For the second consecutive year, the Mercury is celebrating
the advent of spring with “Installations,” a fashion show showcasing
emerging local design talent. Unlike most of the ever-increasing
fashion events on Portland’s calendar, Installations draws on a unique
mix of original ventures and established lines. While the roster is
dominated by exciting new lines that have never—or very
rarely—been shown, it also provides a platform for more mature
designers to exhibit their ongoing work in an unconventional
presentation.
Beyond the models on the runway, Installations is characterized by
its inclusion of standing exhibits created by the designers; whether
sculpture or performance art, these stations allow the designers to
further express their creations by drawing attention to their process
and imaginations. The show’s format also provides the audience with an
opportunity to peruse the work more closely, rather than limiting the
experience of viewing it to a fast-paced runway. We hope that you will
take advantage of the opportunity to attend this unique event, which
also features the equally impressive talents of local musicians Tu
Fawning; the world-class spinning skills of DJ Beyonda; the high-style
visual designs of E*Rock; and the inherent charm of host Adam Arnold, a
local and much beloved designer himself. In the meantime, this special
pullout edition of the Mercury profiles the 12 designers who
will present their work in the show—the audience will be invited
to cast a vote on their favored line, the overall winner of which will
receive a $1,000 check to invest in their business. So begin to
familiarize yourself with each participant now, and enjoy a taste of
what’s to come.
Installations takes place on Sun April 20, Wonder Ballroom, 128
NE Russell, doors 7 pm, show 8 pm, $10, 21+
AIGUILLE ET FIL
aiguilleetfil.etsy.com
Liz Spencer’s Aiguille et Fil line focuses on dresses inspired by
the photo archives of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Jean-Michel Basquiat,
and Andy Warhol, as well as street fashion in cities like San
Francisco, Chicago, and Portland. Rendered partially or completely in
reclaimed and vintage material, the Linfield College graduate’s designs
belie the fact that Spencer is self-taught and has only been sewing for
just over a year. Aiguille et Fil is available online at aiguilleetfil.etsy.com and by
commission: lizspencer83@hotmail.com.
Modeled by Michelle Johnson; Hair styling by Kim Namanny at 220
Salon; Make-up by Bennie Vargas for Stila Cosmetics
AMAI UNMEI
amaiunmei.com
Meaning “sweet destiny” in Japanese, designer Allison Covington’s
Amai Unmei line (pronounced ah-mah-ee oon-may) takes its starting point
at tsutsumi, the Japanese high art of wrapping. Using organic
textures and modern updates on classic silhouettes, Covington’s
wrapping art is practiced on the body. Amai Unmei is available online
at amaiunmei.com.
Modeled by Megan Wilson; Hair styling and make-up by M’chel
Bauxal
R.A.W.
riowrenn.com
Primarily a textile designer, Rio Wrenn has been working with
rusting processes on silks for the past six years, recently expanding
from a fine art point of view to fabric production. Drawn to natural
processes, Wrenn also uses dyes of insect, earth, and plant sources.
Wrenn’s work has been shown primarily in art galleries; she is
continuing an experiment with constructing the fabric into wearable
pieces after a positive reception to an October exhibition at the Rake
Art Gallery. Product inquiries can be addressed to rust@riowrenn.com.
Modeled by Cora Benesh; Hair styling by Kim Namanny at 220 Salon;
Make-up by Sabrina Winkel
MAKOOL
makoollovesyou.com
Anisa Makhoul’s casual, wearable Makool line is grounded in her
background as a fine art student at the Minneapolis College of Art and
Design and her love of and dedication to nature. A resident of Portland
since 2000, Makhoul has worked with industry experts from local
companies Nike and Adidas to produce the line locally, and what started
as a part-time gig selling pieces at the Saturday Market has blossomed
into a business whose product is sold internationally. Makool is
available locally at Johnny Sole (815 SW Alder) and online at makoollovesyou.com.
Modeled by Katie Boehle; Hair styling by Anisa Makhoul; Make-up
by Anna Webber
IN LOVE & MEMORY
The work of Janeane Marie, a onetime intern of eco-fashion star Anna
Cohen, and current junior at the Art Institute of Portland, is marked
by simplicity and thoughtfulness. Committed to designing and producing
apparel that leaves a light footprint on the environment, Marie is also
drawn to minimalism in design, and often looks to inspiration outside
of the fashion world, in nature, music, and literature, and she carries
a sketch book with her to mark down ideas as they come.
