comedy" umbrella. How has your writing evolved and do you ever see yourself settling into a particular niche?

One small correction - Nobody is not a romantic comedy. It's just a comedy that may or may not have some romance in it. My writing has evolved immensely since 40 Days and 40 Nights. I was just a wee pup when that picture was made, but five years from now I expect I will be saying the exact same thing about myself as a writer now. As you know, writing is not something you master - it's one of those student-for-life kind of deals. I expect I've gotten more sure of foot, and more comfortable in my own shoes as I've gotten older. This helps with writing because a point of view is very much at the center of telling a story. At the heart of what kind of writer I am, I'd have to call myself a comedy writer. I love telling stories that make people laugh. Life's plenty hard and if I can give people a reason to smile or, even better, laugh, success!

Not only did you pen the screenplay, but Nobody is also your directorial debut. Wearing both hats pretty much puts you in the superhuman category -- have you slept at all since the project began? How hard was it to make the jump from writer to director?

What is this word 'sleep'? I've heard it used before. It sounds familiar...I remember during the middle of production I was averaging about four hours. I would go to bed around 3ish and often be up by 6. The worst part is your brain is going so hard that even though you're exhausted, it's difficult to slow it down to actually fall asleep. But what you lack in that sharpness that comes from being well-rested, you make up for in adrenaline. you show up on set, see the circus, the 100 or so people and trucks and equipment there to make this film and you instantly find the energy to do the job as best as you can.

Jumping from writer to director was less preparation than I had hoped. As a writer I know structure, character, and arcs, but I didn't know anything about where to put the camera, how to talk to actors, how to lead a crew, editing a film. So you learn as you go. I'm a pretty quick study, so even though directing was the steepest learning curve I've ever been on, I feel like everyday I got better and the fact that this film makes any sense at all (and it does) is a huge triumph of sorts.

We love that Nobody was filmed at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Were you able to incorporate any local artists into the film?

My crazy answer to your good question is: I didn't use any local artists in the film because I didnt use any art in the film - at all. One of the conceits in this film is that I never show any art. maybe an edge of a canvas or a very small part of a sculpture, but never-ever the whole thing. The story is about an artist (a sculptor) and his artist friends (fashion, photographer, performance, etc.) and yet we never see one whole piece of art the entire picture. I do that because this film is not about the art; it's about the artist and his journey. The finished product, the actual art he makes is a bit beside the point.

You wrote Nobody while living in Josh Hartnett's home on Lake Minnetonka. Now that the film has wrapped, do you plan on sticking around the Twin Cities? Have any juicy Hartnett gossip you can spill?

I've been here in the Twin Cities exactly two years and I plan on staying as long as this community will have me. I want to tell stories that make people laugh and smile and feel. If I can do that in this city again (I've now done it once) I will stay and try my hardest to make my next story a little bit better than this one.

Josh Hartnett gossip? Don't you have the tabloids for that? And, if so, I would recommend you believe everything you read in there.

What's next for Rob Perez?

When I first got to town in September of 2007 I was completely inspired by the theater community here and I wrote a play. The story is set here in the back room of a pub and I hope to put it up this winter at Keiran's Irish Pub.

What are your top five favorite things about the Twin Cities?

-Enjoying a Prairie Vodka martini while watching the sunset on Lake of the Isles
-Little kids wearing winter jackets that are so puffy their arms stick straight out
-Enjoying a beer at the Bryant Lake Bowl
-Sunday brunch at the Grand Cafe
-Scarves

The red carpet premiere of Nobody happens on Thursday, October 1st at the State Theater. To purchase tickets and for more info click HERE.

Nobody officially opens on Friday October 2nd with an exclusive engagement at Kerasotes Block E. Click HERE for info.

Visit the movie's official website at www.nobodythecomedy.com

l'étoile's Rob Callahan visits the Midwest Emmys

By Rob Callahan

We like to think of events here in Minnesota as subdued, calm and just a little bit awkward. I'd like to blame Garrison Keillor for the predominant worldview of my home state, but all he did was point out to the rest of the planet what we already knew about ourselves. Sure we're strong, good-looking and above average, but that whole hotdish thing is just all wrong. And the Minnesota Nice Lutherans? Forget it. Sometimes we just want to throw down and pat ourselves on the back in recognition of our own awesomeness, and just the time and place to do so is the Upper Midwest Emmys Award Ceremony, so on a nice Saturday evening I headed down to the Pantages Theater (and not to mention Seven Sushi, venue of the pre-party) to see which way this was going to go. Would it be awesome or awkward? As I went in and breathed deeply of the atmosphere, I began to sense deep down that this was going to go the way of awesome.



