Fashion Week MN (FWMN) Fall 2016 Highlights

Minnesota fashion-focused pop-up shops, runway shows, open house events, gallery exhibits, and more were held throughout the Twin Cities from September 15 - September 25, 2016 as part of the third season of the Fashion Week Minnesota (FWMN) initiative.  FWMN events showcase current season/special edition collections from local designers or boutiques to celebrate local creativity and inspire Minnesotans to support each other and our local businesses.  

FWMN balloons outside Intelligent Nutrients for I Am Inspired.

FWMN balloons outside Intelligent Nutrients for I Am Inspired.

This season was probably my busiest yet, but I am so grateful to have been immersed in so much of it.  Minnesota may not be seen as a fashion capital like New York or Paris, but the creativity and community here are just as inspiring to me.  Below are some highlights from each of the events I experienced.  More in-depth looks to come!  

#Minnstafashion
Thursday, September 15

Photo wall at Minnstafashion.  Photo by E3 Photography.

Photo wall at Minnstafashion.  Photo by E3 Photography.

Highlight - Threader earrings and more from Goldfine Designs and getting excited about the week to come with both old and new friends.  Bonus: Meeting the namesake behind a dress I pre-ordered from Samantha Rei.  

Reali Runway V2
Saturday, September 17 

Highlight - Live musical performances + live runway presentations are always a win.  Bonus: Seeing The Exchange completely differently (and from a much more sober point of view) than usual.   

I Am Inspired
Sunday, September 18 


Throwing #confetti in the #phhhoto booth at #iaminspiredmsp. @fashionweekmn @iaminspiredmsp #fwmn #minnesota

A video posted by Liz M. (@poizenisxkandee) on


Highlight - Throwing confetti in the Phhhoto booth.  Bonus: FWMN balloons in vehicles by event sponsor Range Rover…thus getting that Chainsmokers + Halsey song stuck in my head.  

Matryoshka in Japan: Danielle Everine Fashion Exhibition
Tuesday, September 20 

Highlight -  3D glasses made the printed fabrics pop.  Bonus: Taking a few 360-degree Virtual Reality shots of the models and the space.  

FWMN Homme
Wednesday, September 21

Highlight - Cvstings giving us a crop top for men and finally seeing Mermaids & Accolades in real life as opposed to on Instagram.

MN4MN Blank Canvas
Friday, September 23

Clothes by Autumn's Vintage, helmet by Jesse Golfis 

Clothes by Autumn's Vintage, helmet by Jesse Golfis 

Highlight - The live presentation was really powerful.  Bonus: Finding out the eco-fashion designer behind Foat is married to the artist behind my favorite sneaker from last year’s exhibition: 







Envision
Saturday, September 24



Highlight - seeing the Kindred Folk collection I previewed for CityPages come to life on the runway.

Full Fashion Panic
Sunday, September 25 

 

Highlight - Falling in love with emerging designers like Nang Mai Designs by Maria Dang and seeing the latest collection from one of the very first designers in Minnesota I ever encountered - Otherrealm by Lucie Biros.  Bonus: Show director Samantha Rei Crossland’s call to action at the end - that supporting runway events showing the art of fashion is only one side of the equation, and in order to keep the events running, we need to support the businesses the artists are running and buy the clothes they make.  

 

It seems the Minnesota fashion community is only getting stronger and its support is growing.  I am so excited to be a part of it and share what’s coming up next.  

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Spotlight On: Royal Krew Co.

The Fall 2016 season of Fashion Week MN is just getting started.  #Minnstafashion tonight, Amarie Original’s showcase tomorrow, and Royal Krew Co.’s Reali Runway V2 on Saturday.  I was able to sit down with some of the Royal Krew  and find out more about the event and what they do.   

Royal Krew Co. is a creative consulting group that works with local designers, stylists, musicians, models, and more to produce events and showcase local talents.  They also host networking and educational events.  

Royal Krew is led by J.R. Walker:

 

Also part of the Krew is fashion designer of House of Nguyen, Mimi Nguyen:



And I also got to meet model, organizer, and all around fabulous person Roxy Chao:



J.R., Mimi, and Roxy were very welcoming of me into their space, and had a chill vibe while still being professional and productive.  They remained composed and easy-going throughout my visit, despite the demands of photo shoots, garment production, and organization going into their work.  

