Sold Out

At first, the arrival of holiday sales notices in my inbox was a good thing. But then, they just kept coming. Nearly every small, locally owned apparel shop in town was having some kind of promotion, most often storewide discounts on all merchandise, which is great for the shopper, but whispers something ill for local […]

This is quite possibly the most emotional time of the year. Putting all SAD issues aside, the holidays pose a number of threats, from the familial to the financial, all standing under the long shadow of excess calories, sinus infections, and recurring hangovers. On the other hand, society practically forces us to smile and party […]

The circumstances that led Adam Brush to open the new E Burnside shop Destroy Clothing in Portland are starting to sound familiar: He spent most of his life in New York, where he toiled unhappily in the advertising industry as a graphic designer while screenprinting simple T-shirts and sweatshirts on the side. When he and […]

For those who follow (and patronize) local fashion designers, things are a bit feast or famine right now. With Portland Fashion Week shows out of the way, the wait seems long until the next exciting collections arrive. Bridging that gap is Gretchen Jones, who decided to wait out the crowds and debut a winter/holiday collection […]

It’s hard to believe that only four years ago Local35 first opened its doors at 3556 SE Hawthorne. Back then, the arrival of a store catering to the streetwear needs of Portland’s hipsters was a big deal—it predated the influx of independently minded boutiques and the ensuing range of options that we’ve since grown accustomed […]

Yet another has been added to the seemingly endless procession of stores filling out the retail scene in Portland: Chapterfour (4702 N Albina) has set down its roots just off the Mississippi drag, and if you haven’t picked up a hat to keep your ears warm on those crisp fall bike rides, stop in and […]

As I write this, there are two nights left of Portland Fashion Week—a week that has proven to be increasingly exciting. Each evening since Friday, the fashion-connected and –curious have made their way to the edge of Swan Island to an operational shipyard, where towering cranes hover over valet parking, and welding sparks glow in […]

For the boutique shopper, it’s all about efficiency in numbers. Though determinedly different from the mall shopper, both types know the value of only needing to find one parking space. And so areas like NW 23rd have thrived like outdoor malls, with nary a Lane Bryant in sight. Pleasingly, Portland is developing stronger retail strips […]

With little ceremony, here we are, abruptly knee deep in fall weather. I’d like to tell you otherwise, but the sore truth is it’s only going to get colder, and word is there’s an icy winter ahead. Those of us who were around for Ice Storm 2004 know what that means—the only bright side is […]

Adam Arnold has never been one to conform. The designer, one of Portland’s feistiest, is known and loved for his eccentric contrarianism. So on the surface it’s unsurprising that for his fall collection, he is breaking with local custom and staging a small, by-invitation-only presentation in his studio. This, during the year in which Portland’s […]

New York City is abuzz after kicking off the first of the major fashion weeks (featuring ready-to-wear collections for spring/summer ’08), and the enthusiasm seems to have rippled our way. A cluster of fashion events is going down this week in Portland—albeit a distinctly mellower schedule of runway to-dos. While it should be noted that […]