Tomorrow at the Portland Art Museum (doors at 6:30, show at 7:30), the Art Institute of Portland is holding its 10th anniversary fashion show featuring work from students, graduating seniors, and alumni. This year’s crop is looking pretty fresh; I’ll be profiling some of the graduating seniors in the days leading up to the event. Next up:

KORINA EMMERICH

With a background in fine arts, Emmerich looks toward England for inspiration, and has hopes of relocating to London after graduating. (Vivienne Westwood is a favorite). This senior collection is a product of Emmerichs fascinations with Surrealism and music (particularly the style of dress popularized by icons like the Rolling Stones.

Emmerich’s senior collection is titled “Hot Love”, and also cites Sweet, the Kinks, and T-Rex as musical inspirations.

More influences: Alexander McQueen, the Edwardian period, mods, and teddy boys.

Photos by Tyson Robichaud
Hair and Make-up by Aura Steiner
Models: Aura, Amanda, Laurie, Katherine

Korina can be contacted via email.

This Sunday at the Portland Art Museum (doors at 6:30, show at 7:30), the Art Institute of Portland is holding its 10th anniversary fashion show featuring work from students, graduating seniors, and alumni. This year’s crop is looking pretty fresh; I’ll be profiling some of the graduating seniors in the days leading up to the event. Next up:

SHANNON KELLY

After establishing a background in painting, Shannon Kelly has now turned to menswear, an area of design that always seems primed for fresh ideas, many of which end up looking… questionable. Kelly’s approach for her senior collection was pragmatic: She sent a survey to virtually every guy she knew, quizzing them on what they were looking for in clothing, what they had the hardest time finding, and who their favorite fashion icons were. What came back were complaints about finding clothing that fit slim enough, had a lot of pockets, was easy to care for (washable, didn’t need to be ironed), could transition in and out of the office, and would travel well.

Although responses to Kelly’s “fashion icons” question were spotty (Steve McQueen was the only one she could recall), this collection takes pages from Harrison Fords’s roles in Indiana Jones and Blade Runner.

Kelly has been doing some designing for the local motorcycle and scooter riding apparel company Corazzo, and imagines herself perhaps doing technical design for a local company.

Interested parties may contact Shannon Kelly via email.

Photos by Jeff T Smith

Don’t forget that tonight from 5-8 pm at Nolita (923 NW 10th), the store is celebrating its fourth anniversary, with cocktails and snacks, a gallery showing of 2007’s Best Butt Contestants (vote for your favorite and you’ll become eligible for prizes like a pair of Hudson jeans), and 15% off the store. Even if you can’t make the party, the sale will continue through Sunday, so it’s a good time to stock up on summer denim and essential separates for men and women, plus casual dresses for your next three months of al fresco dinner parties.

A Topo Ranch hoodie, also winnable when you vote on your favorite butt.

This Sunday at the Portland Art Museum (doors at 6:30, show at 7:30), the Art Institute of Portland is holding its 10th anniversary fashion show featuring work from students, graduating seniors, and alumni. This year’s crop is looking pretty fresh; I’ll be profiling some of the graduating seniors in the days leading up to the event, beginning with…

ERIN GLANZ

Erin Glanz’s collection is actually slated to be the finale of Sunday’s show, so if you’re the type to eat your dessert first, you’re right on board with the program here. Glanz earned a degree in psychology and spent some time in Chicago before beginning her formal training in apparel design in Florida, and worked for Diesel before moving to Portland to finish at AI (where she was given an A+ on her senior collection). She identifies the central concept as focused volume, immediately recognized in her pieces’ enveloping of the body in alternately fitted and voluminous shapes, all rendered in duchess satin and vivid colors inspired by lipstick:

Glanz’s apparent inclination towards sculptural clothing is indicative of her primary designer inspirations, Balenciaga and Lanvin.

Post-graduate plans are, as ever, sketchy, but Glanz hopes to remain in the area. Those interested in her designs can contact her by email.

