Yesterday, I got a sneak peek at the Belle pre-fall collection that Brianne Jones designed for Cliche’s fourth anniversary fashion show this Thursday.

Brianne (in her own design) calls it “chic Bohemia” and a “gypsy traveler mishmash thing.” Some of her silhouettes are very wearable–trapezes and slightly billowing shifts with fun ruffle or pleated details at the bottom. She used snaps on many of the designs. (So much more fun than buttons, no?)

The black and white print utilized in the dress on the top left is not zebra, but a fingerprint pattern.

I especially enjoyed looking at the inspiration wall with tearsheets from magazines, sketches of the current collection and mission statements for Belle. It includes a definition of the word:

1. A woman or girl admired for her beauty and charm.

2. The most beautiful, charming, or engaging woman or girl among a number: The belle of the ball.

For jewelry, Brianne collaborates under the Belle label with Alyssa Erickson and Emma Danskin. They repurpose vintage jewelry into modern designs.

In addition to Belle, Cliche’s anniversary show will also include works by: Amanda Christine, Anthem Heart, Arwyn Birch, Emily Weich, Gold Coast, Jenny Carle Designs, Karmadandi, kjurek couture, Laura Fulk, Mafiusi, Maritza Ramirez, Pather Yang, Red Shoe Clothing Co. and Swank Dollar. Yes, it’s a long show!

Show is this Thursday, June 5. Doors open at 8 p.m. and show starts at 9 p.m.. $5 to enter (tickets available at the store) and cash bar.

Shop for Belle at Cliche, 2403 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls, 612-870-0420.

We suffered through last year’s country fest for the best payoff ever– Cyndi Lauper and M.C. Hammer will be headlining this year’s “Pop Candy” event.

The annual Macy’s-sponsored Children’s Cancer Research Fund benefit will be on Friday, August 15 at the Orpheum Theatre. The show will also include a fashion show (Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs still sell in the Oval Room). The after-party will include Pac-Man and Donkey Kong arcade competitions and a Rubik’s Cube louge.

Let the can’t touch this quips begin! Do you think Cyndi remembers me from the front row of her concert here in 1984?

Tickets ($75 to $1000) go on sale June 2 through CCRF (952-893-9355), the State Theatre box office or ticket master (651-989-5151).

Vintage shoppers and lovers are no doubt already aware…it’s time for the third RetroRama at the Minnesota History Center.

This time ’round we’ll be celebrating 1950’s suburbia. It’s a historical take on “Desperate Housewives.”  The best part? Everyone wears vintage.

Thursday, May 15, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.. Tickets are $15 for non-members. (The Minnesota History Center is at 345 W. Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, 651-259-3000.)

Here are some of the features:

• 1950s fashion show by Anna Lee, Eclecticoiffeur and local designers, many fresh from the Voltage Runway, including Laura Fulk, Anna Lee, Calpurnia Peach, Kerri Riley and Rebecca Yaker.
• Cocktail & cooking demos with Nick Kosevich of Town Talk Diner.
• Shopping boutique by Swank Retro and Via’s Vintage.
• Bingo with celebrity callers.
• Music by Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles and DJ Jake Rudh.
• Plus 1950­60s photo exhibit, “Suburban World: The Norling Photos“, with author Brad Zellar signing his accompanying book.

While I was at Washburn’s prom on Saturday night, guest blogger, high school student Allison Malecha (you’ve seen her photography before) was a volunteer and model in the Goodwill’s Second Runway. Ironic, no? Here’s her report from the show:

“High Fashion” isn’t exactly the term that comes to mind when someone brings up Goodwill, but the Goodwill/Easter Seal Second Runway Fashion Show last Saturday definitely approached just that. The off-the-rack outfits featured well-known brands such as Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, J. Crew, and Elie Tahari (hello, a pristine Tahari skirt for $8.99 — does it get any better?) taken straight from Goodwill stores.

But the real showstoppers appeared in the second half of the show. Local designers took regular old Goodwill items, chopped them up, and pieced them back together into stunning new garments. Karen Moberg transformed some flowery bedsheets into a crisp little summer dress (above photo) while Christina Schuster, who is graduating this year from the U of M, disassembled a prom dress, some jeans, and curtains to create a sassy new dress. Styles ranged from everyday chic to naughty secretary to futuristic superhero, and Thom Navarro’s sexy line compiled of far from everyday t-shirts finished he night off
with a bang.

Mixed in with all of this fun and frill hovered a sense of do-gooding as co-hosts Alexis Walsko and Katherine Gerdes reminded everyone of the Goodwill mission: “to assist people with barriers to education, employment, and independence in achieving their goals.” And the proceeds from the event itself as well as from the auctioning off of the garments after will all go to help that mission stay strong. All in all the event was a success, and I will definitely never look at Goodwill the same way again!

ABOVE: Karen Moberg, a Goodwill Employment Support Consultant, mixes crisp pleats with girly ruffles. Hmm, I wonder what could be made out of my bedsheets….

BELOW: Secondhand t-shirts get kicked up a notch or ten with Thom Navarro’s line of edgy frills and vibrant hues. Who says cotton can’t be sexy.

Eco-conscious clothing is a growing trend in the fashion industry and so there will be not one, but two fashion show on the topic. Both are on Saturday, May 3 in the Grandstand building on the State Fair Grounds during the Living Green Expo.

1. Eco-Fashion Show,1:30 p.m. on the music stage at the Living Green Expo, free
Featuring clothes from Birch Clothing, Goodwill, My Green Closet, Naturally Bamboo Clothing, Patagonia, Ten Thousand Villages and Wildrose Farms Organic Cottons.

2. Second Runway, 8 p.m. ($10 tickets)
Local designers are remaking clothing found at Goodwill stores. Clever! We’ll see if they can put a clever, non-recycled looking spin on the vintage duds.

While I couldn’t make it to Ra’mon-Lawrence’s show last weekend, luckily, Katherine Gerdes could and did. She even took photos! Here’s her report for StylePoints:

As one of the first Voltage designers to step out with his own runway show, Ra’mon certainly set the bar and inspiration high for the rest of us designers! With 24 models and over 30 outfits, “Eluded Love” showcased a large range of skills ranging from casual RTW, his more familiar evening gowns and for the first time (at least for me), some menswear. I thought some of his ideas for menswear were both interesting, yet still wearable (like the hand dyed/painted aqua blue blazer and the rose printed shorts), but his strongest skill is still in women’s evening wear, specifically his use of prints and the way he organically plays and folds the fabric to create unique and beautiful dresses. I’ve seen his draping skills at work and it’s amazing to see him take a few yards of fabric and within a few minutes he’s created a gorgeous, origami-esq folded dress with very few seams or cuts with the scissors. And if you don’t already know, Ra’mon is a master at creating a “show.” His finale piece was exactly what you’d expect from a finale… drama, drama and more DRAMA! It’s hard to explain in words, but the model came out wrapped in paper and as she walked down the runway, tore the paper to reveal a gorgeous pleated dress underneath. Definitely a crowd pleaser!