The guests and nominees mingling and milling about were a healthy mix of veterans and n00bs, but the up-and-coming new media types seemed to draw the most attention. Among the crowd I found Chuck Olson, the official tweeter for the Emmys, and we began a nice, casual conversation about the event and his involvement with it, which quickly devolved into our talking about whatever caught our attention. Our talk being too torrid and tangental for my humble talents to convey, I'll merely direct you to this brief clip of our interactions.

Soon, excited nominees began to file into the theater. I stopped a few on their way in for brief chats about their feelings. Among them, I stopped former FSN front man Ron Johnson, who's play-by-play prowess had helped to earn CTN Studios a nomination for Live/Unedited Sporting Event Coverage. He was both humbled and elated to have been a part of the larger group that created the show, and was attending the event for the first time. Among all of the nominees with whom I spoke a similar down-to-earth grasp of the occasion was prevalent. Everyone involved, from gophers to executive producers, was quick to acknowledge that their hard work was only part of the greater whole that brought their teams this far.

As the lights went down and the ceremony began, archetypal hip media personality Jason Matheson took the stage, soon thereafter joined by his equally-hip co-host Jeanette Trompeter, and together the two began the event. Jeanette gave brief instructions for first time winners (let the audience know who you are and what you do on the winning show, keep your speech succinct, stop for a picture before you leave the stage... that sort of thing) and then, one by one, the categories were announced and the winners' names were read.

Between awards, entertaining interludes were presented. The night opened with a video montage highlighting the work of fictional news anchor Ted Baxter, among others, and warmed up the crowd to the snappy jokes and one-liners that awaited them later on in the night. Also of note was the high-energy circus-themed dance routine by Soul to Soul Dance Conversion, resplendent in bright, primary colors and curly red wigs, in which dolled-up clowns and jesters alternated gyrations with acrobatics under the watchful eye of their voluptuous ringmaster. If you missed it, there's video:



The academy recognized the efforts of journalists covering last September's anarchic clash on the streets of Saint Paul with several awards, including Breaking News and Continuing Coverage. Accepting his award for reporting on KSTP, Mark Albert was graciously thankful on behalf of both himself and Jared Bergerson (photojournalist and co-nominee) for the win. “He and I braved that tear gas for four days in September,” Albert recalled, “and I know a lot of you did as well. Congratulations to us all for surviving.”

Those among us in the crowd who harbored some closeted, geekish sensibilities were excited to see Brendan Henehan accept the award for Public-Current-Community Affairs on behalf of himself, Cathy Wurzer and Eric Eskola. He, the producer and they, the hosts, were nominated for their work on TPT's Almanac. Now in its twenty-fifth year on the air, the show presents itself with the polish you'd expect from such an influential veteran production. The Twin Cities Public Television crowd, by the way, cheered louder and more uproariously than any other part of the audience as they let loose and showed their commercial TV counterparts that public broadcasting is as much about the party as it is the Masterpiece Theater.

In case my getting excited about Almanac didn't out me as a nerd, consider the Advanced Media Arts-Entertainment award, which went to UofM's Science of Watchmen, in which Professor James Kakalios recalls having been tapped to consult on the Watchmen film, and explains the various ways in which we can easily come to understand the powers of Dr. Manhatten through quantum mechanics.



A lot of truly talented and creative people were honored throughout the night, far more than I can summarize here (and why would I, when it's already there,) so for me the standouts were the fringe elements: The college stations, the cable access guys, reporters who fell unwittingly into the fray so their viewers wouldn't have to, the ones who brought us the personal story of a hero who might otherwise have gone unsung, and the webcasters, podcasters and bloggers working under constraints that would make a shoestring budget seem luxurious.

And my sentiments seemed to echo those of the greater gathering. We all honor the achievements of the broadcasting veterans who served as way-paving role models for the rest of us. Without the ground they've broken, there would be nowhere for the next generation to build, but our attention is focused now on the generation in question. In what ways will they further redefine the way we consume and interact with our news and entertainment, and how soon will it happen? Time and technology will tell, as will the next round of emmys, which I encourage you all to follow, be it on television, your laptop or your phone.

Fashion Week Pix Now Up!

Photos by Stephen Stephens of Digital Crush Photography for l'etoile. Click each banner to be directed to the album or simply visit www.digitalcrushphoto.com

Eat Street Style at Head to Toe Salon 9/25

by Kate Iverson

The Eat Street Style fashion show at Head to Toe Salon last Friday night was a colorful, snazzy sampling of vintage looks from Nicollet Ave boutiques Blacklist Vintage, Lost and Found and Head to Toe. l'etoile was lucky enough to tag onto the event as a sponsor, and Beth, Juleana, Stephen and I had come early to help Vanessa and Jen from Blacklist get their choreography down and shoot some fun pics of the models in their stylin' gear.



