Archive for September, 2011
26 September
Posted in Events | Comments OffFashion Network Happy Hour at Red Stag
Network with Fashion Industry Professionals
RED STAG SUPPERCLUB
OCT 5th, 4PM-6PM
Minnesota’s fashion industry is growing fast and is gaining national and international recognition. Minnesota Fashion Connect is pulling our industry together by providing a platform to grow, prepare for new business opportunities and make money!
Fashion Network Happy Hour is a free networking event for Fashion Industry professionals to network, meet new clients, research vendors, advertise and keep up to date on latest fashion trends.
Our first event will be during Minnesota Fashion Week on October 5th, 2011 hosted by Red Stag Supperclub between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM.
Hors d’oeuvres and Red Stag Happy Hour drink specials will be available along with an exclusive event special – $1.00 off organic wines.
At 5:00 PM, there will be an opportunity for everyone to give their elevator speech. This is crucial opportunity for you and your business to utilize a free and impactful message for the fashion industry about goods and services that you provide.
You can sponsor this event for $50 and another $50 for booth space. Email contact@geo-planet.org to sign up.
Event Schedule:
4:00 PM – Sol Inspirations Eco Fashion Exhibition
5:00 PM – Elevator speech opportunity and Meet and Greet
This event will include, but are not limited to these professions:
Buyers
Designers
Boutiques
Salons
Modeling and Talent Agencies
Hair and Makeup
Stylists
Photographers
Models
Ad Agencies
Social Media Firms
PR Firms
Textile Manufacturers
Community Organizers
Press
Printers
B2B services
Production and Equipment Services
This is a Sol Inspirations Event. www.Sol-Inspirations.org
Deborah Block in Full Fashion Panic
By: Katherine Price
Deborah Block at Intelligent Nutrient’s Fashion Night Out Event
Photo Credit: Chloe Glarner
After my Tuesday morning class about a week ago, I had the pleasure of spending some time with Deborah Block, a young fashion designer from Onalaska, Wisconsin who now calls St. Paul home. Block resides with her boyfriend and their two boisterous yet lovable parrots and their apartment doubles as her studio space. Block has been making custom clothing since before she was ten and now has a degree in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise in Los Angeles.
Block has been working on her first full collection all summer long using eco friendly techniques such as repurposing fine wool from unsold suits from her former employer, Chavez Custom Clothiers and upcycling satin and remnant pieces from unsold bridal dresses from her current employer, Angelique’s Bridal in Blaine, MN. The collection will debut on September 30th at MCAD’s annual Full Fashion Panic: Schoolgirls and Mobilesuits.
I am very excited to see Block’s garments come down the runway. She is calling the collection ‘Black Crow.’ According to Britannica, crows are highly intelligent and they are also known for being scavengers, which speaks to the upcycled nature of Block’s designs (I wish my computer wasn’t telling me that upcycled is not a word!). Block’s inspiration for this collection comes from her love of dance, her many experiences with-in that world, this year’s five-time Oscar winning movie Black Swan and also a bit of her natural Gothic aesthetic.
An interesting aspect of Block’s process comes from her previous experience with custom clothing. With this collection, she found her models early on, showed them her sketches and asked which piece they would like to wear. Only then did she start creating the physical executions.
Block’s sketches of the ‘Black Crow’ collection
After the honor of seeing a preview, I can assure you that these models are excited to walk the runway in their personally selected looks. Block’s criteria for model selection had more to do with presence then height, so I’ll be looking for strong faces and fierce attitudes at the show. The interesting backdrop of the show Mechademia Conference on Asian Popular Cultures is an unexpected setting, but after eight years, it seems that MCAD might have it right.
Organic Cotton Jacket
Sol Inspiration’s Alex Detrick wore a commissioned jacket with a Manderin collar and offset buttons (photo above) by Block to the original Sol show last spring using organic cotton from Treadle Yard Goods in St. Paul, MN. At Intelligent Nutrient’s Fashion Night Out, Detrick again sported the jacket as a discussion point to reference Block’s talent and environmental consciousness. Block’s ideals are right in line with us here at Sol. She would be happy to be known as a great designer but she would be ecstatic to be known as a great eco-designer.
Knit Pieces Made From Old Sweaters
Block’s collection will be sold at You and Me on Lyndale from Oct.4th – 30th. It is important to support local designs by not only buying their products but also attending events like the show on September 30th so I hope to see all you there. Tickets are only ten dollars and can be purchased at the door.
The event Facebook page:
Full Fashion Panic
And you can keep up with Deborah Block on her personal site Camille Fashions
11 September
Posted in News | Comments OffSol Inspiration Fashion Show Footage
We recently found some video from the April 2011 show. Seth Aaron Henderson’s Solarworld collection is at the end. Enjoy!
Fashion Night Out at Intelligent Nutrients
Look for us at Intelligent Nutrient’s Fashion Night Out this Thursday, September 8th from 4PM to 8PM! We will be featuring local Eco friendly fashion. See attached flier for details.
