With the growing attention being received by the Twin Cities fashion scene via the appearance of local designer Katherine Gerdes on the Bravo reality series “Project Runway,” it seems like a good time to have a fashion show.
The second-annual Sashion Flow, co-hosted by Soo Visual Arts Center and Lula’s Vintage Wear, not only unites Minneapolis and St. Paul, respectively, but also it blends art and fashion in an innovative way, according to the center’s director, Suzy Greenberg.
“We picked people who are both fashion designers and artists. So some people really make things that are more art than fashion. But there are also people doing work that is fairly traditional,” Greenberg said.
“Not too traditional, though,” she added.
Some of the 10 local designers involved also sculpt, draw, paint, embroider or design furniture. One such example is artist Angela Zammarelli, who is using her research on other art forms for the show.
“The costumes I’ve designed are sort of based off the characters from the mythologies that I am doing installations and writing about. These are physical manifestations of these characters,” Zammarelli said.
Lula’s Vintage Wear, named multiple times as the Best Used Clothing (Vintage) Store in the Twin Cities by “City Pages,” will show clothes from its vast collection as well. Hayley Bush, Lula’s owner, is focusing on fall looks, including plaid patterns, warm coats and silk fabrics.
“Each person has their own sense of style. This isn’t about dictating to people what they should wear. This is about inspiring people in their own look,” Bush said.
MoXie, a hair salon across the street from the center, will do the hair for the show. The hair stylists are artists themselves and will add to the event’s theme, Greenberg said.
Even the show’s title, Sashion Flow, reflects the blending of art and fashion and its intended shake-up. Greenberg said she and Bush decided on the title because it is catchy.
“(We) came up with the name because it is a play on words and this is a play on fashion shows. This is different from a typical fashion show,” Bush said.
According to Greenberg, the center’s gallery, where the event will be, is an ideal area for such an event.
“Our space is 100 feet long, so it is a perfect venue for a fashion show. We’re getting a nice, long stage; it’s about 30 feet long,” she said.
A new feature this year is the addition of audience members wearing some of the fashions seen on the runway.
“You can literally buy the clothes off their backs,” Greenberg said.
“Hopefully they’ll be wearing something underneath.”