The fact that all three boutiques used real customers as their models added a fun, down-to-earth element to the show. Blacklist owner Vanessa Messersmith joked "I would actually love it if one of them fell; these are real people who are definitely not professional models!" The models, who ranged in shapes and sizes, were all great sports, waiting patiently as the boutique owners and the Head to Toe hair stylists primped them for the runway -- which was actually a stage in the front of the shop.

Not sure what to expect as far as attendance, by 7:30pm I was happy to see the small space packed to the gills with well-heeled peeps, the majority of whom were new faces. Red wine and beer flowed and sushi donated from nearby Azia Restaurant was noshed while attendees waited for the show to start. Blacklist owner Vanessa Messersmith introduced the show, which featured two rounds of looks from each boutique -- one casual round and one evening wear round.



One of the most dazzling looks featured model Paul, a charismatic drag queen whose shaved-to-the skin hair (or lack thereof) and dramatic makeup made a striking statement when paired with a slinky black and gold sequined evening gown from Blacklist Vintage.

The finale look featured a hardwear-heavy steampunk look from Blacklist embellished with goggles, lots of wire, a Tomb Raider-esque gun belt and a tattered black parasol, worn by a lithe black model/customer who totally rocked the look.

The event moved over to Azia's Caterpillar Lounge for champagne toasting, potsticker eating and good conversation with the models, boutique owners and other such local luminaries including songsmith Jeremy Messersmith, designer Laura Fulk, local theater actors Dylan Fresco and Julia Fairbanks Thompson, and many more.

MNfashion Week Recap #3: 9/24

Thursday, September 24: adorn, FAME, and Project Runway

By Jahna Peloquin

[Karma / Image by Stephen Stephens/Digital Crush]

It’s rare that I make it to an event early. Typically, I tend to arrive fashionably late, and such events have a tendency to start late. So when I headed out to Adorn, a sort of fashion crawl along St. Paul’s chic Grand Avenue as part of MNfashion Week around 8 p.m., I was shocked to find out Picky Girl was closing early – an hour before the set time. But then it hit me – of course! This was St. Paul we were talking about: People here arrive early and leave early, while us Minneapolitans are the ones that are late – that’ll teach me! So tag-teaming with l’etoile staff photographer Stephens Stephens, we headed to Grand Avenue boutique Karma, in the hopes it was still kicking.

[Jahna, center, with Allie Haver and Allison Dent of Lola Red PR / Image by Stephen Stephens/Digital Crush]

And it was. Peeps were spilling out onto the street, including Alexis Walsko of Lola Red PR (and the fiery co-host of the “Shop Girls” radio show on FM107.1) and the rest of the fab Lola Red crew. When I told her I missed the Picky Girl event, where design duo Calpurnia Peach were doing custom screen-printing on tights, she showed me her own pair that bore the letters “L” and “R.” (If you missed them, they’ll be printing more tights at this Thursday’s Metro 100 Party at Rogue Buddha.)

[Robyne Robinson with ROX jewelry at Karma / Image by Stephen Stephens/Digital Crush]

Once inside, we ran into local news anchor and jewelry designer Robyne Robinson, who was hosting a ROX trunk show featuring her decadent line of gems. Store owner Jada Breuer offered me a glass of wine and I checked out the other new fall offerings from local designers, including silk cowl-neck dresses by kjurek couture and handknit sweaters by Knit ‘N Jules.

["Envision" at FAME / Image provided by Ignite]

Then it was onto this month’s edition of FAME, which doubled as a meet-and-greet and trunk show for the designers of last week’s Envision runway show. (Check out my recap of the show here. There I had the opportunity to look at the designs up close, and customers had the chance to try on the goods before they went to their respective shops (Cliché, Drama and Local Motion). Ignite models donned some of the fashions, and I was pleasantly surprised when I found out local designer Renate Adjei, known for her ultra-feminine designs and floral fabrics, was behind the African-print, structured dress worn by Ignite model Jerilyn.

[Models in looks from "Envision" at FAME / Image provided by Ignite]

After chatting briefly with Josh and Delayna Sundberg of Cliché, I headed out to catch the second half of Project Runway at Hell’s Kitchen. PR contestants Christopher Straub, Katherine Gerdes, MNfashion director Anna Lee, and fashion writer Sara Glassman were in the house for the weekly l’etoile-sponsored viewing party. Unfortunately, we left teary-eyed when it came to pass that it was former Minneapolis hometown hero Ra’mon-Lawrence Coleman that got the aufing. Fortunately, we still have Christopher to root for, and his killer design got him a second-place finish in the challenge.

