MNfashion Week in review: Jagress Intimates

Text by Jahna Peloquin, l'etoile magazine Fashion Editor
Photos by Stephen Stephens for Digital Crush Photography

The phrase "lingerie fashion show" usually would have us running for higher water, but not so the case with Jagress Intimates' MNfashion Week showing. The appropriately intimate event at the Four Seasons Dance Studio in Loring Park on Saturday featured a four-part salon-style runway show highlighting the local line's Spring/Summer 2011 and Fall/Winter 2011 collections, accompanied with jewelry by Robyne Robinson's ROX and Vintage City Classics. The show also featured selections from Jagress designer Sarah White's Voltage collaboration with clothing designer Danielle Everine, and most excitingly, a mini collection in collaboration with Everine that made its runway debut that night. Satins mixed pleasingly with plaids and tweeds - donned by sultry Vision models. Who knew lingerie could be at once sexy and dapper?

MNfashion week in review: "Envision: Artopia"

For last weekend's "Envision: Artopia" runway show (co-produced by Ignite Models, City Pages Futuretime Productions and V2 Nightlife) kicking off MNfashion Week at Graves 601 Hotel, l'etoile fashion editor Jahna Peloquin and legendary local stylist/interior decorator Richard Anderson sat ringside and traded critiques and compliments alike. Lucky for you, we recorded their conversation.

Photos by Stephen Stephens for Digital Crush Photography

Amanda Christine

Jahna: That's my dress (far right)! Only mine is red.
Richard: I love it in both colors. It’s a wearable dress. I love that there’s just a little peekaboo in it. And I love when the dress has a little surprise when it’s walking away from you.
R: Love the print. A little bit of tribal without being overkill.
R: They’re very easy dresses to wear. I’m surprised to see the exposed zipper trick. We saw a lot of that last spring and I thought it was over.

J: I love the jacket.
R: Love the jacket. This is so retail ready. And this works for a variety of sizes - larger women, smaller women.
J: I like how the floral dress takes a pretty print and edges it up with an interesting neckline.
R: Again it’s so fun to see a dress walk away and be impressed by the back of it. That’s adorable.
R: I’d love to get one of my brides to wear that white dress as a wedding dress.
J: It’s skimpy!
R: I don’t care! It’s like a simple silhouette with just a little bit of edge to it. A lot of different women are going to like it.
J: I think that’s why Amanda has been so successful.

CeCe Vang

R: I like the capelet but I’d like to see it on a floor-length gown.
J: Yeah, it's a little twee for me.
R: I have a thing about big ruffles. Just do them at the neck or not at all.
J: The color is beautiful on that dress.
R: If it didn’t have that ruffle around the skirt, it’d be fun. Shiny fabrics are hard.
J: Satin always puckers. It’s just a bad idea.


R: The jacket and the bodice, it’s just too much. She’s really playing with that ‘80s thing.
J: I don’t think it works, I think it’s the bad side of the ‘80s.
R: They’re like bridesmaid dresses. And the volume on the top and volume on the bottom, it’s just too much. That paperbag cinched waistline becomes obsolete because there’s so much going on.

Drama Boutique

R: I think that grey dress is cute. Sort of a ‘90s athletic thing. But you have to be that rail-thin to wear that.
J: Love the motorcycle jacket. Wear it to work, go out for drinks after work, go to the dive bar. It's nice that it's done in a non-leather.
R: That floral dress looks like a dress you find on the clearance rack at Charlotte Russe.


R: The tie-dye dress is really nice. It's very poolside.
J: I like the combination of hot pink with blonde hair. I think it works because of the hair. It adds an edge.
R: Love the oversized wide-brimmed hat.
J: The dress? Eh.
R: It’s all about the hat. I hate that ribbon on the dress, though.

Jenny Carle

J: Very Betsey Johnson.
R: Very cute, I like it. I always like prison stripes!
J: I know you do.
R: (laughs) You can have fun with that. I mean the right girl can throw combat boots with it.
J: It’s weird that we’re going to a floral print dress after that.
R: I’m starting to feel like I’m at a fashion show at a mall at this point.
J: It’s a bunch of dresses thrown together.
R: I love the hair though. That’s reminding me of Tina Turner in Mad Max.

