design: Ancient, Inc. photo: Nina S
The high-altitude smorgasbord of local clothing that is Portland Fashion Week continued last night with an eclectic array of Portland talent. Ancient, Inc. showed simple modern streetwear: lots of hoodies and silkscreened t-shirts, with the occasional fitted oxford shirt or jacket. Standouts came where they diverged from the major trends of the past year to hit a couple of minor ones. A pair of shorts with sailor details were sharp, as was a knit dress that led off the show. Pencil skirts were also a strong point, as was a velvet jacket for men and a wool one for women.
Jackie Steiner showed a collection of scarves and shawls draped and pinned on models in neutral tights. Most eye-catching were the Lucite purses also made by Steiner and sent down the runway stuffed with her wares. DarBeka sent a number of gowns and skirts which were extremely varied, from chiffon numbers in toga proportions to simple patterned skirts. Poppi Swim closed out the evening with a line of swimwear made from modern fabrics yet cut with retro styling; some pieces would not look out of place on a Vargas Girl (or her granddaughter).
design: The Black Fox. photo: Nina S
The real standouts were the throwbacks: it was a great surprise to see two ardent apostles of stylish menswear in a week, and an industry, so devoted to women. The Black Fox, aka William Robinson, and the North Portland boutique Duchess both sent lines of classic men�s jackets and suits down the runway and made it seem as much a mitzvah as it was a fashion statement. Robinson has far and away the most engaging biography on the Portland Fashion Week website, claiming inspiration from, “well-dressed, fat cigar smokin� fat cats in the back room at the after-hours clubs,” classic movies, and the jazz uniforms of the 40s and 50s. “I want to look out for the guy who wants to step out,” he said. His jackets were straight 40s and 50s affairs in wool with contrasting welts and cuff details, or overcoats with huge, drooping shawl collars. It is a measure of what he is trying to fight that one of his boxy jackets threatened to overwhelm one of the slighter (Portland-shaped) models.
design: Duchess. photo: Nina S
Duchess designer Seyta Selter was preaching a similar gospel, showing a line of tailored menswear which debuted in July. �I�m on an aesthetic mission,� she said, �I think the fashion options for men are really limited. I think that men have looked better at any point in the past 150 years than now, except for the 1980s, where we were all screwed.� Anything from the 20s to the 60s was fair game, and she made jackets and suits with obvious period inspirations but with a more modern fit.
A Duchess 1940s double breasted suit had the wide shoulders and legs of the time, but also had a more natural waist in place of one beginning high on the chest. A 30s three piece suit in wool had pleats in the pants and Norfolk detailing on the jacket, but the whole package had a modern fit which would hold its own, and more, against much of the current faux retro crud currently on offer. Even more impressive is the fact that Selter did it all from scratch. Rather than rescuing patterns of yore, she makes her own, fits them, and sends them to a local tailor for piecework.
Happy irony, then, that in a week dedicated to Portland�s fashion future the past can steal the show, and do so with panache.
–Will Levin
–photos: Nina Sage
updated Sunday October 22 2006 20:51
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