Photo by Jadon Good Photography.
The change of season normally means cooler temperatures, new colors on the trees and seasonal produce in stock. To me, it’s time for new fashions – and I get especially excited for the transition from strappy summer dresses and flip flops to cozy sweaters, tights and boots.
Milwaukee’s fashion scene has continued to flourish and support many charitable causes in doing so. Here are two very cool events coming up to satisfy your aesthetic and altruistic cravings:
1. Roots Salons Fashion Affair: Friday, Sept. 28, 6:30 p.m. at Potowatomi Bingo Casino (1721 W. Canal St.).
There will be eight runs featuring fashions from (some of my favorite) local boutiques: Sparrow Collective (Bay View), Allure Intimate Apparel (Mequon/Brookfield), Savvy Bride (Brookfield), Francesca’s (Brookfield/Bayshore/Wauwatosa), Dancerz Closet (Waukesha), The Art Institute of Wisconsin (Third Ward) and Urban Laundry (Wauwatosa). The show will pair the unique, but wearable, clothing with hair and makeup designs from Roots’ top stylists.
Themes for this year’s show will run the gamut from animal instincts and adult grunge to very bold 18th-century styles and even a bit of fairy tale, courtesy of Little Red Riding Hood.
The show will raise funds for Penfield Children Center and Children’s Hospital – causes that Roots owners Shannon Lopez and Naomi Prusinski say are near and dear to their hearts.
Purchase $21 tickets at any Roots location (Third Ward, Greenfield or Brookfield) or online. All tickets include a $10 gaming credit to Potawatomi Bingo Casino.
2. RunUp 2012: The Roaring ’20s: Friday, Oct. 5, The Historic Pritzlaff Building (305 N. Plankinton Ave.).
The roaring ‘20s was an iconic era for so many reasons, undeniably for the fashion. Designers are adding modern applications to their fall 2012 collections with slinky slip dresses, drop-waists, feathers, beads and more. This upscale, swanky event will celebrate the jazz age and feature Season Six “Project Runway” contestant Ra’Mon Lawrence, who now designs popular lines for Kohl’s and JC Penney, and has his own brand, Ra’Mon Lawrence Designs. Additional show designers include local talent: Timothy Westbrook (The Pfister Hotel Artist-In-Residence), Miranda Levy, Terry Michael Designs, Mink, Delanie Couture, Linda Marcus Design, Heather King and Leslie Randall.
Typically what sets a show apart from the rest is not only the clothes, but also the production value. I don’t want to give away all the surprises, but milwaukeemag.com community fashion blogger/stylist Bjorn Nasett, Danceworks and a celebrated drag queen coming out of retirement are all involved in the opening number. You won’t want to miss it.
If you love the designs you see at the show and have to have them – check out the trunk show, featuring several RunUp 2012 designers, on Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Oct. 6, at the InterContinental Milwaukee Hotel.
Funds from RunUp 2012 will support the Froedtert Hospital Foundation in its efforts to create a cancer translational research unit. The event also awards a scholarship to the Mount Mary College Fashion Department.
Tickets range from $35 to $100, depending on how close you want to be to the action, and can be purchased by clicking here. Yours truly will be DJing from 7:30-9 p.m.
Follow me on Twitter as @jkashou to stay on top of what’s happening around town or search #GirlAboutTown.
