Never Too Late for Inspiration - Front Row Fashion

Yes, the Birdy is still on a runway photo-posting-whirlwind.  Bellevue Fashion Week may be over, but that's no excuse to throw on a fleece hoody, some ratty Uggs and forget about looking presentable. This is my last-hurrah post from this year's runway shows, where I was snap-snap-snapping away on the camera. Here's photos and themes from the big Front Row Fashion Show by Vogue Magazine.

You can just hear Madonna's song, Vogue, playing in your head when you think of the Front Row Fashion runway show, presented by Vogue Magazine. It's the show that sells out the quickest, given its Vogue pedigree, it's a trend-driven vs designer runway show, it has the widest array of clothing from different shops throughout The Bellevue Collection, and of course, there's the marvelous goodie bag they have for each attendee. Front Row Fashion is like the big Saturday night fashion party, where people get inspired by the runway and immediately head out to "shop the show" with new ideas over how to give their wardrobe a refreshing hit of style. 

Vogue's Anne Vincent was back to introduce the show, as well as talk trends with style expert and television host, Lawrence Zarian, who was a Fashion Week special guest. As always, there can be no style without substance, and this year's tickets went to benefit The Moyer Foundation, a favorite local charity that reaches out to families in need and provides them the support they need during difficult times.     

As always, this is the most crowd-excited show. It's a Saturday night, you see groups of girlfriends in their highest heels and most favorite new outfit, getting together to get excited about style. It's the night I have the most fun for Fashion Week, as I usually get together with a group of friends and we wander the stores and make an evening of it. I kept the merriment to a minimum this year, but still had a great time with runway photos. The show selects wearable trends and it's meant to make fashion feel accessible. I think sometimes high fashion becomes almost too theatrical, which makes it feel unattainable to most people who just want to feel put-together. I love edgy looks and high-concept ideas, but I do agree that at the end of the day, we live in the clothes we wear, and sometimes five-inch platform heels studded with jewels and spikes might be a bit much for a quick trip to the grocery store. So let's appreciate fashion for its wearable quality, as much as its innovation, shall we? 

These are some of the favorite photos from Front Row Fashion. There were many more outfits, but these looks had the most impact, interest or best represented the trend themes the show was divided into. I hope you feel inspired to give some of these looks a try!

Layer Logic: fall-ready combinations that mix textures, materials and lengths to create interesting layered looks. L to R: Talbots, Eileen Fisher, Vince


Sport Chic: active wear mixed with everyday casual; making fitness fashionable and giving an everyday look a sporty, urban feel. L to R: Lucy, Hugo Boss, Lucy


Power Play - Suiting: traditional suit styles don't have to be boring. Use unusual layering, accessories and material/color choices for interest. L to R: Banana Republic, Hugo Boss, Banana Republic 


Power Play - Dresses: the daytime dress can be as strong as a power suit. Colors and materials ensure a dress means business. L to R: Nordstrom (Cynthia Steffe), Hugo Boss, Nordstrom (Robert Rodriguez)


Bold and Beautiful: a monochromatic or neutral look is a perfect canvas to showcase bold accessories. L to R: Nordstrom (Kristen Blake, Vince Camuto), Nordstrom (June, J Brand, Marc Jacobs), Nordstrom (Haute Hippie, Michael Kors)


Urban Mix: don't fear mixing prints and patterns! Use them as you would color blocking,  making sure one print is clearly dominant over the other, and that they compliment each other in color or pattern. L to R: Ann Taylor, Aritzia, 7 for All Mankind 


Coat Crusade - bold colors and shapes: say goodbye to the all-black overcoat; embrace different silhouettes and colors/materials. L to R: Ann Taylor, Hugo Boss, Hugo Boss 


Coat Crusade - outerwear as a statement: let your outerwear be as fierce as your outfit with leather or fur (faux is fine). L to R: Hugo Boss, Vince, Hugo Boss


Show Stoppers - color and texture: use an all-over jewel-toned color or a luxe-textured material to light up a room for your next special occasion. L to R: Hugo Boss, Hugo Boss, Nordstrom (Abi Ferrin)  


Show Stoppers - classic shapes with sparkle and detail: never let a cocktail dress or LBD be "basic." Seek out dazzling details to be the hit of the party. L to R: Macy's (Xcape), Nordstrom (Sean Collection), Nordstrom (Sean Collection)


Jaunty Fine Print: photography by Denise Sakaki, shops/designers listed above

The Bellevue Collection Fashion Week continued its runway events with the big Front Row Fashion show, presented by Vogue Magazine. It's always held on a Saturday night and tends to be the big premiere event, as people get dolled-up in their fashionable best and the Bellevue Square Mall makes it into a shopping night, offering specials throughout the night. This year's Front Row Fashion show benefited The Moyer Foundation, a local charity founded by Jamie and Karen Moyer, dedicated to assisting children who have suffered a loss and supporting programs designed to help young adults in distress. 

