Next Thursday, November 5 (7-9 pm, 718 SW Alder, free for members and students, or $5), AIGI is hosting a salon to discuss the meaning and practice of sustainable design. AIGI is primarily geared to design professionals, and speakers include representatives from Pinball Publishing and Wieden + Kennedy, so be prepared for a discussion that's more geared toward print/web issues and "green office renovation" than sourcing organic fabric or recycling craft supplies. Nonetheless, with the increasing importance of a web presence for designers and small boutiques to do well, it seems likely that anyone engaging in creative enterprise could come away with something useful. Plus, free beer! Seating (and beer) is limited, so it's wise to RSVP.

The art of Trish Grantham is to me a quintessential piece of Portland's visual culture. Not only is it publicly visible on the Fresh Pot sign, and on the walls of many a local collector, but her animal themes are also probably at least partially responsible for the animal-portrait obsession still prevalent as an art and design theme. (Birds! So many birds!) Now she's bringing us "The Secret Society of Our Hearts," and exhibit of new work on vintage paper and wood. It's taking place at Land, the new Buy Olympia brick 'n' mortar at 3925 N Mississippi, Friday Nov 6 at 6 pm, and will be up on the walls until December 6.

Oh hell yeah, this is my idea of a good party! From Britt Howard of the Portland Garment Factory:

This year, Portland Garment Factory is doing our own version of Halloween in the tradition of a formal party. The Art of the Garment part I will be a museum style/curated display of many spectacular and intricately constructed garments (antique and modern). This showcase is also to be considered the perfect time for you to break out your most intricate piece whether it be a gown from the 30s to a hat to a stellar pair of stilettos. We all have that amazing piece that we never have a chance to wear.... now is the time ladies and gentleman!! Bust it out! Enjoy wine, small treats and get your photo taken to capture the rare, exotic moment of you having a blast in your rare 1930's beaded African headdress!

Sounds like fun, right? It's this Friday, from 8 pm to midnight at the shop/factory space at 7910 SE Stark, costs one measly buck plus donations for booze and photos, and to sweeten the deal even further Vintage Cocktail Lounge across the street will take 20% off the tab of attendees!

I spent a few days in downtown Cleveland this past summer, in an old hotel that was right across the street from the city's Warehouse District, which at one time was the hub of a garment manufacturing industry second only to New York City's. All that's gone now, of course, as the city's downtown economy has slid (would you believe there is not a single department store in downtown Cleveland?). There's now a budding revival happening there, with a smattering of independently owned boutiques, some nice restaurants, and at least one fine modern furniture store. But back in the area's heyday, the Ohio Knitting Mills were cranking out apparel for store like Sear and Lord & Taylor, and lines like Oregon's own Pendleton, putting away samples of every garment created since WWII, resulting in a massive collection of everything from pants to capes to sweaters, shirts, caps, vests and dresses, spanning the years of 1947 to 1974. Tomorrow Lizard Lounge is hosting a trunk show of these pieces, now available for sale, with one or few of a kind rarities for sale from noon-4 pm. It's a good chance to grab a piece of "Made in USA" heritage history.

SCRAP has announced it's date (November 14) and new venue (the Crystal Ballroom) for this year's recycled fashion (I prefer their term "trashion") contest, hosted by Mayor Sam Adams and... me, wearing my own formal-occasion trashion. Twenty-five original pieces created from
"trash" (think soda can tabs and chewing gum wrappers), will be presented on the runway and judged by the "Junk Jury" (Adam Arnold, along with representatives from SCRAP, The Regional Arts & Culture Council, Portland Fashion Week, and the Oregon Association of Recyclers), with a winning prize of $500. there will also be a performance by the junk orchestra called (what else) "Junkquestra," a "green carpet," vedors of recycled accessories, a DIY table, and more. Audience trashion is also encouraged, and this year's event will be all ages for the first time ever (I'll try to keep it clean).

Photo via Frank-O-Foto

Uh-oh, that fashion show party infection is coming around again. This time downtown nightclub Invasion is jumping in with a a little fashion added in to the First Thursday mix, featuring local designers and retailers and a rotating theme each month.

But GUESS what the first theme is, scheduled to pop off on November 5?! It's a "Goth Fashion Tribute to The Twilight Saga: Full Moon." And they mean business, too—it's been designated an *official* Twilight promotional event, and they will be goving away tix to the Portland premiere of New Moon! OMG! (WTF?) I've got a message in to find out which lucky locals are to be featured in this goth-tastic event. Party on, Portland fashion, party on.

UPDATE! Designers will be Al-Anoud Dajani and Kelsey Curtis, and the retailers participating are Spartacus, Under U 4 Men, and Naked City. And, it's free!

On Saturday, Portland Fashion Week teamed up with handmade bike builder group Oregon Manifest to show off clothes designed specifically for bike riders.

Before I get to the clothes, there's a couple things I want to talk about. I thought it was ironic to hold the bike fashion show in one of the least bike-accessible places in Portland, Swan Island, but when I got there and scooted my Univega around the car barrier, I was surprised to see hundreds of bikes chained to the fence. Not hot bikes that fashion-forward folks would ride, but big, heavy work bikes with baskets. It turns out that the bikes are for the shipyard workers. Car use is very limited on the busy shipping docks, so most workers ride bikes around. It turns out that one of the seemingly least bike friendly places in town is actually home to hundreds of regular riders including this man, Mike Lane, who disembarked from his American-made Worksman cycle with cigarette in hand:

Secondly, one great thing the bike fashion show organizers did was ask local bike racers Team Beer to do a quickie intro modeling session on the runway. It was great to see regular people looking great in well-made clothes. Here's Team Beer's John Howe modeling a pair of Nau jeans with typical flair.

But probably the best move the organizers made was that the models actually rode bikes (very fancy bikes) down the wooden runway. Rumor has it the models practiced on the bikes for four hours, trying to figure out how to ride straight and slow in designer heels, and many of them were still wobbly. But it was worth it to see how the bike clothes worked on actual bikes and, besides, the bike wobbles cracked up both models and audience a couple times. The bikes made the event more fun and natural.

Whew, okay, so the clothes. Much to their credit, all the clothes seemed really wearable. A couple were knockouts (see: boots with cute side buttons), others were laughable (see: long shirt covered in colorful bikes) and some would work well on their own if not in a runway outfit (see: entire tweed outfit makes you look like you got lost on a fox hunting expedition). Roll through the slideshow below to see them for yourself.

Photos by talented Portland ex-pat Nickey Robo.