Trash to Treasure

I attended Fashion Fridays at the Cardinal this past Friday and part of the lineup included recycled fashions. Dresses and skirts made out of newspapers (the old paper I wrote for in college—The Badger Herald!), magazines, grocery bags and garbage bags graced the sleek white runway.

The first black garbage-bag fashions (Made by Rosalee Eichstedt) were actually very cute—I could imagine all of them made out of fabric. The first model sported a white tank and jeans and then her hair, wrists and shoes were adorned with fluffy black flower-like puffs. The shoes were quite cute, and I’d pick up a pair!

Other models wore incarnations of garbage-bag dresses including: a poufy garbage-bag skirt paired with a sleek black patent belt and black tube top; a black (garbage bag) figure-hugging dress with a ruffly neck worn with black leggings; a halter “carwash” dress constructed of black and white garbage bags; a white tank and black leggings paired with a flower-like newspaper “skirt;” and an incredibly detailed dress made out of either paper grocery bags or brown plastic grocery bags. Seriously this stuff was genius and quite Project Runway-worthy.

Another group of designers (Jonathan, Renee and Callie; their fashions were titled "Project Runway: Witte Style") constructed elaborate designs out of magazines with a feminine twist. The first, a sheath dress made out of Vogue magazines sported a creased, fan-like top cinched with a wide waistband. Again, I could imagine the dress made out of lovely fabric—say, a heavy dupioni silk or satin. The second style was a fitted strapless dress with a poufy newspaper skirt and the third, a highly constructed dress with a sweetheart neckline and a skirt that flared out slightly at the waist like a tulip skirt.

Bravo for turning trash into couture-like treasure.

(Photos courtesy of Abby Schoofs, Avalon Sky Photography).

P.S.: Local designer Jessica Catherine's designs were also featured in the show—which I loved, too!

Events

The Moxie Stimulus Package
When: Through February 14
Where: Lady Moxie, 6706 Odana Rd.
Details: “Old-fashioned retail therapy with a side of luxe pampering” is how owner Elizabeth Wewerka describes it. Lady Moxie will give the first three shoppers who spend $100 or more at the store a gift certificate for a free one-hour massage.
More info: 826-4268

Free treats and refreshments
When: February 14
Where: Three Orange Doors, 2789 Fitchrona Rd.
Details: Well…free treats and refreshments, of course! See new pendants and jewelry for Valentine’s Day as well as mercury glass votives and soy candles. New spring and Easter décor has arrived, too.
More info: 848-3336

Valentine’s Day at AttiKISS
When: February 14
Where: Atticus, 18 N. Carroll
Details: With every purchase customers get to draw out of Cupid’s candy bowl for a chance to win prizes and discounts.
More info: 204-9001. atticusshop.com

Fashion Fridays: Stylista Runway Show
When: February 20
Where: The Cardinal Bar, 418 E. Wilson St.
Details: “Four teams of indie fashion, makeup and hair stylists will show collections that inspire creative ways of looking fabulous on a budget,” per the show’s PR flyer. If you liked October’s installment of Fashion Fridays: London Calling, then you’ll most likely be interested in this show, too.
More info: madisonfashionweek.com

VIVO store opening
When: March 2
Where: 702 N. Midvale Blvd.
Details: Do you remember Studio Snaidero located in Portofino Place? They’ve changed their name and location! President Todd Huschka told me this transition has been in the works for a while. VIVO LLC is now the parent company of Studio Snaidero Wisconsin. The new location will showcase Snaidero kitchens and over seventy different luxury home product lines.
More info: 662-0448. snaidero-wi.com

Fashion Fridays

Here's a pic from the Fashion Fridays event on October 17.
Pictured with me is Suzanne Smelcer, a former Madison Magazine intern, now an editor with shopbop.com. Her outfit was by BCBG from Macy's and her shoes by Loeffler Randall from (where else?) bop.
My outfit was also from bop: the dress was by Alisha Levine and shoes were by Ruthie Davis. The shoes were really fun, by the way: they were nude T-strap patent leather heels with mirrors under the heel! Very fun!

Weekend Events

Everyone should really hit up our Food and Wine Show this weekend. I mean, really, there are no two activities better than eating and shopping, yes? And you can do both (yes, I said both), at the Food and Wine Show. That means sampling cheese while sipping on a sample of Wollersheim’s Praire Fumé. Or nibbling on some pumpkin ravioli while watching the Dueling Chefs competition. I look forward to this show all year, and you should, too.

Madison Food and Wine Show: October 17, 5–9 p.m., October 18, 12–7 p.m., October 19, 12–4 p.m. $37 advance/$42 DOS. Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way. madisonfoodandwineshow.com

Fashion Fridays is tomorrow night so dig out your plaids (for the night's theme, "London Calling") or your next most fashionable frock and don it for tomorrow night’s show. See you there!
Fashion Fridays, October 17, 7:30 cocktail/shopping reception, 8:30 runway show. The Commercial Penthouse, 2450 Rimrock Rd.
9:30 p.m. after-party at Cardinal Bar, 418 E. Wilson St.
madisonfashionweek.com">madisonfashionweek.com

News

I was at an event the other week talking with another attendee. Naturally, we got on the subject of clothing. “I’m a handbag girl,” she said. “But my best friend is a shoe girl.” Folks, I’m a shoe girl. Reason being, switching handbags every day just gets too time-consuming. For special events I’ll work in a cute clutch, but for everyday use I sport the same handbag all season. Switching shoes every day … a lot easier. Especially if you have patent shoes in pink, yellow, blue, black, red and nude like myself (among many other pairs that I have). I mean, you’ve got to show all of the shoes equal love!
Those of you who are shoe people will want to attend the “If the Shoe Fits” auction and fundrasier to benefit The Center for Patient Partnerships on Thursday, November 6.
Seriously, you have to check out the shoes that will be up for auction (cppiftheshoefits.org). Designed by artists from across the nation, these fantastical works will surely fetch some bucks as a one-of-a-kind sculptural piece for the home.
A coworker and I have jokingly said that we’re going to install shelves in our respective apartments to display our favorite shoes. If you buy one of those beauties from the auction, you’ll probably want to do just that.
(Photos: Top, "Arc en Ceil" by Mark Evans; bottom, "Spike Heel" by Charley Brown).

