Eighteen seasons in, semi-annual fashion show Envision has become the destination to see collections from the Twin Cities’ top fashion designers. This fall’s edition was arguably the most consistent to date. Established local designers, such as Russell Bourrienne, Caroline Hayden, and Kjurek, showed some of their strongest collections to date, while a crop of new names to the local fashion industry proved themselves to be ones to watch. Fine craftsmanship, innovative styling, and genuine fashion moments were on display throughout the event, which was held against the swanky backdrop of Orchestra Hall. The event also doubled as a punctuation mark to cap off the inaugural edition of Fashion Week Minnesota, which presented a week of events highlighting and celebrating the best in local fashion.
If you’ve opened a magazine or seen a Target commercial lately, it has become abundantly clear that plaid is a big deal this fall. Sure, it’s nothing we Minnesotans haven’t already known for decades, but it’s only fitting that local designers in Minnesota’s biggest fashion show would take the trend and run with it.
Jenny Carle
St. Paul designer Jenny Carle has consistently been a reliable source for wearable, chic, and modern clothing with a slightly feminine, vintage bent since launching her brand in 2008. For her fall 2015 collection, she worked plaid into silhouettes ranging from pencil skirts to wrap-coats, while also playing off textured wool, layering, and print. And true to her vintage-tinged aesthetic, she worked in some ’70s touches, such as bell sleeves and lace-front details.
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Isaiah Stofferahn
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Isaiah Stofferahn
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Caroline Hayden
Since her runway debut at Envision in 2011, Crookston, Minnesota–based designer Caroline Hayden has gone from a complete unknown to one of the most recognized designers in the state. Known for her extremely polished, well-made garments, Hayden also has an attention to detail and fabrics that demonstrates a quiet confidence. While she typically uses a lot of soft textures and silhouettes, she changed things up with her fall 2015 collection, instead working with matte leathers, heavy wools, a metallic-threaded houndstooth tweed, and dollops of deep-red sequins that played on geographic shapes (a V-neck here, a plaid-shaped vest there). Inspired by the ’90s fashions she favored as a child—think turtlenecks, vests, and jumpers—the collection also had nods to the ’60s (the crisp mini-dresses) and ’70s (a Studio 54-esque sequinned V-neck gown).
Isaiah Stofferahn
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Yevette Willaert
After making a strong debut at Envision last spring, newcomer Yevette Willaert returned with a collection of menswear-inspired women’s wear inspired by feminist icons Katherine Hepburn and Gloria Steinem. (I also saw quite a bit of Diane Keaton in there, as well.) Plaids and tweeds paired with 1970s-inspired styles such as the wide-leg pants and the menswear vest looked fresh at first glance. Toppers, such as a swing coat, a capelet and a pair of structured blazers, were beautifully made. But upon closer viewing, some key details were off—the bell-bottom pants hung off the models’ thin hips, while underpinning tops looked like after-thoughts. And a black gown that served as the finale seemed out of place, at least until she turned around to reveal a plaid cape. Willaert fared best with her outerwear and chic dress-and-coat combinations, which rely less on a perfect fit than the pantsuits. With a little more fit, polish, and attention to detail, this could have been one of the best collections of the night.
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Read more collection reviews from Envision Fall 2015 at more local fashion week coverage, visit mnmo.com/lifestyle.
