Fade to Light: My Review

It's been about a week since Fade to Light happened, and after seeing the pictures and reading the reviews I am really happy to say that it was a success!!!

I have helped produce tons of fashion shows, but this is the first one where I was the only one in charge, if the show sucked then it was all on me. It was kind of a lot of pressure! In the heat of it though I did not really think about it too much, I just worked my ass off and hoped it would all come together.

The first couple of days after the show, even though the designers, models, and show goers had lots of great things to say right after the show was over, I could only focus on the things that went wrong. They were minor, including a little problem with the spotlight. It was just one of those things that I had no idea would happen, and I have since chalked it up to a "live and learn" sort of thing.

The good news is is that the things that went wrong can be easily fixed next year, and seriously, this show was not about me, it was about the designers and their collections. I just wanted to put on a high end show that still had an indie vibe, and I wanted the show to be fun for the audience, and judging by the feedback I have received I think I accomplished that.

So, the date has already been set for the second installment of Fade to Light (February 27th, 2013) and I am already brainstorming about how to make it even bigger and better. I really have to thank all the designers (Sharon Blair and Bryce Black of Studio SKB, Ms. Wood, Clair Vintage Inspired, Joshua Buck of Chicago Harper, Solestruck, and Black Milk) the models, the sponsors (Oni Press, Salon Capelli, Beau Monde, and New Deal Distillery) Kayla Rekofke for being an awesome backstage manager, everyone at The Crystal Ballroom, Brainstorm, and of course DJ Gregarious, for not only DJing and taking care of all of the visuals, but for being an awesome boyfriend who has supported me from the beginning.


Here's to next year!!! (Mark your calenders.)


Enjoy some of my favorite pictures from the show, taken by the talented photographers at OSI

A look by Studio SKB

A look from Studio SKB

A look from Studio SKB

A look from Studio SKB

A look from Studio SKB

A look by Bryce Black for Studio SKB

A look by Bryce Black for Studio SKB

A look by Bryce Black for Studio SKB

A look by Ms. Wood

A look by Ms. Wood

A look by Ms. Wood

A look by Ms. Wood

A look by Ms. Wood

A look by Clair Vintage Inspired

A look by Clair Vintage Inspired

A look by Clair Vintage Inspired

A look by Clair Vintage Inspired

A look by Clair Vintage Inspired

A look by Chicago Harper

A look by Chicago Harper

A look by Chicago Harper

A look by Chicago Harper

A look by Chicago Harper

A look by Chicago Harper

A look by Solestruck X Black Milk

A look by Solestruck X Black Milk

Looks by Solestruck X Black Milk

Looks by Solestruck X Black Milk

Looks by Solestruck X Black Milk

For the complete gallery visit: OSI

Fade to Light Designer: Solestruck X Black Milk

The final featured designer is Solestruck X Black Milk

Our mission: To rid the world of ugly shoes. We scour the globe to bring in amazing brands from around the world. We pride ourselves on collabos and exclusives to offer a selection that can be found nowhere else. We're like a medical clinic for shoe addicts. We've been waiting for you...

When Solestruck opened it's flagship store in Portland in October of last year, fashionable ladies let out a scream of joy while their wallets let out a little whimper. Every time I go in the store they have new shoes to drool over, thanks to the lovely store manager Melissa La Chance, and about every month they collaborate with a local designer (clothing and jewelry) and often feature local designers in their lookbooks. Needless to say Solestruck is all about keeping it in the Portland family, but for Fade to Light they decided to call on an international friend for help. Black Milk from Australia will be outfitting the models while they walk down the runway (carefully) in those amazing sky high shoes we have come to know and love, which will include styles from Jeffrey Campbell, Unif, United Nude, and All Caps.

Solestruck Flagship Store in Portland

Solestruck Flagship Store in Portland

Solestruck Flagship Store in Portland

A look from Black Milk

A look from Black Milk

  Photos Courtesy Solestruck and Black Milk

The show is tomorrow night and there are still some tickets available here!

Fade to Light Designer: Ms. Wood

The next featured designer is Ms. Wood:

Alicia and Ben Wood are the dynamic husband and wife duo behind Ms. Wood. With the launch of their first collection together they won the title of Best Emerging Designer of 2010 at Portland Fashion Week.

The first time I became aware of Ms. Wood was at the try-outs to compete in the Emerging Designer Competition at Portland Fashion Week in 2010, and when the judges literally bought the clothes off of the model's back then and there, I knew this was a designer to watch.