(B-T-dubs, l’etoile’s “Project Runway” screenings are held weekly at Hell’s Kitchen, kicking off with fashion trivia with Beth and Kate of l’etoile at 8 p.m., with screening from 9-11 p.m. Check out the facebook invite for more info.)

MNFashion Week Recap #2: 9/23

By Jahna Peloquin, fashion editor

With many of MNfashion Week’s biggest events happening mid-week this fall, here’s your pre-weekend recap by l’etoile's fashion editor.

Wednesday, September 23: “Charmed Life” and “Couture Noir”

[Laura Fulk's vignette at "Charmed Life" / Image by Marcus Metropolis / interior by Jeffrey Valley]

It just so happened that two of MNfashion Week’s biggest events, “Charmed Life” and “Couture Noir,” overlapped on a Wednesday night of all nights. The events couldn’t have been more different, but I couldn’t stand to miss either. I donned my black asymmetrical dress from Laura Fulk’s “Suffocate” collection, a nod to the designer who would be participating in “Charmed Life” that evening and the elegant Gothicism of “Couture Noir.” I added a vintage feather headpiece and vintage black lace pumps and off I went.

By the time I arrived to “Charmed Life” at the International Market Square at 7:20, the event co-produced by l’etoile with METRO Magazine, was in full swing. With the open bar ending at 7:30, I made a beeline for the bar to grab a couple glasses of wine before checking out the stylized interior/fashion vignettes created by interior decorator Jeffery Valley in the middle of the atrium. Two-fisting it, I immediately ran into local songsmith Jeremy Messersmith, who was there supporting his wife Vanessa (co-owner of Blacklist Vintage, one of the night’s vendors), Laura Fulk, and Xavi Sostre, one of the stylists competing in that evening’s style-off I would later sit in to judge. “I love your dress!” Xavi exclaimed, not realizing it was a Le Fulk original. Laura’s vignette, decorated in a contemporary theme by Valley, included some clever leather cuffs ($10), knit hats with lace trim ($25) and faux fur cropped vests ($45), a retail-ready way to own a piece of the usually-avant-garde designer. (She’s not planning to sell them anywhere post-show, but you can contact her at laurafulk@gmail.com if you missed out.)

[Max Lohrbach's vignette at "Charmed Life" / Image by Stephen Stephens/Digital Crush / interior by Jeffrey Valley]

Before I knew it, I was being struck from behind with some kind of stick – it was Max Lohrbach, nearly unrecognizable at first with his brand-new super-short haircut. I hadn’t seen Max since he was last in town for the Vita.mn Poolside Fashion Show, and I had to see his adorable vignette. It was composed of a lifesize paperdoll lady and child, which he illustrated himself. “It’s kind of dark,” Max smirked. “The picture the little girl is holding is of her dead father.” I immediately coveted the ivory silk dresscoat, but decided not to muss up the parlor-esque display by trying it on and called dibs on it. He also was selling his one-of-a-kind “hair hats,” originally created for Voltage 2009. And sell he did – two of them ended up in the hands of a couple of fab ladies, with some sales help from one of my favorite stylists in the city (and Max’s newest fan), Richard Anderson. The hats are currently available at Design Collective, if you’re interested.

[Blacklist Vintage's booth at "Charmed Life" / Image by Stephen Stephens/Digital Crush]

At some point, I knew I had to step in to judge the evening’s stylist challenge so I went to hunt down Kate Iverson, editor of l'etoile magazine, who co-presented the event with METRO, running into Ellen Dahl of Vita.mn and The Minneapoline, looking chic as always, and City Pages’ blonde style mavens, Emily Utne (a fab photog in her own right) and writer Stacey Tuthill. I spotted Kate with Emma Berg of mplsart.com (in an adorable Max Lohrbach sheer coat dress) near Blacklist’s booth, which was fabulously decked out with the vintage shop’s delectable selection of hats, pretty as little cakes. A couple steps to the left, Robyne Robinson’s booth of her ROX jewels was swarming with shoppers, and next to her, “Project Runway” darling Christopher Straub hawked his popular leather accessories, in which his hard-meets-soft aesthetic was evident. Everywhere I turned, sales seemed brisk and excitement was in the air.

[Jahna, left, at the judging table at "Charmed Life" / Image by Stephen Stephens/Digital Crush]

It was time for the competing stylists to get to their challenge. The trio were quite the venerable crew: Xavi Sostre, who has worked with me recently on Ra’mon-Lawrence Coleman’s Fashion Week show; Molly Roark, a visionary known for her fabulous work in l’etoile magazine when it was in print back in 2007; and Zach Pearl, a longtime stylist to Laura Fulk who styled for Voltage 2009. As they styled their models, I sat down with the rest of the judging panel, which included Mary O’Regan of METRO, MNfashion board member Jessica Palkowitsch, Christopher Straub, and a very chic blonde woman – whom I eventually realized was none other than famed model Cheryl Tiegs. (Apparently, Miss Tiegs was there as a spokesperson for the new Cambria showroom at IMS.)

