MNfashion Week in review: "Athenaeum" + Blasphemina's Closet Open House

Text by Jahna Peloquin, l'étoile Fashion Editor
Photos by Nic Abrego

Steampunk-inspired fashion may be all the rage in mainstream fashion as of late, but it's been the name of the game for local neo-Victorian designers Samantha Rei (of Blasphemina's Closet) and Heather Luca (of Scoundrelle's Keep) for upwards of a decade. After presenting a preview of her Spring/Summer 2012 collection at last Friday's MNfashion Week runway show "Full Fashion Panic!" (which we review here), Rei hosted a trunk show introducing her brand-spankin'-new Minneapolis studio space as well as the opportunity to see her work, past and present, on display. Also in the mix was Bionic Unicorn jewelry by Kristin Berwald, a frequent collaborator of Rei, who offered a special name-your-price deal in honor of MNfashion Week. View more photos from the open house and trunk show by Nic Abrego here.





Then on Friday's runway show "Athenaeum: A Study in Fashion," Luca premiered her Fall 2011 line "Alkali" at the appropriately Victorian-era James J. Hill Reference Library in St. Paul. Accordingly, Luca showed a collection that held true to the Victorian aesthetic (corsetry, ruffles, bloomers, puff sleeves and high necklines) while adding a modern twist. I absolutely adored her leather satchel that connected to a corset - a hands-free innovation that dates back to Victorian times. Also smart were her pairings of traditional menswear items, like vests, with girlish ruffled skirts and bloomers, as well as her gender-bending incorporation of corsetry on her male looks. Luca demonstrated excellent craftsmanship and use of rich fabrics combined with a genre-pushing sense of style rare in the neo-Victorian fashion community.






The joint runway show kicked off with looks by emerging designer Tara Reich. Like Luca, Reich worked from a neo-Victorian aesthetic while incorporating modern, on-trend touches such as sheer fabrics, fishtail-hem skirts and - gasp! - short hem lengths in eye-popping colors one wouldn't ordinarily associate with Victorian times. Though some of the taffetas and shiny satins looked a bit cheap and dated (it's really hard to pull off a fabric so heavily associated with '80s bridesmaid gowns), Reich showed herself to be one to watch in the local neo-Victorian front.





View more photos from "Athenaeum: A Study in Fashion" by Nic Abrego here. Styling credits: Hair and makeup by MC Nelson Artistry, hats by the Blonde Swan. View more photos of the line by Photosynthetique here.

MNfashion Week in review: l'étoile presents "Bright Society"

by Jahna Peloquin, l'étoile Fashion Editor

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.

MNfashion Week in review: Full Fashion Panic!

Text by Jahna Peloquin, l'étoile Fashion Editor
Photos by Nic Abrego

Last Friday, subculture fashion from the worlds of anime, manga, Lolita and steampunk got its MNfashion Week moment. The eighth annual Full Fashion Panic!, part of anime and manga workshop, Schoolgirls and Mobilesuits at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, showcased lines from the Twin Cities and beyond in a runway show produced by esteemed local neo-Victorian designer Samantha Rei, whose line Blasphemina's Closet was one of the first custom lines in the country to offer Lolita and neo-Victorian stylings.As with any fashions delving into subculture, the looks in the show sometimes veered too far on the side of costume for me. I realize that this is the point for many within the neo-Victorian/gothic/Lolita/anime subculture, but for me, fashion isn't fashion unless it brings something new to the table - adding a twist to a classic style rather than regurgitating ideas.Lauren Peyton's collection went full-on Lolita, so infantilizing as to deck one model in a baby bonnet. For as much she sometimes crossed over into cliche, it was conceivable that some of her looks - like one bedecked in bows - could be reimagined on the likes of Lady Gaga or Katy Perry if styled with more of an edge. It must be said, though, that he collection appeared well-made.

Theresa Winge's Hello Kitty-meets-naptime collection was unfortunate to say the least. The designer seemed to be making an attempt at avant-garde manga pop, but using Hello Kitty-printed fleece and flimsy, bedsheet-like fabric wasn't the way to go.

Irregular Pearl's line was all across the board - gothic Lolita, Victorian, and gothic looks rendered in cheap satins and dull tablecloth-y fabrics in clashing colors. Despite the bad fabric and disjointed color story, there were a few kicky, fresh little dresses in there. It was, suffice to say, a highly irregular collection.

Carousel Cafe focused on puff sleeves and ruffles in her Lolita-goes-to-work collection. While I did think the teal and black romper and blouse showed a little bit of style, some of the looks seemed to be a tad frumpy, but it was nice to see a designer bring a new idea to the Lolita genre.Deborah Block's collection seemed to capitalize on the vampire-inspired, gothic trends on the fall runways, particularly with a very-now velvet cape and an edgy, structured dress with a kimono-like feel. But whether due to bad fabric choices, iffy construction, atrocious styling (i.e., fake blood running comically down the models faces), and some looks that went all-out Ren Fest costume, her attempts fell short.But for every costumey look, there were some fashion-forward moments. The mother-daughter team of KMK Designs - Sheridyn and Kaitlin McClain, a St. Kate's student - showed construction and fabric can make all the difference from taking subculture fashions out of the realm of costume and into fashion. Their plaid suspendered dress evoked Victorian styles without going all-out Lolita, and even their more costumey looks were more carnival chic than Halloween cheap. Some pieces were so 1940s Vogue that they might have well been crafted from vintage patterns. (Though they indeed were not.)

Hitomi K. first caught my eye last spring with her gothy, industrial collection at St. Kate's senior apparel show. In this showing, she shied away from those more theatrical looks to focus on more wearable pieces that still showcase her gothic Lolita aesthetic - all impeccably tailored. Her cropped, zippered leather funnel-neck motorcycle jacket belongs in my closet now. Alexander Wang, hire this girl now.The show culminated with Samantha Rei's preview of her Spring 2011 line for Blasphemina's Closet (which will be shown in full at next month's Teslacon steampunk convention). The four looks seemed to have a lost city of Atlantis feel, in both color story and ornate detailing. Despite the Rei trademarks in the mix - rich fabrics and contrasting textures, ruffles, bloomers, and perfectly executed construction - it was a clear departure for the longtime neo-Victorian designer, with silhouettes including everything from tent dress to a drop-waist babydoll dress. This wasn't just subculture style - this was forward-thinking fashion. Here's hoping that this crop of enterprising designers will take a cue from Rei and take their neo-Victorian, steampunk, Lolita and gothic stylings into the future.I also dug the custom jewelry created by local line Bionic Unicorn for the collection, and the fun hair accessories:Click here to view more photos from Full Fashion Panic! by Nic Abrego.