Photo courtesy of www.edgarleather.com
I was approached a few months ago about being the emcee for the 50th Lakefront Festival of the Arts “Fiber Fashion Show”, and couldn’t have been more excited. The festival takes place every June at the Milwaukee Art Museum, and “every year, the fashion show is bigger and better,” says Krista Renfrew, Special Events Coordinator for the museum. Being the person I am, I dove in head first into the opportunity without thinking “Hey, I’ve never been an emcee before.” Really though, I love fashion, the Art Museum, and people were finally starting to recognize me as “that Fashionista chick from Milwaukee Magazine.” So, why not?
The fashion show was set to take place Saturday June 16th, featuring 10 designers from all over the country. There were so many beautiful garments, including one collection was made entirely of chain mail by artist Elaine Unzicker (at left).
Another collection of outerwear, seen at right, created by Patricia Palson was inspired by origami.
Among all the beautiful clothing, I was shocked into fashion heaven when I met artist Steve Edgar of Edgar Leather from Texas. Steve creates leather goods such as doctors bags, hats, belts and other accessories. His products stood out like nothing else, because this wasn’t just embossed cowhide. As I stood in Steve’s booth at the festival, he pointed out doctors bags made of ostrich, sting ray, Brazilian cow hide, and alligator. I zero’d in on a large black carry-all doctor’s bag constructed of ostrich and sting ray, and immediately was ready to give up all my Louis Vuittons just to have it (and no, I never got it). The frame of the doctors bags are all vintage from the 1920s and earlier, while his custom designs such as the saddle bags are all his own creation. He is truly a designer I will never forget, and if you don’t believe me, you should see for yourself.
How did the fashion show go? Did I fall, or drool, or mispronounce everything? No, because I had a LOT of time to think about what I was going to say as the fashion show was initially rained out. So, I sat in a tent with 20 models for an hour, petting the sting ray and ostrich handbag, which I decided to keep on my lap like a little dog (see below).
Taken on my iPhone.
In the end though, the sun came out, a lake breeze blew and the fashion show went on without a hitch. I couldn’t have done it without my backstage help, Linda Goehre. Her organization and take charge skills were a Godsend.
Fashion show photography by Nate Kraucunas.
