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events fashion week new orleans

Fashion Week New Orleans Schedule

Forget fashion week, March is truly fashion month in New Orleans. If you missed NOLA Fashion Week this past week, Fashion Week New Orleans is coming up on March 21st. Also, I challenge you to construct a paragraph using the words fashion, week, and New Orleans more than I did.

While their goals are the same, each organization puts their own spin on showcasing designers and retailers to the fashion community. A launch party at Twist Cocktail bar kicks things off, followed by three days worth of runway shows and Project Runway style designer competitions at The Sugar Mill. A bridal expo caps off the week at The Westin. For more info on the events and how to purchase tickets, go to the Fashion Week NOLA website. And don’t worry, there’s plenty of time left to figure out what you are going to wear.

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Nashville Fashion Week: Recently Confirmed Designers

With NYC Fashion Week long gone, other cities fashion weeks are fast approaching. Three more designers have been confirmed for Nashville Fashion Week, which will be March 20-24.

Traver Rains, formerly of Heatherette now has his own brand, T.Rains. His newest line, which is inspired by his Western roots will show Tuesday March 20 at Marathon Music Works.

T.Rains


 With her line already in stores around the World, Hungarian designer Eva Franco has made a name for herself with her Los Angeles based company. She will be presenting on Monday March 21 at Marathon Music Works.

Eva Franco

Versace Collection began in 1991 as a men’s only line, but expanded to women in 2009.  On Friday March 23 in Centennial Park, both collections will be presented by Nashville’s local clothier, Levy’s.

Versace Collection

Versace Collection

In addition to this exciting lineup, Nashville Fashion Week, an emerging designer showcase is set to highlight some of the best local and regional designers that the south has to offer.

-Meghan Wright, with additional commentary by Christy Lorio

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guest southern style

Why The Hell Letterpress?

Contributed by Bourbon and Boots

If you’ve opened a magazine, cruised the Internet, or visited your local gift shop lately, you’ve probably noticed the abundance of letterpress prints being touted as the “next big thing” in home decor.  I’ve certainly noticed.  Rather than simply think about how cute these prints would look in my guest hall powder room, I started to analyze the artwork and the design concepts being played out in the prints.

They were…sparse.
They were also well balanced, textually based, and visually stimulating thanks to the use of color; but they were sparse nonetheless.

And then it kicked in: WHY did this very minimalist design make me so darn happy? Why did this print look so familiar? Why is every woman from here to Tuscaloosa snatching these prints up and plastering them all over their homes?

Naturally, I did a little research.  It turns out that this isn’t the first lap around the block for these humble letterpress prints, nor is it the first time that Southern ladies have adorned the walls of their homes with textually based posters.




During the Civil War, letterpress prints were an affordable, fashionable, and patriotic way to decorate the home. A new kind of printing press that allowed the paper to be quickly rolled through and stamped with ink was being employed by Southern printers to produce books and pamphlets in a quick and cheap way. This was a drastic change from normalcy, since most informational materials were imported from Northern states. For the first time in history, Southerners had a way to let their ideas set sail into the world around them.

Both the North and the South used propaganda to rally support for their respective causes.  Southern printers crafted a physical embodiment for the ideas that unified the culture of the region by inexpensively reproducing books, newspapers, and bold faced posters known as “broadsides.” These broadsides were sparsely decorated, textually based posters that communicated propaganda, announcements, and advertisements.  Since the broadsides would be posted in town squares and street corners, the text had to be relatively large. The printers would use arrangements of metal or wooden blocks to set up a message and would use basic design concepts to ensure that the message was visually pleasing.



 

As the war raged on, the South began to run out of printing supplies. The inks and papers that were commonly used to print became entangled in Union Naval blockades.  Southern print shops began to print on wallpaper, potato sacks, and old rags. Scarcity of supplies meant that the printing of books became nearly impossible. The Union recognized the threat posed by Southerners armed with the power of word, as demonstrated by General Sherman systematically smashing the printing presses of the cities he invaded.  Even printing the shortest of pamphlets proved extremely difficult for the South.

However, the printing of broadsides lived on. They showcased the resourcefulness of entire communities.  Southerners began to recycle old bank ledgers and other used paper products, which were collected by the publishers to re-use to create new prints. People began to purchase these broadsides, initially intended only as ephemeral community announcements, to decorate their homes.  These disposable announcements weren’t just about the design.  They were about the IDEAS and principles behind the designs and the pride that communities took in standing united in the face of adversity.

Now, printers such as Old Try and Roll & Tumble Press are bringing back these old-fashioned printing techniques. The answer to my “why prints?” question seems to be answered by recognizing the nostalgia and tradition that typeset prints pass on. In rough economic times, these prints are once again a testament to the resourcefulness of communities, the power of ideas — and the time tested fact that Southern Women have damn good taste in home decor.

Kelsey Winchester is a freelance writer and artist from Little Rock, Arkansas.  She graduated from the University of Arkansas where she solidified her artistic voice and grew to fervently appreciate her Southern heritage.  After a brief but very enlightening stint in law school, Kelsey now spends most of her time examining the Southern spririt (through both art and writing) and in the occasional baking of the best bourbon-pecan pie you’ve ever had in your life.  Bourbon and Boots is a southern store that tells the stories and sells the stuff that make our region great!

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contributors wanted

We’re Expanding- Join the Slow Southern Style Team

Slow Southern Style is expanding!


Do you love fashion, writing and/or photography? Are you currently in a sordid love affair with Southern culture? Slow Southern Style is seeking contributors who are passionate about the southern lifestyle and fashion on a deeper level than just what’s being offered at the mall.  





The aesthetic:


If it is made below the Mason Dixon line, we want to feature it. That simple.