[Molly Roark with her winning look at "Charmed Life" / Image by Stephen Stephens/Digital Crush]

First up, Xavi presented his look, his assigned them “bohemian chic.” It was very chic and wearable, but not really outside of the box. Next up was Zach Pearl’s “first lady” theme, which he edited to mean “first lady of the 21st century,” pairing oversized pearls, a fuchsia boucle coat, and layered vintage hats. It was brilliant in theory, with every detail purposeful, but the wearability factor was low. Finally, we had Molly Roark’s “holiday chic” look, a feminine gold dress paired with a black sequin skirt underneath, and a black Dries Van Noten scarf wrapped around the model’s neck like a bow, giving it an edge. Thoughtful and wearable in one. We tallied our scores and Molly came out the winner, her prize a fancy leather portfolio. I myself left with my own prize – a gift bag stuffed with swag including hair product samples from Aveda and Bumble & Bumble, perfume samples from Thymes, coupons for free drinks at area restaurants and a can of Red Bull. Fancy!

[Emma Berg & Jahna at "Couture Noir" / Image by MJF Foto]

By then, it was 8:45 – I had fifteen minutes to get to “Couture Noir” and I didn’t want to risk missing a moment. It ended up not starting until 10 p.m., so I needn’t have rushed, but it gave Emma Berg and man-about-town Christian Erickson (who was gearing up for his reunion performance with Astronaut Wife at Saturday’s Jagerfest) enough time to catch up with me. Held at the decadent, charming Varsity Theater – one of my fave venues in town – the show kicked off with collections from newbie Anthony Eliason and a couple of talented designers we haven’t seen for a while, Danielle Everine and Elizabeth Chesney.

[A look by Danielle Everine at "Couture Noir" / Image by Marcus Metropolis]

The three were hit-or-miss. Eliason’s party-friendly looks were fun and youthful but the execution wasn’t quite there yet. Both Everine and Chesney showed some strong pieces incorporating difficult-to-manipulate leathers, but with the focus on one part of a look, other details appeared to be forgotten. However, Everine’s light pink minidress constructed of large round discs sculpted from pieces of saddle grade leather was particularly inspired, eliciting an “ooh” from both me and Emma. It was all good and fine, but overall it wasn’t anything we hadn't seen before.

[A look by Apatico at "Couture Noir" / Image by Marcus Metropolis]

To my delight, the second half of the show was significantly higher on the drama, quality and construction. It started off with two of the city’s hardest-working designers, Megan Bishop and Samantha Rei of the Libertine Asylum collective (which will be having their own show later this fall). Megan’s Apatico line was youthful, feminine, extremely well-made, and dare I say, actually somewhat wearable.

[A look by Blasphemina's Closet at "Couture Noir" / Image by Marcus Metropolis]

Samantha continued on that note, with her Blasphemina’s Closet line showcasing plenty of ruffles, bustles and bows, ending with an incredible bell-sleeved dress coat in baby pink. I got butterflies dreaming about it in black. It’d be the perfect opera coat to see “The Pearl Fishers” next week at the Ordway.

[A look by Seamstrix at "Couture Noir" / Image by Marcus Metropolis]

But the real drama of the night came from Melanie Ree’s Seamstrix collection. Until now, I’d seen her work only in pictures, but the collection as a whole was breathtaking, gorgeous, edgy, and completely unwearable – everything that a show like “Couture Noir” should be, in my opinion. Much of it was in unexpected shades of white, the most ingenious looks pairing Southern-belle ruffles with menacing eyeless silver masks. It’s country club goth futurism, I thought; and Emma echoed, “It’s like what you would wear to have mimosas with Marilyn Manson.” The segment ended with none other than Venus DeMars of All the Pretty Horses rocking the runway in a crazy-good black beaded gown. What a finale!

[Mackenzie Labine, right, with her model at "Couture Noir" / Image by Marcus Metropolis]

But wait – what of the show producer, Mackenzie Labine? I had so been looking forward to seeing what the designer has been working on as she’s been off the radar over the past few years. Her anime-meets-goth aesthetic in her line oiishimomo was always delightful. One model came out, and then…Mackenzie herself walked down the runway. WTF? I thought. One look? The show has been Mackenzie’s labor of love over the past couple of years, and credit must be given to what was a successful event, but I couldn’t help but be disappointed to not see an actual collection from her. Her own dress, at least, was appropriately decadent and true to the Mackenzie aesthetic we love. Incorporating lace, taffeta, beading, and more detail than the eye can take in from ten feet away, as well as varying lengths and shapes, it all managed to work together in beautiful chaos.