J: I don’t get the last few looks.
R: There’s no fluidity to the collection. I would like to see that picnic table fabric used in a whole dress.
J: That’s a great basic seersucker dress. You could pair a hat, wedges, and some wood accessories with it and make it really great.

Karma Boutique

R: That print tunic be really cute as a bathing suit coverup or something.
J: Totally San Tropez.
R: That little detail on the hem, the ruching, the sleeve - great fabric, too.
J: The hair gives it an edge.
R: Very boho. I like it. But then I’ve always liked the hippie chic look.

Local Motion Boutique

J: That pale blue ruffled dress so Taylor Swift. The country princess look.
R: It’s adorable!
J: I love that Parisian print.
R: It’s a great print. But I don’t love the belt with it.
J: The accessorizing is sort of uninspired in general.

Sydney Ilten

J: That’s a cute little sailor nautical look. I always love a good nautical look for spring.
R: That’s a dress a professional woman would wear to the office. I’d like to see some accessories.

R: I love the little stripe dress, you can tell a lot of work went into it. The way the lines come together. Great technical skills. This looks very well made. The problem is I don’t think the styling is going far enough to make it a fashion show.
J: It’s just a lot of clothes.
R: And styled for a catalog. This is how a normal woman would wear it. I don’t want to see how an average American woman would wear it, I want to be thrilled.

Dawson

J: I don't know about that fabric. I know fruit prints are very on-trend, but it looks kind of heavy and dated and I don't like the colors.
R: When you’re doing a shift dress like that, the fabric is so important. It’s all about a minimal cut so the fabric has to be great.
J: Love that yellow skirt and top combination. That's fun.
R: The grey dress kind of reminds me of Norma Kamali in the late ‘70s/early ‘80s. I think the woman who would wear that dress is a tall thin woman who works in an art gallery.

J: Are those shorts or a skirt? I like them either way. I don't think I've seen that silhouette before.
R: That’s fun. I like the styling. Now this feels like a fashion show. The little rice picker hats. I like the unexpectedness of that top with those tulip shorts.
J: It’s a great color combination, the pale blue and plum.
R: That's a very cute little bustier. That has sort of a ‘40s vibe to it, especially when paired with those wide-legged pants.

Niki English

R: I love the jacket, I love the pants, I love the seafoam green top. Early ‘80s, late ‘70s references. Good detail.
J: Niki is one of those designers whose style is very edgy. I like how she incorporates those slightly goth, pointy shoulders into a chic little jacket that's very modern.
R: The dress looks like something from the Golden Girls.
J: There's too much going on.
R: That pattern, and the back, and the shoulders, and the zipper, it's too much.
R: The black jumpsuit needs accessories. It needs a chunky gold belt. It’s screaming to be accessorized.

R: I love that it’s kind of a take on a trench coat a little bit. And it's nice to see satin done right!
J: It’s interesting to see her doing a collection that’s not all back. She usually does a lot of black.
R: This is a good collection. That’s like a 1977, ‘78, a rich woman who’s going to Studio 54. Beautiful. And I love the surprise again from the back.
J: It’s sort of a skeleton print.
R: It looks like something McQueen would almost do. I might hate it in five years, but I love it now. Especially on a woman of color.
J: The shaved head makes it more chic.
R: It worked for Sinead O’Connor!

YQY by Vivian

R: This ruffles white dress is actually very cute.
J: Here the accessory is right. Without that belt, it wouldn’t work as well.
R: Oh, okay - she showed this coral print fabric last fall.
J: She showed her spring collection last fall. I think some of the pieces are different than what were shown, though.
R: The silhouette on that romper is cute.
J: But it’s a little disconnected.
R: Maybe without the ruffle on the front it would’ve been better.

J: It’s sort of disappointing she’s showing some of the same pieces she did last fall.
R: I like her use of color though. But I would never show the same thing twice.

OPM Boutique

J: Very sporty. Very Norma Kamali. High fashion sportswear.
R: You could have fun with that jacket.
J: I would throw it on every day.
R: I love the leopard print jacket. Well, I just love leopard print in general.
J: It’s a nice combination with the very feminine dress.
R: With the accordion pleat chiffon dress? Beautiful. I like this too, I love it.
J: The angel wing sleeves are very ‘70s.
R: It’s sexy. Not like overtly sexy. That poppy print on the back is beautiful.

