Portland Fashion Week: Day 2

The second night of Portland Fashion Week was all about getting a sneak peek at the next generation of local designers—from Art Institute of Portland seniors to the Emerging Designer of the year runoff. This time we breezed past security without whipping out IDs and were greeted by my new favorite vanquisher of the high seas, the massive "Il Falcone Maltese"—inexplicably based in Wilmington, DE. I'm hoping it inspires a film noir-meets-maritime collection for next season!

The scene at Building 10 was more crowded than the night before, with friends, family and fans there to check out the nine designers (as opposed to Wednesday's five); what they're calling the "Square" is lined with sponsor booths on one side and the bar and small VIP seating area on the other, leaving only a long narrow space for moving around. Note to PFW organizers: A little more wiggle room would encourage mingling and make waiting an extra hour (yes, again!) much more enjoyable. I can't imagine the packed subway-at-rush hour situation the bigger nights will bring.

The crowd itself seemed a bit younger and funkier this time around, perhaps because of the student element of the show. Leave it to the kids to shake things up! Looks centered around boots and double-buckle belts, textured tights, and slouchy tees and scarves. My favorite look was softer and more romantic: a sheer lavender-gray ruffle blouse tucked into a high-waisted camel pencil skirt, with chevron tights and black lace-up booties. She must have been a fan of Suzabelle, because it would have fit right in with that collection, which opened the show.

The runway offerings as a whole were a mix of pretty, modern, wearable styles and more conceptual, avant-garde statements—some outlandish but eye-catching, some perfect trendsetters, and some just bad. Oh, and a few fantastical couture corsets thrown in for good measure.

Seattle-based Suzabelle falls into the first category. Designer Suzanna Jaberg has attracted national attention first for her coats and then for her vintage-inspired dresses, impeccably tailored and sophisticated. Her latest collection—set to French parlor music and styled with hats, knotted brown belts, and lockets—had an earthy ladylike quality, featured some of her classic silhouettes, like the very-Joan Holloway Hitchcock Dress and stunningly simple black Deco Dress (the starburst radiating from one side is incredibly flattering!), but added sleek graphic elements (black-and-white striped dresses patterned after optical illusions) and a new echo of country-cute with tanks, shorts, fluttery pops of color, and wood button accents.

The cream Willow Point tank was easy but still reflected the Suzabelle attention-to-detail (and where did they get that straw cloche? I want!), while I particularly loved the cap-sleeved calico dress that mixed the gorgeous sweetheart bodice of the Hitchcock dress with an afternoon picnic fabric, fuller skirt, and casual pockets, as well as the bright teal St. Gabriel dress, a fluttery silk number that manages to be sweet and sassy at the same time. There were some misses—navy capris looked soccer mom-ish and a detached, pleated Elizabethan collar was out of place—but the whole was striking and pretty, leaving me with an even longer shopping list.

While Suzabelle isn't local, she's a Portland favorite. Not only is she committed to carbon offsets and sweatshop-free labor, she returns the PDX love by selling her line at several local boutiques spread throughout the city: Sofada (NE), Radish Underground (SW), Anne Bocci (SW), and Le Train Bleu (online, based out of NW). In my opinion, these looks warrant a trip to all those local businesses!

Literally and figuratively, Suzabelle led the way for the night, offering an example of how to find success as a Northwest independent designer to the five Art Institute of Portland seniors whose work hit the runway next. As you expect from students, their looks were riskier, but the construction looked meticulous and professional.

Emily Kathryn Carol sent out glamourous apocalyptic road warrior looks: olive wool with black nylon geometric accents used for both an architectural anorak (a huge hood creates shawl-like lapels, a cozy cowl neck, or a hipster Ewok look depending on how much you zip) and high-waisted, wide-leg suspender pants. I love the idea of making a statement with outerwear and would wear the jacket everywhere from a hike to a show. Even the pants seemed as though they would flatter various body types. Though the sheer gold lame jumpsuit might be more of a challenge, with wing sleeves and poufed hips, it collectively took the crowd's breath away and showed incredible construction.

Kara Eisenbraun focused on quilted jackets in various lengths, featuring interesting snap closures. They looked like the perfect way to spend a Portland winter—cozied up under stylish armor. It would have been nice to see how they "worked"—have the models unsnap some of the panels and flaps to see the construction underneath—but I guess we'll just have to hope to check them out in local stores in the near future!

