Fashion Collective. Take Two.

What do you do after the whirlwind (read: exhausting) five days of Portland Fashion Week come to an end? You get right back in those heels and head to the Portland Center Stage Armory for the independent Fashion Collective show. But it’s a pleasure rather than an ordeal because you know you’ll be seeing some of the most innovative local designs in one of the most gorgeous—and quintessentially PDX—buildings.

And why are you still excited about it over a week later? Because you’ll get to try on your favorite pieces at a trunk show this weekend and maybe even take home that dress (okay, maybe more like ten dresses) that you’ve been dreaming about for the last ten days. But first, the show…

The atrium lobby, with its exposed structure and sense of history and drama, was the perfect backdrop for the imaginative and architectural pieces shown by Fuchsia Lin, Liza Rietz, Emily Ryan, and Modi Soondarotok’s Idom. The space was divided into three seating areas with a u-shaped catwalk wrapping around the mezzanine stairs, and though the setup did block half the runway from my view on the far side, the variety of PDX creativity in attendance made for great people watching in the meantime.

In fact, opening designer and Portland Center Stage costume designer Fuchsia Lin said it was a goal for the show to bring together people from Portland’s various creative scenes—theater, music, dance—to experience fashion as an art. She’s a fitting ambassador for that, calling herself an “artist who creates fashion, sculpture, costumes, and installation,” using textiles as her chosen medium. It’s not surprising that Bjork and Karen O have worn her creations—these are loud, playful and dramatic realizations of pure imagination. It’s art you can wear, in a literal sense, though it would take a bold attitude to pull it off.

Practical or not, the designs were captivating. As a retrospective of Lin’s work made in Paris, New York, and Portland over the last ten years, the looks were incredibly varied, but a thread of fantasy ran throughout. Set to an Ennio Morricone soundtrack, models glided out wearing a riot of colors and textures. The most out-there pieces featured intricate tops that channeled exotic origins: a Mongolian warrior jacket dripping in black tangled fur; geisha-like kimono sleeves suited for the tundra with a fuzzy bright yellow bib; and a red fringe and dark sequin cape that I can only describe as a disco bird of paradise. Capes seem to be a Lin favorite, also factoring into a couple cocktail dresses, adding a witchy yang to the yin of the sweet bodices. The few more accessible pieces were still attention-grabbing—a hot pink brocade hoodie dress with ruffle elbows, a red Chinoise print mini, and an absolutely gorgeous dusty rose frock with a cascading drape down the back—and this is certainly the direction I could see Lin continuing in if she chose to translate her fantastic visions into more ready-to-wear.

On the other end of the spectrum, Liza Rietz is known for clean, sharp lines and architectural details, and her current collection, in a palette of blacks, grays and silvers, was striking for its thoughtful, modern simplicity. A loose cap-sleeve shell with a layered triangle bib nicely complemented the hip angle on the Fin High Waist Pencil Skirt, since they moved in opposite directions. Similarly, a simple diagonal line made all the difference for a black wool shift; the metallic asymmetrical “capelet” fell over one shoulder, blending with the accent strip that ran down the side—all the accessorizing you would need. Rietz continued to use the black/gray and gray/silver contrast to add interest to what I dubbed the “Jekyll & Hyde” dress (real name Silk Fin Dress)—sporty on the right, glammed up on the left—and a dolman sleeve jacket that has me looking forward to a very stylish winter. Though all the dark colors blurred together at times, I loved the divide between the Points Dress’s sleek dotted (rubber?) bodice and its sumptuous skirt, a heaping tumble of folds, as well as the swooping tiers of a spring dress turned black for this season.