R: I think there are several strong pieces here, but I don’t know if I like it all together. That cummerbund belt is too much.
J: I love that blue dress. Very Studio 54 again. The fabric and color are gorgeous.
R: But again I’d like to see a big Isis necklace with it, something very Egyptian.

Arwyn Birch

R: I love that. It’s like Wednesday from the Adams Family.
J: This designer goes to the ‘60s mod, stewardess styles a lot. But I think she’s getting a little better about having a more flattering silhouette.
R: A little more current. Oh, I love that - it’s very Barbara Streisand, or Mia Farrow in “Rosemary’s Baby.”

R: This one reminds me of Jessica McClintock Gunne Sax from the ‘70s with the lace collar and floral print.
J: I like the combination of the little socks and the tougher heels. It edges it up.
R: These are cute dresses. They’re sort of little Catholic schoolgirl, but they’re very young. That’s a very narrow market. You can’t be over 30 to wear these. And I don’t know if a young girl has the sophistication to appreciation that dress.

Kelly Ver Duin

J: This is a designer who just graduated from the U of M.
R: I would totally wear that. I want that whole outfit. It’s so nice to see menswear, no one does it. Except Russell Bourrienne, and Raul Osorio, and Ivan Idland.
J: The ladies are loving these male models. Catcalls!

R: I want that jacket, too! They’re great jackets.
J: I don’t know about those pants, though. It’s all about the jackets.
R: They’re not very flattering. I hate low-crotch pants.
J: But they’re very on trend right now, you know.
R: Yeah, I don't know. Not for me!

Carmichael Claith

J: I think I like the wide legged pants and the butterfly-sleeve top.
R: But not the scarf. It's a little bit grandma.
J: I don’t know about the full skirt. Or the plaid fabric. Haven't we seen this before? It feels old. The romper is alright though, but the colors are so dull.

R: It’s so funny that those sheer, butterfly-sleeve overlays that were popular in the ‘70s are back.
J: The fabric is not good, and something about the silhouette is off.
R: Yeah, this just isn’t working for me. Something is off.

K.Jurek

R: I love yellow and grey together, but I don’t love that dress. If you’re going to put layers of chiffon together, somewhere it’s got to give you a little figure, or make all the layers really long so the whole thing drapes across the body.
J: It works better with the mango and yellow top. You need a tighter pant like that to balance the silhouette out.
R: I love the colors. That top would sell anywhere.

J: This is like fall all of a sudden. Is this from the same collection?
R: That knit poncho over a turtleneck and wideleg pants would be adorable.
J: There might be a really cute dress underneath but I can’t tell.
R: Oh my God, the jewelry is all wrong. I love bright colors but I think the colors fight against each other.
J: I think some chunkier jewelry would have worked better, too. The skinny necklaces don’t photograph well and just look messy.

Cliche

J: Aaaaand it's the finale. Cliche always has great styling.
R: I love the feather neckpieces. (Ed. note: they’re by KR Designs at Cliche.)
J: It’s sort of a Marc Jacobs Spring 2011, ‘70s inspiration. Derivative of course, but fun.
R: There’s a commercial little dress, and they made it into a fashion show. Wow, I’m finally at a fashion show!

R: Love that trench skirt.
J: It’s very Burberry.
R: You could wear it all year round. Fall, winter, spring. And in the summer with a white tank top.

MNfashion Week in review: Voltage

Text by Beth Hammarlund, l'etoile magazine Creative Director
Photos by Stephen Stephens for Digital Crush Photography

Voltage: Fashion Amplified, the cornerstone of MNfashion Week, took over First Avenue on Friday night for the seventh year running. As the audience arrived in style, the iconic Danceteria came alive with hugs, air kisses, and thorough examinations of fellow partiers' oufits.

After opening statements by Voltage founder and producer Anna Lee, the show kicked off in fine form with a surprise performance by Hastings 3000 (backed by openers Phantom Tails). The sea of First Avenue parted as the gas masked guitar hero was carried to the stage, where he rocked out in a festive mirror ball tuxedo. In his exuberance, he lost several squares of silver confetti, but the suit had already served its purpose.

The gothy dance rock quartet then took to the stage styled by b. (a resale shop). Outfitted in standard party boy gear such as windbreakers and skinny jeans, the effect could have veered dangerously close to hipster douchebag territory. But the carefully styled outfits with clever layers (in some cases, so many that I started to worried for the musicians' well-being under those stage lights) were well-styled and self-aware. (It should be noted that store owner Allison Bross looked incredibly stylish when she took her bow, which should be great advertising for the store.)