Janeane Marie showcased what I dubbed the "space age-poet" look, combining Victorian elements like high necks, button-up backs, and billowy sleeves with a stark black palette, clean lines, and sharp seams. The first dress covered the model from chin to wrist, with peaks created from triangle pleats on the bodice and skirt, but a surprising curvy cutout on the back nicely offset the severe, angular look. A sheer beige blouse that could have veered into frothy territory was restrained by a tight fit and strategic darts, while the last dress balanced a structured, almost corset-like bodice with a swingy skirt and a soft cross-body drape. For her simplicity and craftsmanship, Janeane Marie was easily one of my personal favorites, so I was happy to get a double-dose when she also showed as one of the Emerging Designer finalists (more below).

Without a doubt, David Rafn's tough yet slightly androgynous men's activewear was the oddball of the night. Models walked down the runway looking slightly confused by the metallic rose cape, saggy tan jumpsuit, and floor-length skirts. While I definitely appreciate a designer pushing the boundaries—a fashion show should inspire, but the looks don't always have to be literally wearable—I have to admit, I wasn't a fan. Until I checked out the title of the collection and his sketches on his website: "A Monsoon" is a sort of futuristic take on the traditional culture of Burma/Myanmar, and the diagrams of the wrap-based closures show incredible skill. When he writes, "My focus is split between utilitarian applications and zany, expressive conceptual work. I love rain, traditional cultures, and ludicrous experimental art," I couldn't say it better myself. His concepts are strong and unique, and you can't ask for much more in a designer. (I'm now dying to check out his "Miami Hanbok" collection, which he describes as a "collision of classical Korean culture and the television series ‘The Golden Girls.'" That has to be a sight to see!)

The AI show wrapped up with two looks from Jennifer Holcombe, which I have to say were the weakest of the bunch. Her flirty tulip skirts are pretty, but nothing new. And while the tops were definitely trying to break new ground, I don't know how flattering a ruffled scoop neck is when it dips below and cradles your bra (in fact, there's a photo of Lil' Kim wearing something similar in this week's Us Weekly Fashion Police), and I appreciate the nod to the strong shoulder trend, but am not into wearing giant bendy straws for sleeves. The creativity is there, but the execution needs to be a little more refined.

Like seeing the unique styles the AI students one after another, watching the four Emerging Designers offered a glimpse at how widely varied the definition of "fashion" can be—in a good way. The lineup began with the return of Janeane Marie, showing a more ready-to-wear lineup. It's not surprising that Marie interned with Anna Cohen (showing Sunday) and Leanne Marshall considering her minimalist approach to design—focusing on quality fabrics, shape and construction. Simple drapes unified the collection, from the sweeping cross-body twists on a white shell to the pleated capris paired with a slouchy cowl neck tee (with dramatic low-cut back).

 
A skirt suit was updated with the swing of a curvy coat, while what could have been a shapeless tee-dress became one of my favorites of the night thanks to exaggerated sleeves and a tribal-meets-techno print.

The last dress echoed the details we saw in Marie's AI pieces, a sheer black overlay that used seams to turn the garment's construction inside-out, created a kind of body scaffolding that highlighted all the right places. Janeane Marie is available at Radish Underground.

Next, Paloma Soledad transformed the runway into a goth renaissance with her couture corsets. Soledad is a former Hollywood costume designer who now calls Portland home and most recently worked on the mini-looks for Coraline. Her aesthetic come from a dark fantasy world, reflected in the black off-the-shoulder blouses, long velvet skirts, and macabre hats (feathers, mesh, antlers) that created the backdrop to her handmade creations. Crafted from silk dupioni, hand-dyed lamb skin, and antique hardware, the corsets ranged from a waist-cinching dark teal-and-lime "belt" to a full-bodice red number that, with stretch Lycra and flexible boning, is supposed to be easy to breathe in. My favorites were the earthier versions—a dark green corduroy with vintage wood buttons and a mauve silk with angled closure—but the show stopper was the burgundy lamb skin and rococo lace number covered with antique keys and latches (so very chastity belt!). I'm not sure whether the chains and shackles come along with it, but they certainly garnered the loudest applause.