If the Shoe Fits Auction and Fundraiser (to benefit the Center for Patient Partnerships), November 6. 5:30–8:30p. Nakoma Golf Club, 4145 Country Club Rd. 265-6267.
cppiftheshoefits.org

Anyone who hears the words “Fashion Week” and “Madison” might scratch their head. Whaaat? Madisonians, fashionable? C’est vrai! And what better way to showcase Wisconsin retail and our city style than at Fashion Fridays, an event being held next Friday, October 17, in the “Commercial Penthouse” at the Novation Campus, 2450 Rimrock Rd.
The event is a runway show and shopping shindig for those with a passion for fashion. Participating retailers include Patricia Shoppe, N.e.w.d. Clothing, Maverick Clothing and Milwaukee-based Fred Boutique and Red Heel.
The theme is “London Calling” and press materials share, “The third installment calls on the looks of London as the season’s hottest trendmakers including plaid, houndstooth, equestrian, military and punk.”
Indeed, Kristi Moe, producer of Madison Fashion Week and Fashion Fridays, is even handing out a “Best Dressed” award at the Cardinal Bar after-party to the person that best epitomizes the “London Calling” theme.

Moe has shared this schedule of the event with me:
7:30-8:30 Shopping reception
8:30-8:45 First runway show (two fashion lines)
8:45-9:00 Live music set
9:00-9:15 Second runway show (two fashion lines)
9:00 Doors open at the Cardinal Bar for the after-party

Tickets range from $15 (reserved seats) to $200 for a table. I will attend the event and report back to you on my thoughts and what looks I liked.

Fashion Fridays, Friday October 17. 7:30 p.m.–? Runway show: The Commercial Penthouse at Novation Campus, 2450 Rimrock Rd. After party: The Cardinal Bar, 418 E. Wilson St. madisonfashionweek.com

I attended the Madison Symphony Orchestra League’s “Overture of Style” event on October 2 at the Edgewater Hotel. (If you’d like to view pics, here’s the link). As emcee of the show, I was fortunate enough to get a sneak preview of the fashions earlier in the day. Woldenberg’s provided all of the ready-to-wear, evening and fur coat fashions that were featured. I coveted a deep purple sweater with baubles sewn onto the neckline and cute color-block skirt, both by French designer Sonia Rykiel, and a spangly Badgley Mischka flapper-inspired cocktail dress and a deep emerald green silk blouse with ruffles down the front. The show went off without a hitch and the models did a nice job showcasing Woldenberg’s fashions.
Shown here is a picture of me in the David Meister cocktail dress Woldenberg’s was kind enough to lend me for the event. Constructed of silk with a one-shoulder silhouette and pleating at the waist, this dress would be appropriate year-round for a daytime or nighttime event. Now, if I could just convince the boutique to let me keep the dress … ☺

Woldenberg’s, 702 N. Midvale Blvd. 233-4300.

I met Tanatnan Chaipang the other week at our “Sips and Shops” event. Chaipang recently opened Eastside Bazaar, a store on East Johnson Street. Chaipang told me she sells her own handmade jewelry, as well as wall hangings, masks, purses, paintings and more. According to her website (eastsidebazaar.com) Chaipang’s merchandise comes from West Africa to Southeast Asia. I plan to stop in soon and when I do, I’ll let you know!

Eastside Bazaar, 836 E. Johnson St. 260-0244. eastsidebazaar.com

Upcoming Events

Madison Magazine is hosting the first-ever Going Green Expo on May 2–4 at the Alliant Energy Center. Eighty-plus exhibitors will have their green wares on display, like Creative Energy/Satara, Fair Indigo, Green Wine Bottles, Goodwill, Market Baskets On the Go and many more. There will also be presenters speaking on green topics and a hybrid car test track in the parking lot! I also read that businesses will have scrumptious treats on hand for attendees to sample including Metcalfe’s Sentry-Hilldale. The organic and locally produced beer and wine samples also sound pretty cool, right?

Going Green Expo May 2–4. Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way. 270-3632 for questions. Tickets are available at MoCo Market, Coyle Carpet One and online. goinggreenwisconsin.com/expo

New York, Paris, Milan and Los Angeles all have them. And … Madison? That’s right folks, Madison is hosting its very first Fashion Week. According to the Madison Fashion Week press release “The 4-day series of consumer-orientated events will include workshops, fashion shows and parties. MFW aims to unify Madison’s fashion designers and retailers in a collaborative and high-profile event that brings fashion to the forefront of Madison’s culture.” Various parties and events will be held April 23–26. For the full schedule and more info check out madisonfashionweek.com

By now you’ve probably seen at least one poster promoting Design MMoCA. This one-of-a-kind event will showcase sixteen rooms designed by firms such as Flad Architects, Laurie Driscoll Interiors, Rubin’s, Indocara and Inner View Consulting and many more. In fact, the rooms are designed around sixteen works of art from the museum’s permanent collection. I am so incredibly disappointed I have to miss this event because I’ll be out of town! I think it’s so encouraging that Madison is hosting an event like this, and it’s my hope that this will be a yearly event (when I can come!).

Design MMoCA April 25–27. Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 227 State St. 257-0158. mmoca.org