MNFashion Week Recap #1: 9/17-9/18

By Jahna Peloquin, fashion editor

As New York Fashion Week winded its way down, MNfashion Week was just beginning. Though it officially kicked off Monday the 21st, the Twin Cities weren’t short on a surplus of fashion this past weekend. l’etoile Fashion Editor Jahna Peloquin hit the hot spots and gave us a recap.


Thursday, September 17, 2009

Image: Jahna, left, with Anna Lee and MNfashion board member Jessica Palkowitsch
[Images by Jahna Peloquin]

I kicked off the weekend early with An Evening at Eastcliff at the home and gardens of the President of the U of M in St. Paul. Though not officially an MNfashion Week event, MNfashion founder Anna Lee was on hand to address the crowd that gathered for the event put on by the Friends of the Goldstein (founded by local fashion icon Margot Siegel). We were served wine and hors d’oeuvres during the seated presentation and afterward mingled within the decadent surroundings.

(Image of Allison Quinnell with her design)

Anna Lee also brought in two local designers of her choosing, Amanda Christine and Allison Quinnell, who previewed their fall 2009 collections. Allison’s participation was fitting, as she graduated two years ago from the University of Minnesota’s apparel design program. The Voltage 2009 designer showed a gorgeous violet dress, modeled by Talia of Vision Models. She told me her fall collection, consisting of jewel tones with gem detailing, studding and ruffles, would be available soon at Drama and Design Collective.

(Designs by Amanda Christine)

Then there was Amanda Christine, one of my favorite designers to work with. I wore one of the pieces I had commissioned from her, a ruffled skirt based off a design she created for her spring 2009 collection, to the raves of the party-goers. She had two models with her wearing her fall designs: Zoby designer Heather DeLapp in a red plaid wiggle dress, Nikki Morris in a checked peplum top (which I also own), skirt and ingenious scarf-wrap. She makes them in a bunch of colors, and they’re currently available at Cliché and Drama for $40. Amanda wore one of her own ruffled pencil skirts.

Next, it was on to stop by Kingman Studios for this month’s edition of Gallery Grooves, co-hosted by Secrets of the City Arts Editor and l’etoile Editor-in-Chief Kate Iverson. It was the first time any of us could recall being at Kingman’s before midnight. The studio of artist Brant Kingman, one of the city’s indispensable characters, turned out to be a great place to mingle (and sip vodka drinks tinged with mint and served by Secrets publisher Kris Henning).

(Jahna at Drama with photographer Mike Feltault)
[Image courtesy Mjf Foto]

Then it was onto the grand re-opening party for local boutique Drama, which recently relocated from downtown Minneapolis to Uptown. There I ran into the fabulous Gretchen Williams, former Vita.mn Events Producer and gal-about-town, who was in town from NYC for the weekend. Once inside I also happened upon local designer Kimberly Jurek, who counts Drama as one of the many boutiques her line kjurek couture is carried. (Her solo show, Exclusively Fall, will be held at the W Hotel this Friday.)

As with every Thursday evening, I ended up at l’etoile’s weekly Project Runway viewing party at Hell’s Kitchen. Since Kate was caught up at Kingman’s, l’etoile publisher Beth Hammarlund was joined by her boyfriend and l’etoile Business Manager Brian Goielli for fashion trivia before the show. Fortunately, both of our homeboys Ra’mon-Lawrence Coleman and Christopher Straub managed to create great pieces, and were deemed safe by the judges.


Friday, September 18, 2009

After joining a bunch of well-connected peeps at a happy hour thrown by Gretchen Williams at Bev’s Wine Bar, I headed out to the Envision fall fashion show at the Graves 601 Hotel with Kate Iverson in tow. We started with fancy cocktails at downstairs bar Bradstreet, known for its “mixologists” (a fancy term for bartenders), and drinks in hand, headed to the sixth floor for the bi-annual runway show thrown by Ignite Modeling. Packed with more designers and boutiques than you could shake a stick at, the show is always a can’t-miss event on every local fashionista’s calendar. After traipsing through backstage to preview the looks and say hello to the models, we took our front-row seats (furnished with a swag bag that included a mini bottle of Grey Goose. Fancy!)