The last two semi-finalists couldn't have been more different: Seattle-based Angelia Sasmita's evening and wedding gowns, and Sweet Skins organic casual wear out of Eugene.

The former is known for her intricate beadwork, which must take some serious time and talent, but as a whole, these dresses were more David's Bridal than Vera Wang. They didn't fit the models well, straps were coming undone and falling off, and certain design elements were incredibly unflattering—a v-shaped bunch of fabric around a drop waist pretty much screams, "Hey, look at my crotch!" and I sincerely hope that mesh mock turtlenecks with built-in chokers never come through the retro-cool filter. I think there is potential with Sasmita's interesting folds—a diagonal line of vertical pleats would have been a striking bodice on its own, without the pearls, rhinestones, ruffles, and mesh "flowers" covering it up.

Sweet Skins, meanwhile, kept it simple with hemp knits and organic cottons, low-impact dyes, and a hippie-meets-sexy vibe. A raspberry maxi dress and black jumpsuit shared sweet triangle halter tops that created definition at the top to balance the flowy bottoms (though the center seam down the middle of the jumpsuit could prove problematic for some areas). A denim pencil skirt and denim high-waisted shorts were paired with silk drawstring halter tanks, and a simple blue summer dress popped with a hemp scrap petticoat peeking out below the hem. The real surprise, though, were the tie-strap denim "overalls" with the perfect seams to be body-conscious yet comfy at the same time (the legs were just a tad short on the model). Sweet Skins is not currently available in any Portland boutiques, astonishing considering our proximity to Eugene and a shared commitment to eco-friendly fashion. Hey PDX boutique owners, someone snap this stuff up!

On the way out, audience members turned in votes for their favorite Emerging Designer (the semi-finalists were chosen by a board of local designers, fashion writers, teachers, and boutique owners), and the winner was announced at the after party at Candy Ultra Lounge. Drum roll please... the 2009 PFW Emerging Designer is Paloma Soledad Corsets! I wouldn't disagree—her work is absolutely breathtaking. I'm just not sure how many of us will head to the farmers market wearing one of those babies, which shows that the audience favored art, craftsmanship, and drama over practicality, no matter how pretty and wearable.

In fact, that's still a debate that's raging in my own mind as I consider last night's show. By far an improvement over the boring Wednesday night opener, the fashions were incredibly varied but strong in concept, construction, and/or consumer-friendliness, save a few exceptions. As a shopper, I love intriguing yet wearable styles that fall into a simple, sophisticated vein, which explains Suzabelle, Janeane Marie, and Sweet Skins being my personal favorites of the evening. But considering fashion as a whole, as an industry and an art form, I'm excited to see experimental pieces come down the runway that shake up our expectations and push trends forward—especially in Portland, where we're trying to get on the global stage as fertile ground for fashion. Seeing the work coming out of the Art Institute makes that seem more and more possible.

Of course, you don't have to choose between ready-to-wear and avant garde, but I think pairing the two in the same runway show last night created a little sartorial dissonance, at least for me. It's tough to go from looking at a sweet dress you can't wait to wear on a date to getting lost in the macabre world of chains and corsets (though, hey, I'm sure some ladies out there wanted to wear that on a date!). Overall, I think it's the organization of Portland Fashion Week—how the designers are chosen, how the shows are curated, even how the models are coached (walk down the center of the runway, pretty people!)—that leaves me a bit confused. (Why for instance, was Suzabelle scheduled with students and emerging designers when she's been in business for over four years?) It was a strong showing with designers I'm proud to call our own, but let's hope the next three nights are a bit more cohesive.

Tonight is the first Designers Collection show, with new pieces from locals Amai Unmei and Idom, plus the return of Michelle DeCourcy with her new "La Vie" line. At least in my world, this is the one everyone is going to—don't miss out!

Portland Fashion Week
October 7–11, 2009
Vigor Industrial Shipyard, Bldg. 10
5555 N. Channel Ave.
Portland, OR 97217
www.portlandfashionweek.net

Doors open at 6 p.m., seating for shows at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door (other packages available)

Full schedule here! 

Related Links
Portland Fashion Week: Day 1
Portland Fashion Week: Day 3

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