Emily Ryan continued along the structural path (it’s not surprising the two designers share a studio/showroom), but with more color and a tad more embellishment—her self-described influences of “1920’s couture, science fiction, and Japanese fashions” were evident in the high necklines, chosen patterns, and detail work as intricate as origami. The first look, a thick shift with stand-up Nehru collar, featured a gorgeous purple Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired design, and though it was a bit too rigid to show off your own form, it was itself a great piece of architecture. Though nothing alike, the same could be said about the dramatic Ruffle Wing dress. Ryan got a little more experimental with features like a puffed back dress, completely unexpected looking at the front’s defined tie-waist, and a gown connected from front to back between the ankles that left me wondering if the dress-jumpsuit combo could be the next (way cooler) skort. Ultimately, the most flattering pieces may have also been the simplest, though no less interesting; I could see myself feeling cozy but still dressed up in the butterfly-sleeve anorak, shielding my face in the opera-curtain ridges of the huge collar, or nestled in the rippling curves of her funnel-neck Cobra Shift mini.

Finally, Idom mixed concept with retail, showing a variety of draped dresses and punchy separates that would inject some life into an everyday wardrobe without being too “special” to only wear once in a while. A black satin blazer was classic but stood out thanks to an oversized cut, while the white dress layered underneath looked like an easy way to feel flirty and sophisticated at the same time. I also liked the red double-breasted “Master of War” blazer for successfully re-imagining an ‘80s staple, and I wanted to like the easy, tapered jumpsuit until I saw the saggy bottom hanging out below the jacket—no one needs to look like she’s wearing a diaper. Other innovative ways of working with the fabric worked better, like the flat stacked tiers of the gray dress and the looped sleeves of the red dress, which turned the models shoulders into a pretty, subtle bow. My favorites, though, were probably the most classic and timeless designs: a brown bias-cut gown with simple seams that hinted at a drop waist, and a sexy-meets-sophisticated strapless mini that combined a metallic marble “tie-dye” skirt with a stunning chevron-folded bodice.

With so many favorites from this show, in fact, I was buoyed in my appreciation for Portland fashion. Ever since I first browsed through Seaplane almost a decade ago, it’s been obvious to me that the city is full of not just talented designers, but people who are creative with what they wear and how they wear it. For all the flack we get about fleece and hiking boots, there are many more examples of stylish inspiration walking the streets and stocking our boutiques, so how do we show the rest of the world?

Scheduling this fashion show, very deliberately billed as “independent,” the day after PFW seems to be an obvious example of the rift between our “official” fashion week and much of the larger fashion community. And I don’t blame them, since a lot of Portland Fashion Week felt like it was trying to be LA or New York, rather than embodying the creative energy of our own city, while the Collective show, from apparel to atmosphere, audience to attitude, felt truly connected to the place and community. Was that the intent? How does the Collective feel this show was a response to PFW? And what about other events like CONTENT 09 (I was out of town and crying into a pillow that I missed it, but there are recaps and photos at The Neat Sheet, PDX Pipeline, and the “official” pics on the organizers’ How We Develop blog.)? And the Portland Fashion Synergy’s FUSE Show and upcoming holiday pop-up shop? What is the future of Portland fashion? Lots of questions, which we’ll be answering in a larger article soon, so stay tuned (and even better, share your thoughts and opinions below)!

In the meantime, check out these fabulous fashions in person this Saturday, October 24, at Liza Rietz & Emily Ryan’s studio/showroom, where you can take home discounted pieces from previous seasons and pre-order the new stuff!

And wait, it’s not over yet! Moulé is hosting their Fall Fashion Show next Tuesday, October 27, featuring well-known international names, independent labels exclusive to the Pearl boutique, as well as new looks from owner/local designer Rachel Mara and others.

Event Details
Fashion Collective Trunk Show
Saturday, October 24, 2009 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Liza Rietz & Emily Ryan Showroom
2305 NW Savier Street Portland, OR 97210
503.459.4292
www.lizarietz.com
emilyryan.etsy.com
Idom

Moulé Fall Fashion Show
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 6 p.m.-10 p.m.
1225 NW Everett Street Portland, OR 97209
503.227.8530
www.moulestores.com
*Evening attire, RSVP required

Related Links
Portland Fashion Week: Day 1
Portland Fashion Week: Day 2
Portland Fashion Week: Day 3
Portland Fashion Week: Day 4
Portland Fashion Week: Day 5

View the slideshow for more images of Fashion Collective or visit our Flickr gallery: