Portland Fashion Week kicks off on Wednesday, October 6 (see Feature, pg. 11), but that's not the only thing worth buzzing about. Dawn Sharp, one of Portland Fashion Week's opening-night designers, is also the owner of Magic Hour (2730 E Burnside), the tiny shop next door to Rad Summer vintage (2742 E Burnside). As of October 1, however, Sharp will be closing Magic Hour's physical doors, though she insists it's nothing to worry about. "I feel like the Magic Hour is moving rather than closing," she says, in reference to a new online collaboration she has launched with Rad Summer's Honey Owens, Ruth Dunn, and Valentine Falcon called the New Co-Op (thenewco-op.com).

As of now, women's clothing makes up the bulk of the merchandise available—all the lines you'd find at Magic Hour and then some, including Owens' own Honey Owens for Rad Summer line. (Need a hot dress emblazoned with the Trail Blazers logo? Look no further.) They're also in the process of seeking out menswear, have begun to add mostly local bath and body products, and plan to expand their currently fledgling art and music selection. But the shop's mission statement suggests a much grander vision of "new textiles, music, art, potions, raw food and so on..."

Owens explains further that, "Personally, I have always had this sort of utopian vision where Rad Summer, Magic Hour, and now the New Co-op would grow into a large, block sized compound/mall that would include a raw/vegan restaurant, a record, book, and surf store ('cause of how we'll be the new coastline if that predicted earthquake ever hits), music venue, massage, ayurvedic, acupuncture healing, petting zoo—ha ha, basically a playground and a general store that is one-stop shopping and community center. A place for people to converge and meditate. Basically we are striving to support the new lifestyle that is unfolding in our daily culture. Everyone more and more is wanting richer nutrients, wholesome textiles, confidence in decisions made by compassion and planetary needs." While I would probably enjoy nothing more than hanging out at this compound built around Owens' vision of "the fruits of the jungle heart," for now I'll settle for having another awesome online addition to the Portland retail world, and wait to see where it goes.

Meanwhile, holy sample sales! On Friday evening there are two don't-miss opportunities. Firstly, you can score discounted samples and new work from Kate Towers, Linea, Church + State, Emily Ryan, Liza Rietz, Holly Stalder, Claire La Faye, Frocky Jack Morgan, and Laura Irwin at the Haut sample sale that's like a mini-revival of the Seaplane selection of yore. (Friday, Haunt, 811 E Burnside #113, 7-9pm) Another one not to sleep on is Adam Arnold's two-day clearing out in preparation for the unleashing of his fall collection planned for October 8. (Friday and Saturday, Adam Arnold Studio, 338 SE MLK, 5-7 pm)