Kathryn V opened the show with an ivory linen coat. Though the season for short-sleeved outwear is almost non-existent in Minnesota (two weeks at best), the piece was charming enough to be added to my shopping list. Linen continued to show up in tops and jackets, but it wasn't long until sundresses, cropped shells and rompers took over the runway. Mixed prints, sweetheart necklines, bows, peplums, covered buttons and flirty cut-outs peppered the collection. Each piece was anything but basic. What was remarkable is that designer Kathryn Sterner managed to show dresses with bare midriffs and daring cut-outs that seemed absolutely demure. The gold jewelry from Sweet T by TimmiLynn Johnson and citrusy bags by ACKJ Handbags (a new collaboration from clothing designers Amanda Christine and Kimberly Jurek) perfectly suited the collection.

Danielle Everine is known for her masculine-inspired suiting. But in this collection, she subverted her own aesthetic by creating a line of sheer menswear-inspired separates and shirtdresses in delicate springtime shades. Layered over vintage-inspired lingerie from Jagress Intimates and accessorized with cheeky hair bows by Freedom From Doubt, the presentation was unambiguously charming. Audience members just off the runway had the pleasure of seeing the thoughtful tailoring that went into each piece. Shirtdresses and blouses were given new life with wide collars, asymmetrical tailoring and backward construction. Function became form as seams and pockets were expertly designed for aesthetic appeal.

Fort Wilson Riot took to the stage next, outfitted by designer Carly Schoen. Jacob Mullis played in a basic shirt, which was made interesting with red details on the cuffs and down the front. Amy Hager wore an ethereal dress with floral details that seemed to match her vocals. It was impressive how well the attire suited them.


Frances Zerr debuted her new line of sustainable sportswear, ANNA by Frances Zerr. A black mesh tee and quilted mini-skirt opened the show. A tan trench coat with black contrasting sleeves and a black mesh collar detail was a new spin on a classic piece. Nautical stripes and rope ties popped up throughout the collection. Ladies who love to show off their stems will swoon over the gray high-waisted quilted shorts. Zerr makes simple understated pieces that don't scream for attention, so it's often not until the model disappears backstage that the audience realizes what they've seen. The contemporary jewelry from Jennifer Merchant gave the collection a delightful pop.

Newcomer Rachel Blomgren showed plenty of fantastic pieces in her collection. Cropped tees (one in black leather that earned audible audience approval) boasted perfect vertebra cut-outs down the models' spines. Knits ranged from Marni-inspired to Nordic. Convertible skirts with folksy details were fit for a modern Heidi. Individually, these pieces were great, but they didn't form a cogent collection. They will certainly work well on an individual level, on the rack (I will absolutely purchase one of her vertebrae tees) and in editorial. But when presented on a runway, the effect was disjointed. Blomgren's pieces were paired with fantastic jewelry by Lela Horst Baumann.

The giant collective Me and My Arrow performed in looks created by Renalie Bailey. Their set was energetic and engaging, and somehow they managed to fit everyone on stage without any injuries. Bailey's pieces were a little Mad Max meets Renaissance Fair, but they definitely worked well with the band's vibe.

Terri Martin opened her segment with a perfectly tailored white jersey dress. Certainly not for the faint of heart, but on the model it was outsanding. Leather halter vests with fluttering lapels made several appearances and have the potential to be great sellers on their own. A white blouse with heavy gathers on the front seemed to drape effortlessly in the back. But from my seat, I could make out two straps across the model's back that held it in place. It looked great on the runway, but will be a hard sell on the rack. (Dressing room assistance may also be required.) There was a great pair of jersey palazzo pants, but the knit shrugs didn't seem quite as special compared to the striking leather vests. The palette was limited, almost exclusively black, white and olive green. I would love to see what Martin could do with more color. Neon stick-on eyebrows and bright visors put some additional color to the runway. But the styling was so engaging that the comparatively quiet jewelry risked getting lost, which is a shame because Potpourri makes some excellent pieces.