Regarding the educational aspect to their work, Walker noticed that during casting calls, some of the hopeful models don’t come prepared.  Royal Krew Co, with their affiliated group of models - the Ally Girls - host classes to inform aspiring models on professional etiquette and other skills needed for success.  

On the vision for Royal Krew, "I want the Twin Cities to be known for...something.  All people think of when they hear 'Minnesota' is cold", said J.R.  Mimi added that she wants "Minnesota fashion to go farther" than the limits of the state.  

Other events produced by Royal Krew Co include the first edition of Reali Runway and also a Fashion Industry Night meant for mingling and networking between designers, boutique owners, photographers, stylists, and more.  

Anyone who has ever tried to plan a banquet, a wedding, or some other big event knows how the detailed design decisions and coordination items take up a lot of time and effort.  The Royal Krew consists of people passionate about putting on a good production, and even though I haven't met some them yet, I felt their presence in the space.

For FWMN, they will be hosting Reali Runway V2 at The Exchange on Saturday, September 17.  Also, Dress For Success Twin Cities is an event partner and will be accepting donations of women’s interview attire and accessories. 

The show will be hosted by a few local celebrities, including former Miss Minnesota Latina, Vanessa Berrueta. Also hosting are Danni Starr and Chris Pham.  Local musical acts including Devata Daun will be performing at Reali Runway V2 as well. 

Reali Runway V2 promotional image by Royal Krew Co.

Reali Runway V2 promotional image by Royal Krew Co.

Reali Runway V2 Designer Line Up: 

  • Frika by Victor Farmah
  • Zenobian Moxis by Vanessa Sade 
  • Hannah Jewel by Hannah Kufuna 
  • Bioadaptation by Rachel Purtell 
  • Raw Denim by Tysharay Watson 
  • The Brake up by Winta Designe 

I’m especially looking forward to seeing Zenobian Moxis’s pieces - she’s been featured in local/independent fashion magazine The Volk.  I was planning to check out a show featuring Zenobian Moxis earlier this year, but something came up last minute and I was unable to attend.  

Tickets to Reali Runway V2 are still available, but won’t be for long - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reali-runway-v2-tickets-26976336950  

The next fashion show presented by Royal Krew Co will be the House of Nguyen Designs Mi17 runway show at 514 Studios on September 25.

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Black Hearts Ball 2016 - Fashion Week Minnesota Spring 2016

Held outside of it’s usual Valentine’s Day weekend spot and instead during Fashion Week Minnesota Spring 2016, the third annual Black Hearts Ball occurred on April 15, 2016 at Muse Event Center in Minneapolis. 

The idea of the Black Hearts Ball is a formal black and white party centered around a runway fashion show set to opera music.  

Black Hearts Ball masterminds Thom Navarro and Tim Navarro.

Black Hearts Ball masterminds Thom Navarro and Tim Navarro.

I have attended the Black Hearts Ball in the past, but was less than impressed with the first iteration.  There were a lot of growing pains for the organizers and I definitely was empathetic, but unfortunately it turned me off to the following year’s event; despite great experiences at other events by the same group, like ICONS.  

After getting to know some of the organizers and designers, and wanting to experience as much of the second FWMN as possible, I decided to go ahead and book tickets to the third Black Hearts Ball.  

The event was put together mainly by Tim Navarro and Thom Navarro and was hosted by makeup artist Tressie Schnieder.  Seven designers sent mini collections (three looks each) down the runway.  The looks and styling at Black Hearts Ball were more avant-garde than at other shows, truly stepping into the art part of fashion.  At least one designer showed at the Ball and Envision (Lauren Kacher from Form Over Function) and she debuted different looks at each show.  

kozol 

Mixing floral prints with leather harnesses hadn’t crossed my mind until seeing the collection from kozol. 

OtherRealm 

Designer and artist Lucie Biros was one of the first fashion designers in Minnesota I was exposed to and I’ve loved watching her work develop.  Her line was formerly known as Punkktual and has shown at Voltage: Fashion Amplified in 2013 as well as a couple of RAW Artists Minneapolis showcase events.  She recently relaunched her brand as OtherRealm. 

Sarah Furnae 

Sarah has shown at Envision in the past - I remember beaded and iridescent details so what she showed at Black Hearts Ball seemed about right. 

sarahfurnae.jpg

Lux Et Voluptas 

I loved the rose motif and the flow of different fabrics together. 

