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Wednesday March 25th through Sunday March 29th. marked the fifth season of St. Louis Fashion Week. A weeklong series of runway events and parties masterminded and produced by the folks at Alive Magazine.
They, along with the help of a team of local creatives, came together to bring some of the world's best emerging design talent to the heart of it all. A place where most believe fashion comes to die, the team worked to prove that fashion is alive and kickin'. They prevailed.
The crew called in designers from New York, LA, and even London to co-mingle with the native designers. A trained eye could certainly tell the difference between the two. Though, the entire collective of designers remained cohesive.
St. Louis-based designers like TRIM, Suzanne Lay, and Miriam Coffey, amongst others, stayed true to their Midwestern roots with practical pieces such as graphic tees, knit dresses and separates. Several others, Midwestern or not, provided the necessary flair any astute runway show would.
Some highlights from the week...
Cloak & Dagger
Bio: Delightful darling, Brookelynn Starnes, designs New York-based label Cloak & Dagger, a high-end, vintage inspired collection for the urban sophisticate.
Runway Details: Pom poms, keyholes and velvet tipping were just a few of the very feminine accouterments that made this collection so cute you could just die. If you love Eskell or In God We Trust, you will love Cloak & Dagger.
Click here to see Brookelynn backstage before the show dishing about the collection and gushing over the cute models in her clothes.
Love Brigade
Bio: Alyssa Key, Jamie Rockaway and Christopher "Tinypants" Dang, make up
the creatively-charged design team better known as, Love Brigade. The trio works out of Brooklyn, NYC to bring us futuristic, form fitting and detail oriented garb for the hipster in all of us.
Runway Details: The color palate was stark (Jet-Blacks, White Whites, and Greys) with pops of cherry red. For the girls, it was all about jumpers, bell-sleeves, two-toned dresses and high-waisted short shorts. For the boys, there were not-so-basic basics: graphic t's, fitted jeans, henleys and hoodies.
Click here to sneak a peek of our intimate chat with Tinypants on everything from Lil' Wayne to "Going Home".
Wrath Arcane
Bio: Sean Bilovecky and Brian O’neill started
utilitarian-inspired menswear line, Wrath Arcane, in 2006. The Cleveland-bred
boys came, backed by the credo, "Big Labels Are Fucked", an homage to
their views on corporate consumerism. I
n just 3 years, the brand has reached
international status and has expanded to include accessories and footwear. They
stay true to their beliefs by remaining loyal to domestic manufacturers and
environmentally-conscious fabrics.
Runway Details: In classic Wrath Arcane fashion, models donned a darkly hued color palette. Black, black, and more black. Thrown in for good measure, were various plaid patterns for a good ole' Americana feel. The lines were clean, the fit was slim and the militant aesthetic prevalent. Looks were styled with hoods, hats and head/neck scarves. This collection made me want to be a boy.
Before the show, we had a chance to chat with the Wrath guys and their newest addition, Dana
Bolongaro Trevor
Bio: Bolongaro Trevor is the eponymous mens and womenswear collection designed by husband and wife, Kait
Bolongaro and Stuart Trevor. Both are founders/former designers of All
Saints Retail Ltd., a staple of High Street in the UK. Their new endeavor is am
ped up and higher end than the last, with inspiration coming from decades past and classic Britannia. A brand fit for rock's elite and femme
fatales.
Runway Details: This particular collection was the week's joie de vivre for me. The seasoned designers knocked our socks off with garments any American could only dream of conceptualizing. For the women, it was all about the details. Zippers, ruffles, and Grecian draping galore. For the men, there were suits in rock-n-roll red, union jack-inspired patchwork pants, and a spray of military epaulets. Unified, the group formed a gorgeous British Rock Army that could make anyone be all they can be.
All in all, the events of St. Louis Fashion week were wonderful. I am so happy to have been invited. A special thank you to all involved for showing me that Midwestern hospitality while I was there. Also, another big thanks to Kari from Above The Fray for hosting the video interviews. You can check out her coverage here.
I can't wait to see what next season will bring!
Runway images via Pam Bradenkamp
courtesy of Saint Louis Fashion Week