The show was a mix of the latest trends, curated in themed collections from a mix of designers. The presentation was flashy and bold, meant to excite people over the clothing being worn and head out afterwards to get their favorite looks straight from the store. The overall looks were designed towards comfort and wearability; nothing over-the-top. It was meant to show fashion in a friendly way, less conceptual and more "see it, buy it," which probably speaks to more people. I think sometimes high fashion can be a little scary and intimidating, so runway shows that present fashion more integrated in everyday lives makes it feel relevant. Front Row's pieces felt understated, but used accessories to make the outfits interesting. I think that's a good rule of thumb; we all have neutral basics, but a bold piece of jewelry or a scarf with an interesting pattern not only punches up a look, it keeps the attention where it matters: our wonderfully unique faces. I don't know if it was the intent behind the show, but I felt like the underlying idea behind everything in this collection was: true style is wearing your clothes and not letting your clothes wear you.

These are some of the more interesting looks I chose from each theme; it's not everything, but this Birdy just wanted to show the eye-catching looks and then a collection of favorites at the end! 

Fall for Texture (from left to right) The Gap, Hugo Boss, Aritzia, Aritzia

Color Conundrum (from left to right) INC from Macys, Eileen Fisher, Lacoste, Abi Ferrin

For the Frill of It (from left to right) New Romantics tank/Wacoal tank/We the Free leather shorts; Komarov Dress; White House Black Market dress and purse; Parker bustier/J. Brand skinny jean/Ivanka Trump purse


24/7 Utility (from left to right) Aritzia, Banana Republic, 7 for All Mankind

Time to Shine: (from left to right) Ann Taylor; Michael Kors: BCBG tee/Rachel Roy sequin pants; Vince


Outer Limits: (from left to right) Aritzia, Hugo Boss, Talbots, Talbots 

Evening Stars: (from left to right) JS Boutique dress, Vince, Abi Ferrin, Hugo Boss

Jaunty Feathers and Jewels: I love anything to help frame one's Jaunty visage, and these looks and accessories will make heads turn. (large) Hugo Boss sequin feather dress, (sm top) Cynthia Vincent, (sm bottom) Aritzia dress and necklace 

Jaunty Wraps: I love any way to wrap and wear scarves, especially liking how these are all different shapes, textures and fabric weight. (sm top) Eileen Fisher printed silk scarf, (sm bottom) Eileen Fisher knitted scarf, (large) Aritzia printed scarf

Jaunty Mixed Media: I'm a fiend for textures and mixing things up, and these looks caught my eye, with layering materials, and contrasting light fabrics with heavy fur. (large) Ann Taylor; (sm top) Frenchie top/Robert Rodriguez blazer; (sm bottom); Hugo Boss dress and fur vest 


Jaunty Photography by: Denise Sakaki

If a picture says a thousand words, this Bird is going to let her runway photos from Front Row Fashion, presented by The Bellevue Collection and Vogue magazine, do their thing. In a word, the weekend was a whirlwind. And this Magpie's head is still spinning from the adventure, so without further adieu, here's some of my favorites from this year's big Front Row Fashion Show:

Fur and Feathers: pieces from Haute Hippie, Florence, Joie, Equipment, Michael Star, from Nordstrom and Mercer.


Under Wraps: T. Babaton, Wilfred, Genetic Jeans, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Wilster, Bird, from Aritzia and Nordstrom.


American Sportswear/Urban Luxe: Haute Hippie, Theory, Splendid, Bird, LAMB, from Nordstrom and White House Black Market


Animal Magnetism: Wilfred, Patterson J Kincaid from Aritzia, Nordstrom and Ann Taylor.


Sweater Girls: Kate Spade, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Joie, Elie Tahari, Eileen Fisher, from Nordstrom


A Night on the Town: (lots of favorites!) Rachel Roy, Betsy and Adam, Adrianna Papelle, Haute Hippie, Sue Wong from Macys and Nordstrom





Jaunty Fine Print: photos by Denise Sakaki, thanks to The Bellevue Collection and Vogue

 

Bellevue was blessed with one of the big finale shows of its six-day Fall Fashion Week. This year's new partnership of Vogue magazine and The Bellevue Collection resulted in the high-energy runway extravaganza that was Front Row Fashion, held at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue on Saturday night. Raising over $43,000 to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue, the event married style with goodwill, and the fashionable crowds came out to celebrate the cause.

