Whatever your feelings are about Portland Fashion Week, I think we all can agree that it needs to continue to evolve in order to attain its goals of representing and benefiting the local apparel design industry. I have high hopes for this year, which kicks off with a Presentation Show of standing installations—a concept very similar to that of the canceled Content event and Mercury Installations show before that. I may criticize the event myself (last year’s opening night made me downright livid), but I’ve always tried to help improve it as an advisory member. This year I’m doing double duty by helping to curate the opening night’s installations, as well as serving for the second time on the submissions board for Catapult, the emerging designer showcase. Auditions to participate in Catapult are happening this Sunday from 2-5 pm at 239 N.W. 13th Ave., Suite 201. If you or anyone you know is looking to break into the apparel scene, send ’em our way. I’ll be joined by other industry people including Anna Cohen and Seth Aaron Henderson, whose win on last season’s Project Runway and plans to show a collection during the week will hopefully attract an added boost of national press exposure for everyone involved. How ’bout let’s give ’em something good to write about this year? Something that’s maybe not about reality TV?
Last year’s winner, Paloma Soledad, photographed by Marie Saturn
Send all inquiries about participating in any aspect of this year’s shows here.
I think PFW has been given more than enough chance to evolve and they’ve done nothing but de-evolve. It hasn’t done the job to promote local designers that mostly avoid it and they refuse to put out the money to bring in top-end talent. Like any business that doesn’t put enough financial resources into inself, it gets feeble and dies. I think we’re seeing the end days of PFW IMO.