2 September
Posted in News | Comments OffJenny Carle / Design Vertigo
Posted by Katherine Price
Amanda Wilde and Jenny Carle
On Friday August 12 Design Vertigo hosted its very first fashion show during the weekly History Cruzer Car Show on 7th Street in North St. Paul. Outside the storefront a makeshift runway had been created on the sidewalk using an assortment of retro looking chairs. Scattered around were reused paint buckets potted with fresh grass. Walking in we were welcomed by the smell of popcorn and an eye full of everything adorable. The interior was working a chic color scheme and the refurnished wall hangings were a perfect execution of upcycled decor. In the back of the store a help-yourself table was offering pink lemonade and popcorn in brown paper cones. Wilde has created the perfect environment for blissful shopping; Plenty of space for browsing, an assortment of white washed mirrors in the dressing room for easy viewing, and they have avoided the boutique curse of clutter.
Photo credit; Chloe Glarner
Around 7:15 Amanda Wilde (owner of Design Vertigo) kicked things off by introducing the show, and featured fashion designer Jenny Carle. The collaboration of these two women seems very natural and is right on track with what is happening in the design world. Green is gaining momentum and these two ladies are ahead of the curve. Carle’s collection was available at Design Vertigo the whole month of August. Each month Wilde features a local artist in the store, hopefully there will be more fashion designers and fabulous sidewalk runway shows in the future. I had the opportunity to shop a bit and I am now the proud owner of a Jenny Carle original skirt, very excited to debut it!
Carle was born and raised here in Minnesota, more specifically St. Paul where she attended Johnson High School. When asked about her environmentally friendly attitude Carle explained that her upbringing involved being aware of consumption issues and always recycling. Working in the service industry has only added to her intolerance for disposable products. When Carle chose a career in fashion, it was a natural decision for her to be an eco-conscious designer, being from a family that valued recycling and a “green” lifestyle it is part of her passion. If ever Carle finds her self in a position of power she would make it illegal not to recycle (She has got my vote!). Making each design as green as possible has a lot to do with Carle’s client, budget and materials. Carle sources most of her textiles from Value Thrift and Treadle Yard Goods. Not using patterns is another way she saves time and resources; that means that most of her pieces are one of a kind.
Carle’s collection shown at the Design Vertigo show was very vintage inspired, flattering silhouettes, featuring muted colors and classic prints. One of my favorite touches was the floral hair pieces and fun props that Carle added to the show, shown below one of the models even carried her Wiener dog with her on the runway!
Photo Credit; Alisa Tuquilar
Denim Dress
Carle created this beautiful denim dress out of a piece of found fabric that was purchased from a second-hand retailer. Also the belt buckle in this look was upcycled.
Photo Credit (above); Chloe Glarner
Photo Credit; Michael Howard Blu Dot Photography
Floral Print
This printed fabric was also purchased at a thrift store and afterwards Carle dyed the textile with coffee (How To) to get the off-white color she aspired for.
Photo Credit: Alisa Tuquilar
Gray Dress
This above the knee, comfy-cas dress was also made from a fabric that was purchased at a second-hand retailer. Carle’s favorites are Treadle Yard Goods and Valu-Thirft.
During the introduction of the show, Amanda Wilde said something that spoke to the marketing side of my brain along the lines of “Carle’s Collection is one that speaks to the Design Vertigo Woman.” So naturally I became curious as to who that woman was. Wilde herself had a perfectly detailed answer to the question, “ The Design Vertigo woman is a young professional or a busy mom that wants affordability without compromising on style and ethics. They want to buy local and green and they don’t want to look like or have an environment like everyone else on the block. The boutique and the design studio offer a lifestyle of individuality, style, and sustainability.”
Photo Credit: Chloe Glarner
Photo Credit; Chloe Glarner
Upcycled Silver Bracelet
When dialoging with Amanda Wilde she also described her decision to be an “eco” interior-designer as being second nature. Wilde spends her days in the studio that is attached to her boutique, dreaming up interior design solutions to fit her customer’s needs with a knack for green alternatives to the norm. Both Wilde and Carle are St. Paul girls and both are at the beginning of very promising careers. Very happy to have met both of these lovely ladies and I am very inspired to see other young women using their skills to further the agenda of environmental causes. I encourage you to keep up with these two blooming careers and at Sol Inspirations we will do our best to keep plugging their amazing efforts.
Photo Credit: Chloe Glarner
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Posted By : Katherine Price
The environmental movement can be a depressing area to work within, there are small victories but in the grand scheme of things it is very heavy. Some of my favorite stories involve people transforming themselves, especially when the metamorphosis is based on obtaining new knowledge. It takes a strong person to adapt from one way of thinking to another. Long time jewelry designer, Susan Crow learned about the significant impact that creating jewelry and accessories can have on our planet. Susan then morphed herself into one of the Twin Cities’ most eco-friendly designers of jewelry. Working with Sol Inspirations has blessed me with the opportunity to meet so many great people, one of the ladies I have spent the most time with is Susan Crow. Susan is a driven woman whom I am thankful to know.
