LAST YEAR, the Portland Art Museum (PAM) hosted the exhibition Italian Style, curated by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. This was the first show of its kind I'd ever seen in Portland, and local fashion fans were seriously ecstatic to finally see something of such high caliber in our very own city. PAM must have thought it was a success as well, and is rightfully hosting another amazing fashion exhibition just one year later.
Native Fashion Now is the first large-scale traveling exhibition of contemporary Native American fashion, and will be showcasing indigenous designers from the United States and Canada. Organized by the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, the exhibition will showcase work from the 1950s to today, and feature almost 100 pieces of everything from haute couture, street clothing, and footwear, to accessories from 71 designers. Obviously I'm super excited about this, and I really hope it starts a conversation about the importance of contemporary Native American fashion, and how it's so much more than headdresses and dreamcatchers. (Asshole music festival chicks, I am looking squarely at you!) The exhibit opens on June 4, and will be on display through September 4, along with several other museum events. Here are the ones for June:
The Opening Conversation will consist of a panel including Deana Dartt, Ph.D., curator of Native American art at PAM; Karen Kramer, curator of Native American and oceanic art and culture at the Peabody Essex Museum; and designers Patricia Michaels (from Project Runway), Wendy Ponca, and Dorothy Grant. The conversation will focus heavily on how these designers are breaking creative boundaries and preconceived notions of Native American style.
Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park, Sat June 4, 2 pm, $19.99
Take advantage of the rare opportunity to buy looks directly from the designers featured in the exhibit at the Native Fashion Now Pop-Up Boutique, which will include pieces from Patricia Michaels, Jeremy Arviso, Kristen Dorsey, David Gaussoin, Dorothy Grant, Jamie Okuma, Pat Pruitt, Maria Samora, Maya Stewart, and Bethany Yellowtail.
Cerimon House, 5131 NE 23rd, Sat June 4, 6:30 pm, free
More Events!
West Daily is once again teaming up with Coalition Brewing to release the Tastemaker Series: Roselandia. It will include a special collaborative clothing collection and a first-of-its-kind Rose Sour Ale, in only one in a series of unique events they're planning for the collaboration.
MadeHere PDX, 40 NW 10th, Thurs June 2, 6-8 pm; afterparty at Henry's Tavern, 10 NW 12th, 8:30 pm
Newish minimalist brand MONOM will be at Haunt for their first Friday series with a trunk show and fashion installation. See their newest collection in person, and maybe snag a piece at 20 percent off while you're at it.
Haunt, 811 E Burnside, #114, Fri June 3, 7 pm
The Art Institute of Portland has partnered with Portland Fashion Week for the last few years for their graduate shows, and while the collections from the students have always been top-notch, the partnership seemed to have quieted the spirit and creativity of the students who were helping to produce the show (maybe because it was not fully theirs). Thankfully they've stepped back from that partnership to strike out on (mostly) their own once again for Perspectives: A Fashion Event—a combination senior graduate showcase, eco-couture avant-garde dress competition, art installation, and alumni trunk show. For their 18th annual fashion event, the Art Institute is partnering with the Aveda Institute, whose students will be supplying hair and makeup for the models, and proceeds will benefit recipients of the creative arts scholarships from both schools. (Full disclosure, I'm one of the instructors of the fashion event production class, and am helping produce this event.)
Aveda Institute Portland, 325 NW 13th, Sun June 5, 6:30 pm, $10-50, all ages
There are way more events this month, so as always be sure to visit portlandmercury.com for complete weekly style event updates. Got a fashion event? Drop us a line at fashion@portlandmercury.com.