I knew little of Sarah M. Holm before this year, but her Voltage collection has stolen my heart. Her science fiction and rockabilly-inspired collection drew plenty of excited whispering in the front row. Cocktail dresses made the required appearance, but the designer also included several bathing suits with avant garde cover-ups. Retro bikini bottoms were modernized with sheer panels and simple triangle tops were secured with an intricate maze of straps. The hand-painted silk dresses were hardened with leather and fabric made from recycled soda bottles. A multi-colored cocktail dress with a complicated bodice of black swoops and straps earned so much applause that many assumed it was her final look. However, the designer had two more to go. The final dress, an orange and black spiky number, resembled some sort of carniverous plant or poisonous fruit. (Photographs cannot do this piece justice.) The science fiction influence and blue and green silks in her collection will certainly draw comparisons to Laura Fulk's collection "To the Ends of the Universe." Perhaps Holm did find inspiration in Fulk's work, but her work is truly her own.

Blacklist Vintage outfitted Communist Daughter in vintage looks that came close to being overly styled, but hit the perfect note for a stage performance. (Owners Vanessa Messersmith and Jennifer Sapiro appeared effortlessly put-together when they came out for their bow.) Lead singer John Solomon was the only musician who actively engaged the audience. "Nothing says classy like a 300 pound model covered in hair...Today I woke up and I ate two models for breakfast."

Voltage rookies Tim and Thom primarily showed menswear, which has finally started to take off in the local fashion community. The brothers presented several pairs of well-cut skinny trousers, but the majority of the shirts had fit or construction issues. The pair showed a great western-inspired shirt with a thin back buckle and a stylish zippered jacket, so they clearly know how to create good menswear. Unfortunately, several shirts were so awkwardly designed that they detracted from beautifully executed trousers. Several women's looks were included, but the designs were confusing and seemed out of place.

Ivan Idland's whimsical collection created a fantastical landscape on the runway. Capes and dresses were edged with scallops and ruffles. Terry sailor shirts paired perfectly with a great selection of nautical accessories from Lefthand Originals. A tan pleated skirt set itself apart from other schoolgirl skirts with small embroidered horses framed in plaid skirts around the hem. Lace fabric turned an ordinary hoodie into something magical. The attention to detail made each piece feel like something truly special. There was something very Little Red Riding Hood about the collection, so the ethereal milkmaid hair and makeup felt like a natural match. A lovely model jaunted down the runway carrying a basket of mini-champagnes, perhaps off to grandmother's house.

Finale band Pink Mink took the stage outfitted for a glam rock prom. Styling collective Invisible Outfit dressed the punk rock darlings in buckets of sequins and even gold lame. Bassist Jacques Wait was full-out David Bowie dressed in drag, and Christy Hunt's pink romper punctuated with hand-painted silver and gold lapels knocked it playfully out of the park.

Raul Osorio has made his name in menswear, but over the past year he has started to present more womenswear. This collection involved plenty of his signature lace. What appeared to be a black cocktail dress with lace sleeves and leggings was actually a dressed layered over a gorgeous full lace bodysuit. Osorio showed several rompers, and though each was charming in its own right, the abundance of rompers eventually felt a bit one note. An adorable ivory lace sunsuit was completely impractical, but I lusted for it nonetheless. Several men's looks were shown, but they played second fiddle to womenswear in this collection. A demure white lace dress closed the show. The piece was perfectly detailed and provided more of a wow factor than one would expect from a conservative white dress.

Finale designer Max Lohrbach took his closing role seriously. His collection of dresses, skirts, corsets and coats featured hearts, kittens, hand-painted Chinese cityscapes, harlequin diamonds, American flags and eagles. It was an exercise in excess. The Marie Antoinette-tinted whimsy extended to patriotic sashes, heart-shaped kitty purses and kitty eyepatches. Model after model bounced down the runway in cupcake skirts covered in tiny roses and ruffles. Accessories from Bionic Unicorn were a match made in heaven. It will not be an easy collection to sell, but it was certainly a joy to watch.

But despite the exciting show, there was an air of sadness. This year will be founder Anna Lee's final time producing Voltage. She is passing the torch onto MNfashion to concentrate on her own design work and a new position with Target. Lee founded MNfashion and Voltage from scratch, eventually turning Voltage into a landmark event and MNfashion into a great organization that supports the burgeoning local fashion industry. Her efforts have nurtured the careers of innumerable designers and creatives. We owe her a great debt. Thank you for everything, Anna!