What we like:



crawfish boils, late night conversations on the porch, seersucker dresses, magnolia flowers, sno-ball stained mouths, mint juleps, gators, Mardi Gras, cowboy boots, sleeping under the stars, whisky on the rocks, handmade jewelry, festivals, pirogue rides, folk art, old houses, mosquitoes. Okay, just kidding about that last one.


We’re looking for writers and photographers who:


-appreciates personal style, not just recent trends or fast fashion
-loves good food, finely crafted products, and loves getting the word about cool events
-has a desire to make connections within the fashion community
-has an eye for the Slow Southern Style aesthetic, yet brings his or her own touch 
– has a knack for writing, photography, or graphic design
has a connection to the South

-contributes either on a one time basis, or on a regular schedule

-wishes to kick start a career in fashion and/or media
– has a sense of humor


If you’d like to learn more about contributing please send an example or link to your work, and a brief statement why you’d like to join the crew, (or krewe as we like to spell it in NOLA) to nolagurl@gmail.com.

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events fashion week new orleans what i wore

What I Wore: Invade NOLA Fashion Week Brunch

Shrimp & grits, and a 25 cent mimosa. yea, as in a quarter.

I love fashion, and I love me some brunch. I also have much love and respect for Justin Shiels, my good friend that runs Invade NOLA. So naturally I was giddy for the NOLA Fashion Week brunch that Invade NOLA hosted at Ste. Marie. Check out my recap of the day on Invade later this month, but for now here’s what I wore to stuff my face with shrimp & grits. Maybe it isn’t lady like to clean your plate, but I’ve never been one to waste good food. Throw in a bloody mary and a well heeled crowd and you have one extra special lazy Sunday.

Normally I’m not a super trendy gal, but I loved the color combo of this high/low sheer dress. Don’t worry, I wore a tank and leggings under it. I’m brave, but I’m not that brave. Plus I tortured y’all enough with my pasty white abs on Mardi Gras Day.
Laughter is the best medicine but those shoes still hurt
Blazer: Elizabeth & James via Buffalo Exchange
Sheer mullet dress: Audrey 3+1 (new) via Buffalo Exchange
Necklace: Buffalo Exchange
Belt: Armoire
Leggings: Banana Republic
Nude pumps: Donna Karen Collection via Buffalo Exchange
Nailpolish: Tangerine from Revlon

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charity elizabeth mcnair

Holding Harts

Sometimes fashion is viewed as something that is just a little bit frivolous.  However, as a new clothing line launched by New Orleans native, Daquari Alane DeLeon demonstrates, fashion and art can be vehicles for very important causes.  This collection called Holding Harts “hopes to bring awareness, healing and a voice through art and fashion to those who are hurting from childhood sexual abuse.” 
Images c/o Holding Harts
 
 

Each design in the collection is a Holding Harts sketch that is has been applied to a women’s tee shirt.  The line features 7 different designs available in sizes small to extra-large, and prices start at $42.  To purchase a piece of the collection, you can go to the website at www.holdingharts.com.  A beautiful design combined with a good cause is always something to check out.
Elizabeth McNair
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events fashion week new orleans southern fashion designer

NOLA Fashion Week Schedule

It’s March which means it is fashion season in New Orleans. Are you ready? NOLA Fashion Week kicks things off on Saturday, March 3rd and runs through the 10th.  Packed with parties, educational workshops, and of course fashion, there are plenty of activities to pencil in on your calender- or add to your phone, whatever you do. Last season proved to be a polished, well executed string of events and this season will be no exception.

Designers Showing at NOLA Fashion Week
• Jolie & Elizabeth by Jolie Bensen and Sarah Elizabeth Dewey, New Orleans, LA
• Amanda deLeon Clothing, New Orleans, LA
• dope Clothing, Baton Rouge, LA
• Cavortress by Julie Wheat, Charleston, SC
• BySMITH by Smith Sinrod, New York, NY
• Libellule, New Orleans, LA
• Matthew Arthur Apparel Architecture by Matthew Arthur, New Orleans, LA
• Andrea Loest, New Orleans, LA
• blackout. by Ashlie Ming, Jackson, MS

Saturday, March 3rd
Photography w/ Robby Klein & Thom Bennett
Suzanne Perrone Book Launch: “Designing in Ivory and White”
The Elizabeth Chronicles Launch Party

Sunday, March 4th
NOLAFC Advisory Board, Designer, & Sponsor Brunch
Street Style Brunch hosted by Invade NOLA

Monday, March 5th
 Kids Fashion DayOgden Museum
The Life Cycle of a Style w/ Lisa Locono
 Organizing Your Life Fashionably w/ Skye Truax

Tuesday, March 6th
What 7th Ave Taught Me That I Did Not Learn in School w/ Suzanne Perrone
Libellule Presentation 
Martine Chaisson Gallery
By Smith Presentation 
Martine Chaisson Gallery
Material Girl Lounge

Wednesday, March 7th
MASHUP: Vitamin Water Presents Where Fashion meets Music
Feat. Jolie & Elizabeth ft Royal Teeth; Blackout by Ashlie Ming ft Big History;  Dope Clothing ft Baby Bee
Material Girl Lounge

Thursday, March 8th
Fashion in the Arts District featuring:
Andrea Loest Presentation 
Amanda DeLeon Presentation
Mat Arthur Presentation
Cavortress Presentation 
Material Girl Lounge

Friday, March 9th
Branding w/ Julie Wheat of Cavortress
Fashion Market

Green Gala

Saturday, March 10th
Fashion Market
AVEDA’s Eco Fashion Day featuring shows by Hip Vintage, Stay by Mar, etc


For details of each day’s events be sure to check the NOLA Fashion Week website for the complete schedule, including times and locations.

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