Photography: Adrian Adel
Makeup: Alicia Elfving
Models: Mary, Mathilde & Patricia

Loeffler Randall designer Jessie Randall has declared 2008 “the summer of the romper.” Are you ready?
A combo of 40’s pinup and 60’s sex kitten, these jumpers are not for the fashion faint-of-heart. But if celebs as diverse as Rihanna, Sienna Miller, and Nicole Ritchie can find onsies to suit their style…well, so can you!
You don’t even have to go to LA to find them. The following are downtown at Frances May:

Mooka Kinney, $275:

Samantha Pleet, $315:

Samantha Pleet, $365:

Model: Gretchen Jones

The Merc’s Bike Issue is about to hit the stands, so I’ve got everything bikey on the brain. Nonetheless, it was my boss who asked me today if I’d ridden my bike to work in my high heels. Of course I did. I’ve been riding in heels for as long as I’ve been riding a bike in my adult life. Although, as I’ve gotten older and my tastes have become more expensive, I don’t ride in all my heels anymore. There’s always the old trick of putting your “real” shoes in a bag or basket and biking to the party in ratty flats (authentic ballet slippers work even better, as they easily scrunch into all but the smallest of purses). But the best of both worlds, in my experience, are Repettos. The undisputed champion of the ballet flat world, the French dance shoe company also makes a wide variety of high heeled styles that are incredibly flexible and sturdy, way comfortable and easy to bike in without tearing them up, and they’re cute enough that you don’t need to swap ‘em out when you get to whatever glamorous destination you’re headed for. I have a strappy gold pair that’s still kicking after three years+ of wear (I may spend a lot on shoes, but I make them earn their keep), with only one pit stop at the shoe repair. I got them at Odessa (410 SW 13th), but Olive (1040 NW 10th), Halo (1425 NE Broadway), and Zelda’s (633 NW 23rd) have all been known to stock them.

I’m delighted to include this review by special guest author Ashkan, accompanied by photographs by Jaycob DesRosiers.—Ed

It can be difficult for people to envision summer in June in Portland, since the sun usually doesn’t make a daily appearance until after the 4th of July. However, summer was created last Friday evening through the eyes of Visage Eyewear with hot, bright lighting effects, dashing eyewear by Sama, and the summer fashion collections of Popina Swimwear, Mabel & Zora boutique, Magalí Corzo, and Olive shoes.

Our delightful picks from the collections included the practical and flattering jersey looks of Argentine designer Magalí Corzo, as interpreted in the form of a coral shift dress tastefully gathered at the bosom. Always a classic is the color charcoal grey. Magalí showed a flouncy charcoal jersey dress with bow tie pockets at the waist.

A new boutique in NW known as Parallel Clothing debuted its designs, and they stole the show with complex yet simple and elegantly tailored pieces for those more formal summer occasions. Parallel showed a delicate white summer pinafore with yoke collar and keyhole cutout at the chest along with a tiered hem of the same fabric. The Dawn dress was the darling of the show, eliciting applause from the spectators. The form fitting beige, silk dress became sheer as it approached the neck, where it lay slightly gathered.

What is summer without a bathing suit? The go-to in Portland for swimwear is Popina, and designer Pamela Levenson showed pieces inspired by the Mexican Riviera, such as a graphic print tankini with black bikini bottoms and the peach with white polka dot bikini knows as the “Maggie.”

The boutique Mabel & Zora welcomed their new Pearl District store location with a few looks from their armoire. We adored the lemon and white tennis dress, as it reminded us of one our favorite fashion icons, Jackie Kennedy. Another fashion icon-inspired dress was the 1970’s Talitha Getty floor length brown halter dress with green frond graphic print.

Whether the sun decides to come out or not this summer—all those dismal global warming reports—pick up a pair of wraparound, fabulous Sama sunglasses a la Elizabeth Taylor, look amazing, and just “envision” summer.—Ashkan

This borderland between Spring and Summer feels eternal. One day it’s hot, the next its comfortable, then blam! four days straight of dismal. It’s messing with my emotions. The bright side is that as long as you still need a jacket on one out of every three days, Phlox is having a sale on spring outerwear, at 25% off. Something to consider if you need a pick-me-up to face another rainy June day.

This cute mini trench from Dagg and Stacey is included in the sale except—girl after my own heart—owner Barbara Seipp ordered it in black.