Susan Crow (left), Designer of East Fourth Street & Me (Katherine Price)
Something I always find myself asking environmental entrepreneurs is, where their passion stems from? With Susan it was refreshing to learn that she was simply moved by learning about the issues. All too often people are aware of negative consequence and they continue the offense because it is the easiest route. Thank goodness we have people like Susan in this world!
KP: What was the inspiration for this new brand?
SC: While in the program (Post-Baccalaureate Certification in Sustainable Design at MCAD) I learned that jewelry has one of the highest environmental footprints of all products. I decided that I could not keep making jewelry the traditional way. East Fourth Street jewelry is the sustainable re-launch of my jewelry.
KP: What are the aspects of your design process that make your jewelry environmentally conscious?
SC: Traditional metal-smithing uses toxic chemicals and processes that attribute to the high environmental impact associated with jewelry as well as the huge impacts from mining excavation. Sustainable jewelry is more than just using recycled metals and gemstones, it also means creating a closed loop system in the beginning of the design phase that analyzes everything from suppliers, electrical use, chemicals to waste stream. It also addresses the ethical issues surrounding the poor treatment of gold and gemstone miners which helps direct supply chains.
KP: I know you use recycled metals and conflict free stones, where do you source your materials?
SC: I buy most of my metal from Hoover and Strong who sells only certified recycled gold and silver. I also re-use my customer’s metal, creating something new for them. Presently I am only selling previously used diamonds and gemstones because of the very bad political and ethical problems surrounding the mining and cutting of stones.
KP: How did this become a passion for you?
SC: It became a passion by my learning about the environmental and ethical problems in the world and not wanting to contribute to them. Every product has an environmental footprint, but there are many things we can do to reduce it. Now that I know what I can change to lower the footprint of the products I design and make, it’s exciting.
KP: Are there any environmental issues that you are more passionate about than others?
SC: My blog; “The Metamorphosis” is about change. As more people become aware of the workers strife in gold and gemstone mines as well as the environmental destruction that mining creates, they will be empowered to support companies that are instigating change. I wrote the phrase; “conscious convergence of small actions” which means if we all commit to small positive actions to drive sustainability, our small actions will blend together to create a shift towards good. This is what I am passionate about; positive change.
KP: How do you incorporate environmental awareness in the rest of your daily life?
SC: There are a lot of little things we do that actually add up. Such as composting, driving as little as possible, only buying products that have as low of a footprint as possible and keeping our electronics unplugged when not in use. If you look around your house, it’s amazing how much waste we all generate. I also try to live life mindfully, thinking about the far-reaching impact and consequence my everyday actions have on our environment.
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Recently something extraordinary happened to East Fourth Street, Susan was invited to be a part of a “green” fashion show at NYC Fashion Week. This was an incredible opportunity for Susan to extent the awareness of her brand. Crow’s line of jewelry is definitely one to keep an eye on, they have pieces for a variety of occasions and styles. I urge you to check out the East Fourth Street Website.
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Posted By: Katherine Price
I went to Full Fashion Panic show full of anticipation for Block’s first full collection which was called the “Black Crow Collection”, and after an eye full of bows and Hello Kitty, Block’s well-edited garments strutting down the runway were exactly I needed. Deborah Block’s collection looked impeccable on the runway, no offense to the other designers, but my first thought when Block’s collection started coming out was “Now here is a fashion show!” Her intentional styling choices made all the difference and really told an enticing narrative. Block really put thought into every single element of the show; everything fit together. I especially loved the blood and tearing detail in the makeup on some of the girls. Block’s boyfriend Brady Hill mixed a great energetic soundtrack that the models worked-it-out to!! The amount of passion, energy and fashion know-how was evident throughout the entire collection.
Styling of the first look (featured to the right above)
Photo Credit: Chloe Glarner
Block opened the collection with a posh voluminous black coat dress. The model really rocked the runway with a super strong face (great bone structure), which I was really looking forward to after mine and Deborah’s conversation about model selection. The collection stood out for many reason but my favorite thing about each and every look is that I know I could feel good about buying them because of their upcycled and eco-conscious nature. Block prides herself on her sourcing of materials and clever use of scraps.
The ‘Black Crow Collection’ will be in the retailer You and Me starting Oct. 4 (today!) until the end of the month! Get there quickly as fashion junkies such as myself will be in line to snatch up our favorite pieces from the show. I know I have my eye on something special, I will keep it secret as some lucky girl might actually beat me to the store! Take your mark, get set, go to “You and Me”!
If I don’t run into you (literally) buying this fantastic collection then I hope to see your shinning face at the Red Stag on Wednesday from 4 to 6. If you can’t motivate yourself with the thought of like-minded people in the Minneapolis fashion scene that perhaps consider the Happy Hour special or the $1 off organic wine, whatever will you get down to NE. Parking is easy and also there a few other MN Fashion week events happening in the same area on Wednesday, so make a night of it!
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