Yessenya 

Yessenya’s looks were distinct in the use of white in contrast with bright colors like red, light blue, and yellow.  I am still very into the waist detail on the red pants with the bow back of the white top.

Form Over Function 

I fell in love with Form Over Function the first time I saw the line at RAW: Exposure.  The androgyny and rock n roll inspired pieces combined with the contrasts in materials really attract me, and the performance aspect to the line’s runway segment was also interesting.

Danielle Everine 

I’ve seen some of Danielle Everine’s pieces at other shows but especially loved the hair and makeup styling here.  And those (hand painted?) pants. 

Right after booking tickets, I asked Thom if “Black and White Ball” meant literally black and white, or just formal and black tie.  After confirming I needed a black and/or white outfit, I decided that instead of wearing the same old little black and white dress, I opted to rent one from Rent The Runway*.  I rented two dresses, opting to wear the more flattering and festive.  

The dresses: “Camille” by Nha Khanh and “Spiderweb Gown” by ML Monique Lhuillier.

The winner: 

Photo by Chloe Krenz Photography.  Vegan leather clutch by Stella Grey, bracelet from TJ Maxx.

Photo by Chloe Krenz Photography.  Vegan leather clutch by Stella Grey, bracelet from TJ Maxx.

Kate Spade phone case, YSL pumps 

Kate Spade phone case, YSL pumps 

Spike earrings by Goldfine, embellished industrial barbell by Metal Mafia from Body Art Forms, neon lipgloss by expressions. 

Spike earrings by Goldfine, embellished industrial barbell by Metal Mafia from Body Art Forms, neon lipgloss by expressions. 

I loved that the “spiderweb” lace hem complemented the Swarovski Crystal Patina spike earrings I bought from Goldfine:

After this Black Hearts Ball experience, I’m hoping to make it to the next one! 

 

*If you sign up via my invite link, you will get $30 off your first RTR rental and I will get $30 off my next one.  

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Fashion Week Minnesota: Envision Spring 2016

The 19th season of Envision, the longest running fashion event in the Twin Cities, took place on April 9, 2016. 

Held once again in the atrium of Orchestra Hall, the spring/summer collections from nine Minnesota fashion designers walked the runway to custom mixes by Monsieur Adi, with choreographer and Hotrocity founder John Mark Hostetler hosting. 

John Mark hosting Envision.

John Mark hosting Envision.

The silent auction pre-party portion was scrapped for a collaborative art table previewing a new exhibit at Public Functionary and more focus on musical performances. Electro-pop band Holidae performed and I absolutely fell in love.  It’s fun when different local art forms and communities mesh together - some of my favorite bands and musicians I’ve come across at fashion events. 

There were fewer designers than usual, but l find the video introductions for each designer/collection fun and helpful.  I feel a stronger connection to the clothes and the community when I have some background on the inspiration and the artist.  Collections from Envision veterans like Kjurek were included with up-and-coming designers like Form Over Function.  

Part I - Jenny Carle, Joeleen Torvick, Hiccup by Handley, Russell Bourrienne, Kjurek

 

Part II - Form Over Function, Cliche, Cory Allen, Emily Trevor. 

 

The clothes and felt  whole show felt really spring - from the pastels and brights to the shorts and swimwear.   

The 10 year anniversary edition of Envision is scheduled for September 25, 2016. For more information, see the Envision website.

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Fashion Week Minnesota Spring 2016 Recap

Spring 2016 marked the second official Fashion Week Minnesota.  There seemed to be even more people and more events than before and I hope the energy throughout the fashion community stays this strong moving forward. 

Samantha Rei - id.ego Homecoming & Elixery Lipstick Release 

Sketches from Samantha Rei's id.ego collection. 

Sketches from Samantha Rei's id.ego collection. 

While not part of the “official” FWMN lineup, Samantha Rei’s Elixery lipstick collaboration launch and id.ego collection homecoming (after walking the runway at Vancouver Fashion Week) event was a great way to get in the spirit.  The collection was paired with John Fluevog Shoes and three custom created lipstick shades from Minnesota based cosmetic line Elixery.  


The three Elixery + Samantha Rei lipsticks 

The three Elixery + Samantha Rei lipsticks 

I tried on all three lipsticks and ended up buying one - the deep burgundy shade "Quantum."

Look from Samantha Rei.

