Fashion show alert! This Saturday, Details Style Lab, the spin-off of Details Salon in Highland Park, will celebrate their grand opening in downtown St. Paul. And you’re invited!

Silent Auction/Reception (free!): 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. stop by the new salon/spa/men’s clothing boutique to watch the models get prepped for the main event.

Fashion Show: Siji Kids, Picky Girl, Karma, Sorrayah, and Heimie’s will take to the runway for an event where the hair is guaranteed to be perfectly coiffed. $25 in advance/$30 at the door. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. at the Lowry Theater. Call 651-251-8700 for tickets.

All proceeds from the events benefit the Autism Society of Minnesota.

See ya there!

The biggest fashion and music show of the year is just days away. I stopped by Russell Bourrienne’s studio on Sunday afternoon to observe a fitting.
Russell is the show’s sole menswear-only designer. He normally does custom clothes. He describes his Voltage collection as “Europe meets Asia,” which you’ll see in samurai-inspired pants and Gandhi-esque shorts (a.k.a. “Please Hammer don’t Hurt ‘em” pants) paired with European tailored shirts and vests. There are also some strong denim pieces.
So I was there when Russell was fitting Jose (remember him?). He first pulled these suede patchwork pants for Jose. Then he tried on a series of tops–a vest (no), a button-down striped shirt (not quite) and then finally this corduroy jacket (yes!).
Want to see more? You’ll have to attend Voltage on Wednesday, April 16 at 7:30. There are a few tickets ($17 each) still available via Ticketmaster.
Even more? Russell will host a wine and cheese reception on Friday, April 18, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. as part of Minnesota Fashion Weekend. He’s at: 711 W. Lake St., Studio 510.
More? Just make an appointment already– 612-709-7327.

Last weekend’s fashion show at the new Hotel Ivy was the best I’ve seen in the Twin Cities in the two and a half years. It featured the work of Joynoelle (above) and Monique Lhuillier (below).
Why? It was professionally and elegantly choreographed (thanks to producer Mitch Kelly), the setting was lovely (thanks to the new IVY) and the clothes were stunning (thanks to the designers and stylists).

Joynoelle’s shabby chic designs were at their best in the first look and the xxx look. Monique Lhuillier’s spring collection was inspired by her favorite Laduree macaroons. Even though I saw it on the runway last fall, it’s a spectacular collection of dreamy pastels in floaty, feminine, playful silhouettes.

The show was further boosted by jewelry from JB Hudson baubles.

A nice touch? A run of show… The audience can follow along with look-by-look descriptions as they watch. So you can shop as you watch. It’s standard fare at New York fashion shows, but a rare occurrence in the Twin Cities.

Here’s the description of look number nine from Lhuillier’s run of show:

Mist grey crinkle gazar one shoulder asymmetrically draped gown with soft bubble tier skirt.

For fashionistas, it’s poetry!

Here’s Joynoelle’s first look (my favorite):

Cream shredded silk taffeta bodice dres with pale blue skirting and black rose and hand-knotted details.

The collaboration was an impressive effort–a day of watching, shopping, eating and socializing. I can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday.

Where to shop:

Joynoelle, 312 W. 42nd St., Mpls, 612-209-7822.

Monique Lhuillier, 3928 W. 50th St., Edina, 612-929-0747. For reports about Lhuillier’s fall 2008 collection, click here, here, here, and here.

Here’s Blythe Brenden. She was one of the hosts of Sunday’s Monique Lhuillier/Joynoelle fashion show at the Ivy Hotel. More on the show later.

Blythe wore this gorgeous Monique Lhuillier coat with a fine metallic thread running through it. Nice shoes, too. The jewelry is from JB Hudson. (Blythe will be the first to tell you that she loves to sparkle!) The hair was done by Matt Swinney from Evolution–Experience Hair Culture in Minneapolis.
More importantly, the event benefitted one of her favorite causes–the Institute for Health and Healing at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. The Institute uses integrated medicine such as acupuncture, massage and relaxation techniques into healthcare.

I don’t have much more to say about DIVA this year. This year’s event got an injection of energy, but it was kind of all over the place. One high-profile guest, called the show “fractured.”

It was a confusing mix of catering to the $10,000 tables and the $40 “wanderer” viewers some four floors above. The mix of scantily clad, glitter-covered models and auctioning off $15,000 packages was a little schizophrenic in its execution.

I wasn’t convinced that the first floor enjoyed all of the performances. The most exciting moment of the show was when a guest in neon pink, skin-tight, bum-exposing pleather stormed across the stage as though he/she was a designer. (You can see this person in the background of the above photo.)

Speaking of designers, the collections seemed scaled back. Some were good, some were bad, some were really bad. However, there was no information about how or where to find these clothes, if someone wanted to, say, scoop up a dress or suit for next year’s event. That is ultimately how you support local design, while also supporting HIV/AIDS-related organizations.

These sky-high platforms were as scary to watch as they are to look at now. We’re not used to Vivienne Westwood heels, especially with snow falling as it did on Saturday night. And, yes, the model teetered as she strutted across the room.