Target Designer Collabo’s- Bullseye or Missing the Mark?
It’s that time of year again! Everyone’s favorite red and white “big box” is introducing yet another collaboration with a well-known designer, decidely eons more upscale than themselves. These collab’s are good for Target— they expand their market to the more fashion-conscious, they luxuriate their brand by alligning with a high-end designer and they get press from their end, the designer’s, and everyone patiently waiting to see the affordable outcome. A Target line is also good for the designer who gets to reach a much larger and varied audience than they normally would.
Do you remember the Missoni craze a few months back? In September the Italian fashion house launched a line for Target and was in such demand that their site oversold stock and then literally crashed…and that’s online! I admire the brave who camp out for these limited edition buys.
February 5th brings Jason Wu for Target, to Target. If you don’t know, Wu is most well-known for dressing Michelle Obama for the Inaugural Ball in 2009.
Here’s a sneak peek of his “for Target” collection. 
I love the elegant, modern Parisian flair. But, I don’t know if I’m willing to camp out for it.
-Sarah Kiley
Project Runway All-Stars,Making it Work With New Hosts and Judges
I’ve been a Project Runway enthusiast since season 1, and though my interest waxes and wanes based on design talent, you can ALWAYS count on Heidi, Kors, Garcia and Tim Gunn to provide entertainment and wax philosophical on an otherwise uninspired episode. Doing prep for this past October’s Portland Fashion Week, I caught wind that Michael Costello would be featured on an upcoming “All Stars” edition of Project Runway— I was pumped! Maybe now some of the rightful winners will get another shot! Maybe some of the designers that were a hare too green would come back and flourish! Maybe a concentration of tried and true talent working alongside each other would translate into a creative commune uptopia of fashion!
Episode one billed the selected “all star” designers as “the most daring and controversial” and also “the best vs. the best”, though I think those descriptions may be mutually exclusive. I was relieved to see Michael Costello and Mondo Guerro revealed first— two designers that proved strong competiton in season 8. As the designers arrived one by one, each talked of bringing their A-game and being ready to prove themselves. I have to admit, I was shocked and a little disappointed to see that ALL judges and the host have been replaced. I can kind of buy their explanation that it’s to “clean the slate”, but theirs were the voices of alternating reason/comfort and disdain that we came to know and love!
Regardless of the hosts, the talent is definitely there this season. Check out the winning and losing looks from the first two episodes:
Episode 1 Winner: Rami Kashou (can you believe everything she’s wearing came from the 99cent store?)
OUT: Elisa Jimenez (Judges didn’t care to read this design)
Episode 2 Winner: Ausin Scarlett (As designer Kara Janx put it, Austin’s “PA-POW moment)
Out: Sweet P (Mind you, the challenge was to create a dress for the OPERA)
Tune in to Lifetime tonight @9pm to watch the all-stars outfit Miss Piggy. Really.
-Sarah Kiley
Intel Brings Technology and Fashion Together at Portland Fashion Week
Intel designed an in-store shopping experience that enabled shoppers to access thousands of items, combine them into outfits, share them with friends, purchase and even call for assistance.
Click here to read the story by Brian Rhodes at Intel’s site
Project Runway Sason 7 winner Seth Aaron tries “Retail Interactive Fashion Experience” at Intel booth, accompanied by Joe English from Intel Marketing, and Tito Chowdhury of Portland Fashion Week
— Prasenjit Tito Chowdhury
Portland Fashion Week Behind the Scenes: Day 1 - Check out exclusive backstage coverage of the opening day… http://t.co/zRlLXE12
Jewelry seen on PFW Runway Now available for Purchase!
Whether you went to the shows or checked out the looks at portlandfashionweek.net, you saw the unique necklaces adorning both adidas and Helen Sharp models. Based in Portland, Malicious Glee debuted their line on the Portland Fashion Week runway. Paired with adidas’ skateboard collection, models wore Malicious Glee’s Brave Bullet Whistle — unused rifle shells handcrafted into fully functioning whistles. Not only are these pieces sustainable, they take bullets out of production and render them useless as a weapon.
