Sunday, November 5 marked the sixth annual Portland Fashion & Style Awards (PFSA)—an event created and spearheaded by Venus Allure Salon and Spa owner Ann Akre. Each year, Akre and her team put together a program that seeks to celebrate and bring attention to businesses city-wide in every category of fashion, such as best model, best photographer, best salon, best boutiques, best designer, best stylist, and more.
Production-wise, the team takes this show very seriously. Transforming a Portland Art Museum hall into an awards ceremony is no small feat, but they really pulled out all the stops to give it a red carpet feel. There’s a lovely touch of pomp and circumstance that makes the show a fun tradition—especially for those who dress to the nines each year.
One element that really sets the PSFA apart is its mingling of industry professionals from different parts of the city that would otherwise not come into contact with each other. As attendees, we have the opportunity to learn what’s happening outside our little orbits. For example, I was touched when the winner for Best Salon SW, Mascola’s Salon, remarked in her acceptance speech that she’d been in business for 50 years and had passed the torch down to her daughters who were keeping it going. It’s these types of small business stories that we seldom get to hear, yet define our city. Plus, the tradition of Poison Waters as MC is always an absolute joy, as she’s the loveliest, funniest, and most charming stage presence you could ever hope for.
A small team of judges chose the winners from four nominees in each category (and there was also a people’s choice award). It does seem like some of the categories need expansion due to the volume of professionals in our city, but that’s certainly part of the growing nature of this event. Each year, PFSA gets better and includes more elements of the overall picture in Portland’s fashion scene.
This year, the winners in each category were:
Best Fashion Publisher: Portland Mercury
Best Footwear Designer: D’Wayne Edwards, PENSOLE
Best Salon (SW): Mascola’s Salon
Best Salon (NW): Fringe
Best Salon (NE): Strut Salon
Best Salon (SE): Phagan’s School
of Hair Design
Best Boutique (NE): Haunt
Best Boutique (SE):
Union Rose
Best Boutique (NW):
Anne Bocci Boutique (People’s Choice)
Best Boutique (SW): Adorn (People’s Choice)
Most Fashionable
Female TV Personality: Jenny Hansson
Most Fashionable
Male TV Personality: Brian McFayden
Best Fashion
Wardrobe Stylist: Brandon Gaston
Best Accessory Designer: Anne Bocci
Best Fashion Photographer:
Tom Boehme
Fashion Show Producer: Elizabeth Mollo
Best Makeup Artist: Carrie Strahle
Best Hairstylist:
Sarah Adams
Best Plus-Size Model: Keri Atkins
Best Female Model: Devon Blackerby
Best Male Model: Eduardo Reyes
Best Emerging
Designer: Sundari Fanklin (People’s Choice)
Best Menswear
Designer: Tony Iyke,
Designs by THOR,
The House of Rose (People’s Choice)
Best Women’s
Wear Designer: Sonia Kasparian (People’s Choice)
You can find out more about Portland Fashion & Style Awards and nominate the businesses you care about at <a href=”portlandfashionandstyleawards.com.