Modeled by Laurisa Lua; Hair styling by Kim Namanny at 220 Salon;
Make-up by Bennie Vargas for Stila Cosmetics
ELIZABETH ROHLOFF
elizabethrohloff.com
Descended from a line of German sewers, ElizaBeth Rohloff began her
career at the age of eight, making clothes for her dolls. Since then,
she’s worked in theater costuming and as a teacher, and her line of
hats and apparel are meant to augment the individuality of the wearer.
Rohloff was also an early adopter of a green approach in design,
utilizing every scrap of fabric, producing locally, and when possible
using sustainable fabrics. ElizaBeth Rohloff is available locally at
John Helmer Haberdasher (969 SW Broadway), Physical Element (1124 NW
Lovejoy), Moxie (2400 E Burnside), Chapter Four (4702 N Albina), and by
appointment at her design lab
(elizabethrohloff.com for more
information).
Modeled by Nicole Boyer; Hair styling by Kim Namanny at 220
Salon; Make-up by Bennie Vargas for Stila Cosmetics
RUTH
ruthwaddy.com
Designed by Ruth Waddy, Ruth is a new line of one-of-a-kind special
occasion dresses. In keeping with the modern design world’s tendency
toward sustainable practices, Ruth is made using recycled, reclaimed,
and locally purchased materials. With a degree in costume design from
Trinity University in Texas, Waddy moved to Portland in 2001, and has
since done costuming work for Milagro Theatre, and for artists’
performance projects. Ruth is available by commission: ruth@ruthwaddy.com.
Modeled by Malissa Peters; Hair styling and make-up by Caisa
Johnson
ERHART
erhartdesign.com.
“Good girls who play with bad boys” is the theme designer Chelsea
Erhart gave to her line’s spring/summer ’08 collection, emphasizing
pieces that can be styled demurely or provocatively. Featuring
everything from jumpers to stirrup leggings, Erhart’s signature color
is a golden yellow, and often bears embellishments birthed from
frequent collaborations with local print houses (including Foyer and
Hart Mind Soul). Erhart is available at Foundation Garments, Inc. (2712
NE Alberta) or erhartdesign.com.
Modeled by Wyncin Martin; Hair styling by Kim Namanny at 220
Salon; Make-up by Bennie Vargas for Stila Cosmetics
PAPER TREASURE
papertreasure.etsy.com
Jewelry designer Jesseca McCloskey, who was brought up by the ocean,
has an eye toward the legends of pirate chests and shipwrecks full of
treasure. Paper Treasure’s season-less pieces are assembled out of a
continually renewing pile of collected vintage materials. Broken bits
of old castoffs, beads, and charms find new life when reinvented as
beautifully repurposed, timeless jewelry. Paper Treasure is available
locally at Xtabay (2515 SE Clinton), Olio United (1028 SE Water), and
Motokitty (1117 SE Division), and online at papertreasure.etsy.com.
Modeled by Lynnsey Munroe with dress by Maclean Smyth of Maclean
Loves You; Hair styling and make-up by Maclean Smyth
RACHEL MARA
rachelmara.com
Already known to many, Rachel Gorenstein’s Rachel Mara line is
classy and sexy, with this spring’s collection taking a page from
Albertus Seba’s 1731 “Cabinet of Natural Curiosities,” an illustrated
scientific study of nature. This translates into a focus on technique
and beauty, with butterfly and floral prints, details rendered in
sequins and sapphires against a swath of silk and chiffon. Rachel Mara
is available locally at Moulé (1225 NW Everett).
Modeled by Ariel Jorgensen; Hair styling by Kim Namanny at 220
Salon; Make-up by Bennie Vargas for Stila Cosmetics
FREYJA
A collaboration between Gretchen Jones (who also has her own line of
apparel and accessories, Moth Love) and Melody Geer (whose Little Bit’s
Apparel focuses on everyday pieces like go-to hoodie tunics), Freyja is
a balance between the high fashion aspiration of Jones’ aesthetic and
the streetwear of Geer’s. The name, of course, is borrowed from the
pagan goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.
Modeled by Sygne Larson; Hair styling and make-up by Gretchen
Jones and Melody Geer
Designer Julia Blackburn (whose day job is as an art director for
Wieden + Kennedy) is interested in telling a story with the pieces that
constitute her line, Dust. Whether it be unusual mixes of colors and
patterns, the image of a tattered ballerina costume, or highly textural
meditations rendered in fabric, the pieces are memorable and
meaningful, often revealing the process through exposed seams and
threads, and viscerally evocative through ripped and hand-dyed fabrics.
Dust is available by commission: dustclothing@gmail.com.
Modeled by Andrea Evans; Hair styling by Kim Namanny at 220
Salon; Make-up by Bennie Vargas for Stila Cosmetics