(Want more? Check out the video of the event.)
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| Photo by Bjorn Nasett. |
You know the saying, “whatever floats your boat?” ART Milwaukee, a Milwaukee-based arts advocacy organization, certainly does. Last week I attended one of their ART Jamboree’s which is a traveling interactive art gallery, that also featured a fashion show from local boutiques and designers. The festivities were held aboard the Vista King, one of the tour vessels of the Milwaukee Boat Line, which is located on Water Street and Michigan Avenue.
“Over the past seven months, we brought hundreds of people down to Bay View for the Salsa Crawl on Cinco de Mayo, and we shut down Cass Street for Arabian Nights in June. Taking city dwellers who love art on an adventure in transit is just the next level,” said Jeremy Fojut, co-founder of Art Milwaukee.
The afternoon of the event I received a call from a cool DJ friend of mine, who said he would be doing the music for the voyage. I knew then that this would be a unique evening of people, fashion, and lakefront watching! I hadn’t been out on a boat in Lake Michigan for several years, and I welcomed the chance to cruise around with other fashion and art lovers!
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| From Luci Boutique. |
The evening couldn’t have been more perfect climate wise, with temperatures steady in the mid ’70s and a hint of a lake breeze. Around 150 people gathered aboard the boat for the interactive art gallery featuring artists actually doing their work while the crowd watched intently, sipping cocktails and enjoying the gorgeous weather. Once settled in with a vodka and lemonade, I found my way to the top of the boat where the fashion show would be held. There were 75 seats for the show, and the rest of the audience just found a place to stand on deck.
DJ Smashbox set the tone with some great tunes as the event got into fashion show mode. Male and female models donned the apparel from local retailers: Luci Boutique, NEWD, SunLuks (the sister act to the Muk Luks shoe brand) and Whitestar Menswear, as they gingerly made their way down the center catwalk as the boat pitched a little in the gentle waves. Some models navigated the movement of the boat better than others, but isn’t that the fun of it all? The finale of the show was a selection of original designs by fashion artist Shannon Lee Molter. I loved her take on pseudo Victorian silhouettes, and the piece de resistance was a stunning strapless evening gown, hand dyed with shades of green and rust completed with a long train.
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| SunLuks. |
When the show was over we had reached the breakwaters just as the sun was setting over our fair city. Taking in all the views of the Marina, the skyline and all of the fashionable people aboard, I was impressed with the wealth of creative possibility right here in Milwaukee. It was an honor to help support our local designers, boutiques and artists, for it is they who keep the city alive, vibrant, and relevant. Don’t disparage the influence art; nature and design can have on those who behold it. Inspiration in life and in fashion come from many places, and quite often it is right in our own backyard, or lake as the case may be!
Sarah Lasky, VP of Express Promotions and Events, did an impressive job, donating her time to organize all of the art and fashion talent involved. She definitely has the kind of Milwaukee spirit that made this non-profit soiree a huge success.
