Meowww... By, Samantha Lockwood

In October fashion, possibly more than the usual holiday participant, Art Institute fashion students begin dreaming up costume ideas. Countless ideas drift through our heads, scary, funny, or the ever so popular, sexy rodent? After a concept is decided upon questions arise: Do we make it? Alter it? Purchase it? Costume swap? This years Halloween falls right before mid-term’s, a time consuming bundle of days for Art Institute students. With this in mind, here’s a recycled idea, that’s stalked up with personal style and tons of ways to portray it. The witch.

October’s Nylon magazine insists, “”undercover witch” should be a universally coveted look.” Accompanied with a fantastic reference to Angelica Huston in 1990’s film The Witches, dressed in a wardrobe of black gowns, elbow-length gloves, purple eyeshadow and accessories. My coming across this was accompanied by a screeching cat brawl outside the window.

“Meoowwwwww…”, “Hissss, Hiss...”

The concept of the witch has intrigued many with its signature bold garments, dark hues of red and black, and spooky allure. Designers have cast a spell like, Agent Provocateur’s “Season of the Witch”. Also, M.I.S.S by Gabby Applegate constructed “Witches Collection” for Spring/Summer 2010. These looks will keep the “undercover witch” looking great through the winter and act as foundation for a great Halloween get-up!

http://www.missomnimedia.com/2009/10/witches-spring-2010-lookbook/

http://www.awfanzine.com/tag/season-of-the-witch/

CONTENT09

Two weeks ago there was a fashion show held at the Ace Hotel in downtown Portland. The Ace is a historical venue that most students are familiar with, mainly due to the fact that it neighbors the wonderful Stumptown Coffee, which is a common java stop.

Holding the fashion show at the Ace Hotel was very fitting for Portland, it expressed the eclectic style that is Portland fashion...

While waiting in line, you were first greeted by live models posing in the windows, a nice touch, and definitely a good way to pass the time while creeping toward the entrance. When you finally got to the lobby, there was a live band and a bar, as well as a place where you could pick up a light snack...pretty much everything you needed to gear up for the adventure that was ahead.

After getting your snack and booze fix, you then made your way up to the second floor of the Ace where the real fun began.

Then entire floor was filled with designers. They each had their own hotel room that was decorated in a way that reflected their individual styles. I was very impressed by the diversity of each room, much like the streets of fashion where diversity is screaming at you around every corner.

There were a few designers that really stood out. Adam Arnold showcased a scene that combined fashion and horror. His room was set up to look like a murder scene which was very interesting and fitting for the season. It was great because you had people in very nice attire that had blood stained bags on their heads. Duchess and Gatsby were also fun to see. Their room was set up to bring you back to the time of Great Gatsby, with old time music and flapper girl attire. It definitely was a fun site to see. Lastly, Sara Seven was a room that also stood out. Not only is she an Ai alumni, but her work was magnificent. Her pieces were very feminine; she uses chiffon with hand tacked pleats and flowers. She was also very willing to answer questions and talk to anyone who had an inquiry; she was very enthusiastic and friendly.

After you finished viewing all of the rooms, or at least the ones you were interested in, you were guided back down stairs into the lobby of Stumptown where people gathered to gab about the designers and sip on booze and coffee. All in all the show was wonderful, and I would definitely recommend going to the show next year.

The only thing that was mildly frustrating was the fact that, if you wanted to go back and do a double take on a room, that wasn't allowed. You had to keep moving forward. I guess the system worked to help with the flow of things, but it's never fun being told what to do, especially when it comes to fashion.

By Mindy

A Nice Breath of Fresh Air from the Mundane

Experiencing Independent Fashion in a refreshingly unorthodox, Portland manner

Unlike any other Sunday, which consists of sporting stretchy pants, gorging oneself with overly, processed cuisine purchased at the local Plaid Pantry, and stressing on homework that has been consciously stored away in the back of one’s mind for two days, my typical AI Sunday was greeted with a well received disturbance.

As stated in an earlier post, Content 09 sponsored an exploration of Portland independent fashion and design in an unorthodox, visual experience at the Ace Hotel, October 18, 2009. Serving as a platform for the essence of Portland fashion, Content 09 did way with the traditional runway show to exemplify an exciting shift in Portland fashion unity. In my opinion, it was very reminiscent of the Milepost 5 unique layout—Located on SE 82nd, which usually constitutes a guarantee to see prostitutes and fast food chains, Milepost 5 houses young, creative talent in renovated units (once were the homes of Portland’s elderly) and exhibits monthly art showings in the vacant units. In the same fashion, Content 09 featured many of Portland’s innovative, independent apparel and accessory designers in the vacant rooms of Ace Hotel.