(Image of a look from Awryn Birch)
[Images by Josh Stokes/Stokes Foto]

From the beginning, the show was full of class and sophistication. It started off with a lone violinist who took a stroll down the runway, backed by a bumpin’ beat. (“Is that Ross from Friends?” Kate cheekily commented.) Then Arwyn Birch’s models hit the runway, in plaid coats with bell sleeves, hoods, and oversized buttons. They were surprisingly chic coming from a designer known for her simple, wearable knit dresses. The hair and makeup styling, by Rocco Altobelli stylists and L. Mae Artistry, respectively, superbly showed current fall trends and provided a seriously chic consistency to the show.

(Image of a look from Emily Weich)
[Images by Josh Stokes/Stokes Foto]

Emily Weich’s collection followed. The designer’s strengths are in concept, styling and a whimsical charm, but it was hard to tell what she was going for based on the four looks we were presented with. Some of the looks erred on the side of too sexy – one included a fur wrap, a black silk minidress that looked like a nightie, and black sheer thigh-highs worn with garters. The shredded fur stole the designer herself wore, however, was an intriguing, edgy piece when worn simply with skinny jeans and pumps.

(Image of a look from Kjurek Couture)
[Images by Josh Stokes/Stokes Foto]

(Image of a look from Amanda Christine)
[Images by Josh Stokes/Stokes Foto]

Next up were kjurek couture and Amanda Christine. Kimberly Jurek’s collection included a lot of cowl neck and ruffle neck details, waist-tie belts, and warm fall tones and pops of bright orange, worn with statement feather earrings by Zoby. (I’ll review her collection in full after Friday’s show at the W.) The standout of Amanda’s collection was a black-and-white belted jacket with three-quarter-length sleeves – a perfect excuse to buy some black leather elbow-length gloves this fall.

(Image of a look from Jenny Carle)
[Images by Josh Stokes/Stokes Foto]

Next up, Jenny Carle (also in this Saturday’s SCENEaSOTA show) showed her usual wearable strapless sheath dresses, which I’ve been told are a hot seller at Cliché. Her addition of cropped jackets and longer dresses showed her desire to grow in range, but the construction and fabric choices seemed a bit off. It was apparent that the long blue dress, while nice in concept, constrained the model’s legs as she attempted to walk down the runway, and her colorful print tunic rode up to reveal a peek of the model’s bum.

(Image of a look from Russell Bourrienne)
[Images by Josh Stokes/Stokes Foto]

Then we got to menswear designer Russell Bourrienne, a longtime staple of the local fashion industry. When it comes to construction and fit, no one does it better than Russell, and too few designers create menswear in this city. While sometimes his spring collections are a bit off to me stylistically, his fall collections are consistently strong. He showed his usual coats and jackets in plaid, orange and olive green military-grade wools, but added a twist with button and belted detail on the pant legs. After the show, he told me he was inspired by the burgeoning Steampunk movement, and I thought it was smart of him to incorporate unusual details with classic tailoring. It would be interesting to see how he would translate his aesthetic into womenswear.

(Image of a look from Peloria)
[Images by Josh Stokes/Stokes Foto]

Local designer Peloria and some looks from boutique Local Motion followed. Peloria showed her usual quirkiness with asymmetrical hemlines and collars, and styled her models in very Prada-esque stocking caps and flats. While I appreciated the unique styling, I wish she would’ve chosen more expensive-looking fabrics; these knits have an unfortunate tendency to bunch at the seams.

[At La Nouvelle Femme with Emma Berg and Anna Lee]
[image by Mjf Photo]

Though the show was only half over at this point, I had to rush out to catch Calpurnia Peach’s runway segment at La Nouvelle Femme at the Varsity Theater. In my rush, I was pulled over for speeding (fortunately I didn’t get a ticket), and missed the show (which started earlier than I was told). When I spotted Peach co-designer Luci Kandler, she offered to take me backstage to view the garments up close, and promised me pictures.

[Images by Charlie B. Ward]

I love the deep plum color and gold-leaf print of this dress. It should be a choice look come the holidays.


Another highlight was this ruffle-skirt dress with a charming whale print. The best part may be the back, which features a cut-out detail tied together with a bow.


Here we have somewhat of a departure from the duo known primarily for mini-dresses and one-piece jumpers. However, I feel the pairing of a long-sleeved shirt and full-length skirt seems stodgy and forced.

All in all, the show seemed to be a charming affair that pulled in an eclectic crowd. Having it at the newly-remodeled Varsity (boasting an expanded bar and capacity) didn’t hurt – it’s one of the most magical places to see a show in the Twin Cities, and was a definite step up in ambition and scope for the collective of artists, musicians and designers.

MNfashion Week is off to a swinging start! Look for more fashion show reviews and event recaps later this week.

