Fashion & music are often paired together, but this was the first time I saw fashion & food as A Feast for the Eyes was the theme of the 12^th annual Art Institute Fashion Show. Food Network meets Vogue perchance? I couldn’t refrain from puns while being driven to the event last Saturday: Dressed up for dressing or pie à la mode or stovepipe jeans.  Wordplay aside, the Art Institute social event not only presents the graduating class fashion collections, but doubly acts as their largest fundraiser benefiting the Oregon Food Bank & the Creative Arts Scholarship Fund. This year’s gala was hosted at the Oregon Convention Center with a cocktail reception & silent auction beneath the glass structured roof. This being the eminent spring fashion event in Portland, the fashion pack was out in full force. We spotted Eleah Tomei of Etch Marketing in a silver sequined jacket, photographers Scott James & Marie Saturn in her signature cowboy boots and shining smile, Mai Tran of Crave in a turquoise floral romper, Tito Chowdry of Portland Fashion Week, the Art Institute’s very own Melanie Risner in a colorful vintage dress & Allena Baker in stylish black with her own crafted jewelry, just to name a few.

Following a fashionably delayed start, the ceremony began with a welcome speech & scholarship award presentation by the Department Director of Fashion- the sprightly Sue Bonde. Subsequently, the culinary portion of the evening arrived as Cocoa’s Cuisine Couture – a lengthy conceptual mini-fashion show combining ordinary edibles & kitchen items into wearable fashion. After an extended intermission, we were presented with the 15 senior collections. Andrea Egan’s Minerva collection was an ode to ancient Greek draping with gold sequins & neutral colors. Kristina Franklin created a small collection of dresses with built-in LED lights titled Crystallized Fashion. Future Tense was the monochromatic collection of Alexandra Gallatin with structured shoulders like those at Balmain. Melissa Gaynor’s still life collection was clean with an emphasis on cowls. A hybrid of the Russian ballet & Royal India was the multi-colored, whimsical theme of Julie Grasher’s collection. Swedish designer Johanna Lindstrom created one of the stronger collections of the evening with asymmetrical, body con silhouettes and drawstring-pulleys that transformed the pieces into new looks. Her finale dress was constructed from weathered tarp trailing behind the model. Megan McGugan’s presentation titled Aviation Flights  inspired by the early years of aviation & very Amelia Earhart. The sexy swimwear Moontess collection of Mihaela Munteanu took our breath away with attractive bikinis & bandeau tops. Cora Poole showed two collections with one focused on Native American culture set against reds and blacks while her second line was an ode to motorcycle racing with zippered jumpsuits & asymmetrical lines. The Ki collection of Sudan Prince was breathtaking with its purity. The colors were reminiscent of fashion house Hermes with chocolate browns & rusted oranges with tan leather accessories. Ghetto Blastin’ Sounds was the digital print, casual sports wear collection of Velia Salinas with references to graffiti culture. Eddie Shandler’s collection Medieval Punk played with vinyl, zippers, & tartan patterns giving a Gothic Schoolgirl appeal. Christine Tobin was theatrical & costume based inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Pale Rider was the title of Jasin Weiner’s four looks with elements of deconstruction & leather holsters on the thigh. A former Cirque du Soleil costumer, Etain Wilday, created theatrical, Edwardian men’s wear for women in olive & neutral hues. Claire Wolfson’s collection centered on coats & dresses with 1930s & 1940s silhouettes titled Loagy Bay: A Time Traveler’s Collection.

The yearly Art Institute fashion show becomes more impressive as the years pass. The clothing, the production value, and the time devoted to it are unsurpassed in Portland. During intermission, we reminisced with designer Adam Arnold – in a tailored blazer & jeans – one of the first Art Institute shows at an on campus, sweltering, under construction room. Taken as a whole, I was disillusioned by the absence of menswear this year and not as many innovative collections experimenting with fabrics & technology. There is without doubt talent among the class of 2010, and it will be exciting to see them translate their abilities into the greater global fashion markets. With a bit of luck, they can accomplish this without a lot of forks in the road.         

For more fashion show photos, click the seen @ scene link.

Written by Ashkan. Photos by Jaycob DesRosiers.

Comments are closed.