Unlike any other fashion event that I have attended as of late, Content 09 exemplified an inimitable harmony where both event production and designer vision seemed one. Satisfaction of both the sponsors of such a marketing event and the participating designers involved seems to be a challenging balance. Dayna Pinkham and Dutchess Room

Incidentally, Portland Fashion Week has been under criticism for executing a fashion event that is not always representative of regional designers. It seems that Portland Fashion Week, although a platform for local fashion to receive national and international exposure as it has never been able to before, has received some heat from the local community. Portland Fashion Week was non-existent until 2003 when Tod Foulk began orchestrating the runway events around the metropolitan area. Portland Fashion Week has grown from its early roots of bringing together local apparel and accessory designers in one roof in effort to solidify Portland’s mark as a viable market of innovative fashion. It is now the first and only sustainable fashion week and some have insinuated (local blogs and periodicals) that it is more focused on this promotional edge than the essence of Portland fashion. Complaints have circulated that Portland Fashion Week’s commercial success is distorting its service to the independent designers in the vicinity. Thus, two of the main complaints are that it fails to serve as a sufficient expression of what Portland fashion means and it’s too expensive (i.e. designers have to pay an entry fee and tickets for local constituents are $20 and up). Whether these complaints warrant validity or not is not the issue, the remains that there is a disconnection in Portland fashion and a viable platform is needed to serve the independent designers in the premises.

From my tenure spent waiting in line at Content 09, I learned from eavesdropping that the Ace Hotel event was in fact a revolt against Portland Fashion Week. Some independent designers felt as if a crucial service for Portland fashion was lacking in the area—a service that seeks to voice the message and essence of Portland fashion that, like with anything in Portland, goes against the grain. This service is in demand on both supplier and consumer level, and in true Portland execution, Content 09 delivered a distinctive and unforgettable fashion experience (just not an event).

As stated previously, Content 09 explored an unorthodox approach to a runway show that truly identified with the Portland, anti-cookie cutter approach. Our urban environment houses the creative youth (either in age or spirit) of Portland design—an environment that is responsive to deliverables that challenge the norm. Bridge and Burn room

The vision behind Content 09 stems from the How We Develop Team (which is the first event of the popularized Portland blog) that includes the designer voices of Mothlove’s Gretchen Jones, AK Vintage’s Anna Korte, and Im:mortal’s Ada Mayer and Anna Korte. 38 of Portland’s visionary independent designers were showcased in 28 rooms that spoke of each designer’s passion and innovation. Each room was visually merchandised according to that brand’s lifestyle. Whether utilizing live musical performances, creatively merchandising displays, providing a mock up of everyday life, exhibiting a nostalgic look to inspirational eras, etc., each room gave a sense of what that particular brand represented. The unique layout committed to an intimate experience for participating attendees. For instance, by mirroring one’s desire to live in another time period or by projecting an image associative to the values one lives by, designers were able to translate their message directly to the viewer, as if it were an intimate conversation. Although each room was specifically merchandised for the varying designers, cohesiveness was achieved in the ideals and community pride of the event.

Stand-out designers not only had beautiful, well-constructed garments, but their branding was impeccable. It became a lifestyle experience that invoked all senses, not some lame marketing ploy. The 1920’s whore house visual sensation of Dayna Pinkham and Dutchess kicked off the event. The beautiful elegance of Liza Rietz communicated romantic, femininity. Bridge and Burns unique display of a mock tree with branches served as hangers for the quality of materials and construction that are utilized in there thoughtful design. The end of the hall featured Heather Treadway’s functional designs with remarkable details mirroring the visual aesthetic of woven baskets. In following the staircase back to the lobby, the event came full circle as the featured looks of AI alumni Joshua Buck and Jennifer Holcomb represented the emerging talent sprouting from The Art Institute of Portland. All 28 rooms brought a range of indie brands with unique identities. The spread of character embodied the aesthetic standard that should and is evolving from the regional area. Liza Rietz room

Stay tuned for more from the ladies of How We Develop. Here is a link to their blog and Content 09’s site. Enjoy.

http://http//howwedevelop.com/category/portland/

http://http//www.content-portland.com/

Adriane Alvarado

Radish Underground One Year Anniversary

Blairware…
Keith McQueen…
Dust…
SkPDX…
Preloved…

This Tuesday, October 20th, Radish Underground celebrated their One Year Anniversary since the store opened. Thank you to Sharon Blair, a teacher at The Art Institute of Portland, and also the one that invited me along with my whole Principles of Fit class to come see her designs, and countless other designers!