How right I was, Ms. Wood ended up winning that competition and has since been one of the fastest rising stars in the Portland design scene. With their Japanese kimono inspired dresses and coats, fringed leather bags and accessories, and shoes and jewelry made out of, you guessed it, wood, Alicia and Ben Wood consistently designs pieces that fashionable ladies need to have in their wardrobes.

Ms. Wood will be presenting it's tried and true pieces at Fade to Light on Wednesday, with their Fall 2012 Collection being dark with a sexy film noir twist. 

A look from Spring 2012

A look from Fall 2011

Ms. Wood Shoes and Bag

 Photos Courtesy Ms. Wood

Tickets are still on sale now here! You don't want to miss this show!

Fade to Light Designer: Clair Vintage Inspired

The next featured designer is Clair Vintage Inspired:

Getting dressed should be fun! Each time you choose a new outfit, it should feel like you're opening a gift. Each Clair Vintage Inspired dress, skirt, and top is an opportunity to be feminine, flattering and stylish, without loading up on compressing undergarments.

Designed by Alyson Clair and proudly made in Portland, Clair Vintage Inspired has been bringing fun and flirty frocks to women of all shapes and sizes since 2007. The line has garnered a great fan base for it's easy wearability and it's modern take on classic designs. Alyson may be obsessed with fashion, but one of her biggest passions is charity work, and she consistently supports charities like The Community Warehouse, The Newburg Animal Shelter, Rose Haven, and The Oregon Holocaust Resource Center. 

Clair Vintage Inspired will be showing it's Spring 2012 line, and you can definitely expect to see lots of great dresses and fun prints on the runway.

A look from Spring 2012

A look from Fall 2011 (featuring Fade to Light's lead hair stylist!)

A look from Spring 2011

Photos Courtesy Clair Vintage Inspired

Fade to Light Designer: Chicago Harper

The next featured designer is Chicago Harper, which is Studio SKB's menswear line:

Chicago Harper gives style and fit to any man who is looking to move up in his life and his career.

Sharon Blair enlisted another up and coming designer, Joshua Buck, to design the menswear collection starting in 2011. Buck started out as an artist studying painting at Pratt Institute and then moved into apparel after becoming interested in sculpture and performance art. He will be showing his What is a Man Fall 2012 Collection, and judging from what was shown in the Spring 2011 collection, he will continue his theme of showing avant garde and sometimes androgynous menswear that is well constructed and impeccably tailored.

A look from the Spring 2012 Collection

A look from the Spring 2012 Collection

 Photos Courtesy Studio SKB

Fade to Light Designer: Studio SKB

The first featured designer from Fade to Light is Studio SKB:

Studio SKB focuses on sustainable fashion with a vintage touch: The dress that takes you from work to dinner and can be worn many ways. The jacket that helps you face the weather with style, year after year. The garment with fit, feel and flexibility – with the bonus of sustainable fibers.

Founded by Sharon Blair, Studio SKB started more than 2 decades ago as a custom clothing business and has since expanded to include apparel eduction in the form of Portland Sewing and a launching point for up and coming Portland designers.

One of these designers is Bryce Black, who was featured on Season 9 of Project Runway and designed the Studio SKB Fall 2011 collection Grey Gardens. 

Sharon will be showing her Avenir Belle Fall 2012 Collection and Bryce will be showing his Avenir Fou Fall 2012 Collection, and from what I gather from the translations and the imagery they have sent me their segment will be an interesting juxtaposition on what they perceive the future to be.

A look from the Fall 2011 Collection

A look from the Spring 2012 Collection

A look from the Spring 2012 Collection

 Photos Courtesy Studio SKB

Fade to Light: A Multidimensional Fashion Event

I am super excited about Fade to Light, a huge fashion show I am producing one week from today. It is the first that I am the executive producer on (though I have helped produce countless fashion shows) and am aiming for it be a great experience for everyone that attends:

On February 29th the Crystal Ballroom will play host to a dynamic fashion show where each designer was encouraged to think outside the box regarding their runway presentation. Fade to Light aims to not just be a fashion show, but to be an experience that leaves the viewer with a solid understanding of each designer and the collections being shown.
  

With five amazing designers and music by Brainstorm and DiscJockey Gregarious this will be a really fun night. Between now and the show I will be doing posts about each designer, so stay tuned!