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 this month, under the new moniker Moth
Love, giving us some new ideas to play with in our wardrobes ’til
spring.
Originally Jones’ clothing was named eponymously, though a
combination of development as a designer and an impulse for anonymity
led to the name change. Taken from a phrase in Barbara
Kingsolver’s Prodigal Summer, “moth love” stood out
to Jones for its mysterious, sexy, and poetic evocations. And while
previous creations by the designer were super feminine and sometimes
saccharine, yesterday’s ruffles and bibs have now made way for a new
era of grownup clean lines, leather and feather accents, and a muted
palette. Jones is also sending out “secrets” in her clothing, a
technique she intends to make permanent. This is evident in the new
Hopi moth logo, rendered in monochrome needlework, and placed in subtle
spots, like the bottom hem of a skirt. In future collections, Jones
plans to work together with artists to develop other such needlework
details, based on inspiring literature, and also including barely there
screenprinted excerpts of books. The secrets are meant to be mere
whispers of Jones left behind in her clothing, whether the wearer
immediately notices them or not, toying with issues of what the point
is of logo and signature in design.
Joining Jones in the presentation is Anna Korte and her line
of jewelry, Anna. Roommates and co-conspirators, the two young
women are daily influenced by each other, making collaboration
inevitable. Taking cues from each other, Korte’s new work is a
departure from the chunky looks of her past creations, although as
always the pieces remain fashioned from vintage materials. Like Jones,
the Anna line is cleaner and more sophisticated, and marks the
designer’s first foray into working with leather—specifically
vintage leather gloves, bits of which show up reincarnated as tassels,
knots, and chain links, as well as an entire finger transformed into a
“ruffly bead.”
To present these collections, Korte and Jones have opted for the
installation approach over a traditional runway event. Given that the
show takes place in the relatively small confines of Amalee (Jones manages the N Mississippi boutique), expect an intimate but
artful affair. Models will mill around, letting the audience experience
the designs up close, even touch them. In keeping with the titular
theme, each piece is named after a different type of moth, and the
models’ make-up and hair is intended to be representative of their
respective markings, a creepy yet beautiful touch that’s an appropriate
homage to the moth, which though often outshined by the butterfly,
predates it in existence by 100 million years.
Jones and Korte are both relatively new to Portland, with less than
five years of residency between them, part of an exciting new crop of
creatives that permeate the city’s various avenues. The show’s setup
goes back to the reasons Jones, a self-described “mountain girl” from
rural Colorado, chose Portland to pursue a design career. “I want to
allow my new fans to get to know who I am, why I made what I did, or
just connect in a way fashion shows rarely allow the designers to…
fashion here is communal, and I want to get a piece of my own
presentation!” (w/DJ Placetina; Amalee, 909 N Beech, Sat Nov 17, 7
pm, free)
After you find a perfect poetic party dress from Moth Love, you’ll
need to consider the rest of your seasonal shopping obligations. Get
your Christmas shopping rolling with the Pretty Girl Holiday
Sale, featuring over 30 local vendors of handmade art and gifts.
(The Egg, 534 SE Oak, Fri Nov 16, artists’ reception and sale 6-9
pm; Sat Nov 17, 11 am-5 pm)
I want moths in my closet? marjorie@portlandmercury.com