Look from Samantha Rei.

The event showcased the collection at Samantha Rei’s North Loop space and featured pop ups from Fluevog and Elixery, and also newly launched Minneapolis goth-y jewelry line Anhedonie.  

Fashion Week MN - Kickoff Party 

The “official” Fashion Week opener was the kickoff party at Cliche.  I’ve seen Cliche’s offerings at Envision and passed by the store on the bus, but have never actually stopped in until the event.  The DJ was setting the tone for a week of local fashion by dropping a lot of songs by local musicians, which I loved.  


Envision 

The current longest running fashion event in the Twin Cities, Spring 2016 marked the 19th season of Envision.  There were fewer designers showing than in past seasons, but the audience was bigger than ever.  Still a really big fan of everything Lauren of Form Over Function is doing, and loved/hated finding out that a lot of the pieces Kjurek showed had already sold when I inquired about them a few days later.  


Challenger Collection - Kandler 

Some looks from Kandler's Challenger inspired collection.

Some looks from Kandler's Challenger inspired collection.

Luci Kandler held an informal open house displaying her latest collection not only on mannequins and hangers, but also on live models.  In addition to the clothes, the prints that she created by hand were displayed - on canvases and as backdrops.  

At first, I was a little taken aback by the inspiration of the collection being the Challenger explosion, but her further exploration (as documented in CityPages) into human fragility made it somehow less taboo.  There was a lot of thought put into the collection, but it didn’t seem over designed.  

The pinks and blues made it fun for spring, combined with the grey and black make it easy for anyone to wear.  Mostly, I loved all the different uses of texture - from the tinsel-y top, to the mesh, to the embossed leather.  

Minnstafashion 

The second installment of The Scout Guide + The W Hotel’s #Minnstafashion was a lot bigger than the first one.  I got there a bit late and missed some of the highlights, but there were pop up shops from Flirt Lingerie, Martin Patrick 3, and more.  

I moved to Minnesota without knowing anyone here really and met a lot of the people I like to spend time with through social media, so a night out at a social media themed fashion event was a great way to spend an evening.  

Photo by E3 Photography. 

Photo by E3 Photography. 

If you know my sense of style, you know that sometimes I love an outfit that makes my undergarments part of my outfit.  This DVF wrap dress had a really deep V in front, so I layered a Uye Surana cami over my bra and under the dress for coverage.   

Black Hearts Ball 

The third annual formal black-and-white affair headed by Tim and Thom Navarro usually takes place on or around Valentine’s Day, but this year it took place near the end of Fashion Week Minnesota.  

Black Hearts Ball is basically a dressy party centered around a runway show set to classical and opera music, and it’s amazing.  

I rented a ML Monique Lhuillier dress from Rent The Runway for the event and loved both the dress and the experience!


The Shoot: Part II 

A sequel to the Fall 2015 event, The Shoot aimed to show the behind the scenes magic behind a fashion photo shoot.  There was coffee and a pop up shop with clothes from ACG and Workerby, lipstick from Elixery, jewelry from Neal Jewelry, and headwear from Ruby3.  Spring weather was in full effect which meant a couple of food trucks even popped up outside.  

The Shop provided a way to shop local designers while at The Shoot event.

The Shop provided a way to shop local designers while at The Shoot event.

I don't really wear hats, other than the occasional beanie in winter, but I like this one by Ruby 3. 

I don't really wear hats, other than the occasional beanie in winter, but I like this one by Ruby 3. 

Projectors displayed the photos as they were being taken.  All of the work that goes into a lookbook shoot tends to be appreciated in the finished product, but not necessarily noticed - all of the styling and editing takes time and it was fun to take an afternoon to get a glimpse of the action.  


I feel like I never caught up on rest after FWMN, but that’s okay because I’m happy to ride the energy of all the creativity and inspiration the designers, producers, and everyone in between have sparked.  

Supporting Minnesota fashion doesn’t end when fashion week does. There are events with local makers, artists, designers, and boutiques year round!  Some upcoming highlights include SAZONmoda’s debut fashion show on May 5, Ruby3 and Allegra Lockstadt’s Kentucky Derby themed party + pop up shop on May 7, various pop-up shops and open houses (including Tessa Louise and Hazel & Rose) during Art-A-Whirl on May 20-21, and FGI Minnesota's "Runway to Ready to Wear" presentation on May 24. 

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