The one designer that stopped me in my tracks, I must say, was Keith McQueen with his lovely corset (pictured). A must have for anyone who would love to cinch their waist while also staying one-of-a-kind. This garment was rightfully displayed in the window.

Besides fabulous clothing, there was hard apple cider, mini muffins, a plate of radishes and other vegetables, and Pin The Radish (that if you were to play the game, blindfolds were a MUST.) And there was a Tarot card reader. So everybody walking into this store loved all the fun exhibits, eats, and fashion pieces. Sharon Blair had Blairwear, an elegant line of clothing that definitely sang her name, and SkPDX, a more casual line. There was also Preloved, whom I really enjoyed viewing due to its wonderful piecing together of different knits and making elaborate shirts out of different fabrics. Another garment I exceptionally liked was a skirt made by Dust that gave off the look of a pleated skirt, but was merely sewn with vertical strips along the skirt that were all stitched down the center and buttoned at the end with a metal snap. This gave the skirt a distressed and pleated look. It was very clever and took my breath away. There were lovely small hats and that were beautifully accessorized.

Needless to say, I was deeply satisfied in the garments, and found some new designers that spoke to my style and I.

By Ijeoma O!

The Fashion Collective

I have no idea why but at the first fashion show I've attended, the Fashion Collective, I was expecting it to be like America's Next Top Model with Tyra and Miss J sitting in the front row. Weird I know, but I guess that's my only reference of any fashion show. The Fashion Collective presented the designs of Emily Ryan, Fuchsia Lin, Idom, and Liza Rietz, all local designers in Portland, at the Armory, the building right across the Art Institute of Portland. I was surprised to see that the vibe was a little mellow. I was expecting the models to be walking out fiercely but their walks were slow and exaggerated. However their walks were, most of the designs were simply gorgeous. Their inspiration stemmed from Thailand, Paris, New York, the 1920s, and theater. Liza Rietz's designs in particular stood out to me. I know this word is overused, but her designs were truly chic. Her colors ranged from blacks, greys, and purples and she made small details like the sleeves and collars stand out from the rest. Rietz's designs obviously stemmed from Paris and Thailand in the way that they were so beautifully made and effortless. My first fashion show was pretty amazing.

---Michelle Batol

Bunnies & Ferrets...the new chihuahuas?

By: Erika Yorita-Jones

CONTENT 09: Portland's Fashion Event

Holly Stalder

Sarah Seven

Adam Arnold

The Ace Hotel in the Pearl District was buzzing with energy last Sunday (the 18th). The crowd started at Stumptown Coffee, and continued down and around passed The Cleaners. I stopped to gawk at the live models in the window, then passed through velvet ropes to get stamped on the wrist. I was then directed with arrows through more velvet ropes through a sketchy side door to the second floor of the hotel. I was already hot from the flight of stairs, and even though the sticky air was not helping, I could not have hoped for more.
CONTENT 09 “is a platform for the independent fashion designer as artist” (www.content-portland.com). CONTENT 09 was an opportunity for local independent designers to show off their work, accessories or apparel. Each designer was given a room as their canvas to do with as they wish; highlights of the collective included room 214, my favorite Portland designer, Adam Arnold, as well as room 223, Sarah Seven. Sarah Seven was actually a student at Ai for a few terms when she decided to create her own company. She’s been featured in the Portland Mercury and has participated in New York Fashion Week 2010.
Overall, the event show-cased all things good in Portland fashion. The designers answered any and all questions CONTENT-goers had, the atmosphere was almost electric, and the goods on display did not disappoint. Downstairs The Cleaners served as an open gallery featuring installation pieces from Seth Neefus, music by DJ Automation as well as live models.
The geniuses behind the collective are the women of How We Develop, a local blog about fashion, design, and art. The event last Sunday was the debut of CONTENT, but this is just the beginning. There are already calls for entry in 2010 CONTENT.

- Justine B.