Take one unrented warehouse space just outside the Third Ward, add in equal parts art, music, fashion and, yes, even indoors skateboarding, let stand for two days, and you have Milwaukee Odyssey, organized by M.A.R.S. – Milwaukee Art Reform Syndicate at the Pritzlaff building last weekend. Located just west of Water and St. Paul, this magnificent building was a perfect backdrop for the exchange of ideas that helped to create an unforgettable art-fashion hybrid.
Bree Rose Bower, co-owner of “indie fashion” store Project M Boutique
in Riverwest contacted me about creating hair and makeup for her contribution to the event, a collaborative fashion presentation with another local designer retailer, Boutique Revolution, located on the West Side. Both of these stores represent a truly unique view of fashion filtered through the life experiences of the designers they sell and 
represent at each shop. Of course I said “yes!” Working with exciting designers with fresh outlooks is always such a joy because they think outside of the box. They also seem to promote more of an urban attitude in their approach to design and fashion. As a resident of Milwaukee for 28 years, I can authoritatively say that we have some of the most talented, forward-thinking artists and designers of any large metropolitan city. As such, singing their praises is not only a joy but also a mission. Fashion on so many levels is about thought and how we react to what we see in a show. It is also about the dreams behind 
the clothing and whom they are made for, in that they help the viewer form their own opinions about the way we present ourselves to our own audiences at work or at play, day in and day out. That said, on to how the evening broke down for my partner in crime, stylist Lara Haefele of Beauty, and me.
I previously discussed with Bree the idea of using random black wigs and hairpieces for all the models, just to create a more unified effect for the audience. From there, I suggested using pasty pancake makeup on all the models and then painting and sponging on various colors 
around their eyes to make a sort of tribal look. Lara and I were stoked to have the opportunity to be totally artistic in our vision. On a couple of the models we did more of a day-of-the-dead look and were provided fake flower petals that we adhered around the eye sockets. Definitely not a pretty look but one that fit with the venue, the spirit and the feeling of artistic freedom that this event proposed. The models were awesome and totally on board for the theatrical way
we were making them look. I wanted the hair and makeup to be more of a counterpoint to the fabulous fashions, and I think it totally worked, If I do say so myself. Check out the pictures and videos to see what you missed!
Independent design is not new to Milwaukee, but there is a new breed of designer emerging. These are the people who are attending non-
traditional design schools such as “Fashion Ninja,” one of the first boutiques to feature only self-taught designers’ clothing. The populist and artistic aspect of this movement is exciting to me as it creates a bridge from art to high-end couture. Many of the ideas presented by this talented group are both whimsical and wearable at the same time. The word ironic also comes to mind in the youth culture of today, and the fashions shown here had a sly sense of that quality as well. The majority of the looks were separates, such as tops that could be worn with jeans, and dresses that had a slightly retro vibe. The menswear was equally fun and colorful in many cases, and definitely not your dad’s clothing. Both of these exciting stores feature fashion for men and women as well as vintage, reconstructed and recycled clothing, accessories and local art. Check their websites for details on their fashion workshops for those of you who want to do your own fashion thing.
As I always say in this column, finding the fascination in fashion is easy if you allow yourself to step
outside of the “I would never wear that” mentality that so many have when viewing a fashion show. I admit there have been many times that I have not liked garments that I have seen coming down the runway, but, at the very least, I appreciate the effort and the process that went into making them. You don’t have to like art (and yes I consider fashion design to be an art form) to know that its very existence is important to a strong and vibrant culture in any city anywhere. Thank god I live in Milwaukee where the ideas and imagery are here for our perusal, pleasure and, of course, purchase.
For more information:
Visit Project M at facebook.com/projectmboutique.
Visit Boutique Revolution at www.thefashionrevolution.com/BOUTIQUE-REVOLUTION.html.
Visit Milwaukee Art Reform Syndicate at www.missionmars.com.