Helen Sharp’s knitwear was accented with Malicious Glee’s Porcelain Collection; handmade porcelain teeth and claws cast from the real thing. In doing so, Malicious Glee offer a sustainable alternative to real endangered species parts. Because many of their products were inspired by animals from Brazil, Malicious Glee has aligned themselves with the Brazilian Ecological Institute, whom a portion of the proceeds from their items are given.
The unique aspect about both collections is that all items are handmade and handcrafted, so each piece is one of a kind. To snag one of the necklaces you saw on the runway and to browse the rest of Malicious Glee’s Collection, head to www.maliciousglee.com
-Sarah Kiley
Portland Fashion Week Behind the Scenes: Day 1
Check out exclusive backstage coverage of the opening day of Portland Fashion Week from Backstage Manager Elizabeth Mollo and photographer Steve Kemper:
http://in-vested.blogspot.com/2011/10/portland-fashion-week-day-1.html
Backstage coverage of the rest of the week will be up soon!
PFW 2011 Wrap Up - Sat., Oct 8
Bryce Black
Cardiwrap
Helen Sharp
Jay Nicolas Sario
Michael Costello
-Sarah Kiley
PFW 2011 Wrap up - Thurs., Oct 6 - Leaders in Athletic Wear / Sustainability adidas Anna Cohen Avni… http://t.co/DFAl3U73
PFW 2011 Wrap up - Thurs., Oct 6 - Leaders in Athletic Wear / Sustainability adidas Anna Cohen Avni… http://t.co/DFAl3U73
PFW 2011 Wrap Up - Fri., Oct 7
Amai Unmei
Collier
Ms Wood
Seth Aaron
Stephanie D Couture
-Sarah Kiley
PFW 2011 Wrap up - Thurs., Oct 6
Leaders in Athletic Wear / Sustainability
adidas
Anna Cohen
Avni
Earthtec
Ethos Paris
Grenade
Imperial Yarn
Lenzanita
RYU
-Sarah Kiley
PFW 2011 Wrap up - Weds., Oct 5
Portland Fashion Week’s Catapult; The Emerging Designer Competition Winner ::
Amanda Grisham’s “Grishley”
Congratulations Grishley!!
Here’s a sneak peek at the other competitors looks from Wednesday night::
Studio SKB Chicago Harper
Becky Ross for Wicked Quick
Silkwood
Lizz Basinger
House of Summer
Michelle Is Well
AM Renegade
Moontess
-Sarah Kiley
Featured PFW 2011 Designer: Grenade - Grenade is a lifestyle brand for the expressive, rebellious and… http://t.co/DiEbglZ1
Featured PFW 2011 Designer: Grenade - Grenade is a lifestyle brand for the expressive, rebellious and… http://t.co/DiEbglZ1
Featured PFW 2011 Designer: Grenade
Grenade is a lifestyle brand for the expressive, rebellious and confident youth culture. Founded by two-time Olympic silver medalist Danny Kass, Grenade designs have been turning heads and stirring emotions since 2001. Based in Portland, Oregon, Grenade’s iconic logo can be found in parking lots, at skate parks, mountain tops, or on their full product line of signature gloves, outerwear, street gear, footwear and accessories. Its products are available online, or through retailers in all 50 states and 30 countries internationally. G.A.S. (Grenade Artist Series)
Each season Grenade works in collaboration with some of the best designers, bands, illustrators and shredders in the industry to create the Grenade Artist Series, simply known as G.A.S.
Grenade will launch a collection at Portland Fashion Week TONIGHT, Thursday, October 6th.
Click here to purchase tickets Doors @ 6pm / Show seating @ 8pm
5555 N. Channel Ave., Swan Island
Portland, OR 97217