For l'etoile's full schedule of official MNFashion Week events click HERE
For more info on the MNFashion Organization click HERE

Le'TALK: l'étoile interviews SCENEaSOTA's Emma Berg

by Jahna Peloquin

Saturday night's MNfashion Week show SCENEaSOTA boasts a bevy of local fashion talent. Among the designers is someone not at all new to the local fashion scene, Emma Berg. It will be the mplsart.com director, Fox Tax Gallery curator and all-around fashion plate's debut collection. I sat down with Emma, who also happens to be a good friend of mine, for an impromptu interview over wine at her Minneapolis home, where she told me more about the collection and her design background.

JP: Tell me where you’re at right now. It’s a couple days before the show and you have a lot to do. How are you feeling?

EB: I’m feeling pretty good. I have a finale piece to finalize. I’m trying to figure out where it is I want it to go because it’s not as extreme as I want it to be.

[An Emma Berg look for SCENEaSOTA / image by Stephanie Hynes]

JP: What inspired the finale piece?

EB: I had this color palette and I actually had another piece picked out that had an abundance of ruffles, and it didn’t seem like it was pushing it enough. So I went back to the fabric store and found this fabric. It’s this crazy folded white satin, and I just fell in love with it, so I’m trying to figure out how to make it work.

JP: It kind of reminds me of the accordion fabric that Ra’mon-Lawrence Coleman used for his “Eluded Love” show.

EB: Yes, very.

JP: But a wintry version.

EB: Yes. And with all of these, I’m trying to create something I haven't done before. Especially with this final piece, I want to make sure that I’m learning something from it.

JP: So let’s go back for a second. What inspired you to start designing now? You’ve been working for Target, you’ve been doing mplsart, you’ve been curating at Fox Tax, and you always support local designers. Why now?

EB: Well one, I took a trip to India last summer, and was inspired by all the draping, and seeing how the younger generation styled a very traditional sari to made it their own. That was really interesting to me. And I guess part of it too is having supported artists and designers and whatnot, all of a sudden it was like, wait, what if I do something too? It’s nice to focus on what I really want to do, not that I don’t like carrying mplsart, but it’s nice to be able to focus on me.

[Emma wearing one of her creations at the Vita.mn Poolside Fashion Show '09 / Image by MJF Foto]

JP: Have you gotten any reactions from people so far? It seems like a lot of the press is focused on your debut in this show.

EB: It’s exciting, but that’s why the finale piece has to be good. That’s why I started all over. (laughs) If I’m going to get a bunch of attention, I’d better make it worth it, or you know, I have to earn it. I want to show appreciation.

JP: Yeah. And now that everyone is looking at you, you know, you have that much more reason to make everything amazing.

EB: Yeah. It’ll be embarrassing otherwise!

JP: Do you know of any people you’re excited to have at the show?

EB: You!

JP: Any family?

EB: My mother is super excited. She’s cute. I told her about the show a while ago and she was really excited. And the other day we’re talking and I’m like, “Oh, MN Monthly voted Fox Tax as best gallery.” And she’s just like, “Oh, that’s nice, but I’m really excited about your fashion show.” She knows this is something I’ve always done, and I think she’s excited that I’m coming back to it. My mom called saying “I have some stuff, could you come pick it up?” and it was clothes I had designed when I was in middle school and high school, and course info for FIT. It was a nice little push.

JP: To everyone, it must seem like you’re a new designer, but you’ve really been designing since middle school.

EB: I didn’t sell for a tiny little bit at this boutique in St. Paul called Lookit, just a few pieces, and I held onto a couple pieces. But they were very ‘90s. It was very .. lots of leather, stars, bright colors, vinyl hearts.

[Emma in one of her designs at Glamorama 2009 / Image by Emily Utne/City Pages]

JP: How is that different from what you wear now?

EB: (laughs) They were really absurd. I think my favorite was a bright, thick blue vinyl short skirt that just completely flared out and it had silver leather hearts on the back as pockets, a little bit of a raver feel.

JP: Where do you see this going, what’s next?

EB: I guess it just depends on where opportunity knocks. It’s been a great experience, and it’s hard to look at it and think, okay, I have to make four of those. Is that something I’m going to do? And right now with everything else I’m doing, that’s not going to happen. But it will be interesting to hear what people have to say about it. I had a nightmare yesterday that I was at a bunch of events for MNfashion, and all the clothes were like Chanel and Alexander McQueen, over-the-top amazing, and I’m like, “What am I doing?! What am I thinking?” I was so nervous that people would be comparing me to something like that.

JP: We just need to find people to help you sew. I mean Karl Lagerfeld designs three lines, you know.

EB: I mean right now it’s nice to just experience it.

SCENEaSOTA happens Saturday at the Ignite Modeling Studio. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Brin Glass Building, 600 Washington Ave. N. Suite 101, Minneapolis, $10 general, $20 VIP.