This Bird attended more as a guest than an on-scene reporter. Meeting with friends and chatting with fellow guests, the overall atmosphere of Front Row Fashion was open, friendly, and giddy with excitement over the festive affair, as well as what was going to appear on the runway. People were happy to step out of the normal weekend routine, put on something fancy, and attend an event that reminded one of why fashion deserves a little celebration now and then. As humble as it sounds, sometimes power behind a studied look is to simply remind one that it's important to make the time to just feel beautiful. Beyond all the haute couture, celebrity-bedecked red carpets, and fashion power-plays lauded in magazines and the media, it is the everyday choices people make, and the inspiration that drives those decisions that really define the success and failure of fashion as an industry. Having the Front Row Fashion show, and then a shopping event at the neighboring Bellevue Square Mall continued the tradition of previous Fashion Weeks, encouraging people to feel invigorated by runway looks and giving them the confidence to make a stylish purchase with an impressive swag bag full of discounts and retail incentives.

The show presented this season's fashion broken down into several trending styles. Taking cues from the recent September issue of Vogue magazine, as well as popular looks being incorporated across the fashion landscape, the programming was divided into five distinctive categories: Biker Chic, Top Coats, Ladylike Sophistication, Eighties Redux, and Evening Glam. There was a sense of fun injected into the show, each segment fortified by a preview of imagery and video footage appropriate to each theme. Raucous energy from Steppenwolf's Born to be Wild and flashes of a young Brando in The Wild One accompanied the models wearing a mix of leather, chains and pops of red flannel in the first Biker Chic segment. Influences of the coat layout in last month's Vogue were combined with daytime elegance in the Top Coats and Ladylike Sophistication segments. Romantic, tailored looks showing off lighter, delicate pieces layered with soft cardigans, along with dramatic statement coats, were celebrations of the feminine form. The show's lively spirit kicked up with the runway-perfect sounds of Robert Palmer's Simply Irresistable and a parade of video clips and vintage Madonna in her totally rad 80s days to present the next collection of Eighties Redux looks. Blinding neon hues peppered the outfits as did exposed zippers and hardware embellishments. The takeaway from the return to the 80s was an appreciation for bold, solid colors -- a knowing nod to an era's prevailing taste, but not too beyond the chance for wearability of today's standards. The show's finale was a segment devoted to Evening Glam. Its distinctive mix of styles and hemlines sent the message that evening wear should not be categorized as simply The Little Black Dress. Having the most looks of all the segments, a wide array of dresses and gowns were shown, meant to appeal to a wide range of ages and tastes. The previous themes appeared in the final Evening Glam segment, whether it was a rock and roll look of black sequins, soft chiffon waves at the gathering of a waist, or an eye-catching solid mini-dress.

While unable to get post-worthy photos, this Bird still fixated on a few particular pieces, as shown by the Mood board: {1} Du Monde faux fox fur vest with belt from Nordstrom {2} charcoal wool metallic coat with grosgrain placket from Milly, available at Nordstrom {3} Rachel Roy studded dress from Macys {4} Phoebe Couture ruffled one shoulder dress, at Nordstrom {5} Kate Spade Mona coat with bow, at Nordstrom {6} feather black skirt by Haute Hippie, available at Nordstrom {7} Coach Pop C Art glam tote available at Macys {8} 3.1 Phillip Lim sequin trim tee, at Nordstrom

Talking with people after the show, the words I heard to describe the experience included: refreshing, fun, and I'm going to buy those boots right now! This Bird's initial thoughts were that while it wasn't as seamless a narrative in terms of clothing choices like the Nordstrom show earlier in the week, the unique beauty of Vogue's Front Row Fashion show was that it really sought to speak to the people, and not be exclusive to fashion insiders or industry influence -- something true to this Magpie's heart. Style is a state of mind and the success of putting a distinctive, personalized outfit together should be determined by the currency of one's creativity, not their wallet. Bravo to Vogue magazine for partnering with The Bellevue Collection, and to Fall Fashion Week as a whole, for presenting a series of events that will continue the dialogue over personal style, long after the catwalks are put away.

Wanting more Bellevue Fashion Week coverage and runway photos? Please check out these intrepid, independent fashion bloggers and photographers for updates and reports of the events throughout the week:

VueSociety :: Needle + Thread :: Photograph by Youa Kong :: Alexandra Hedin Design :: The Emerald Dandy :: Darrah's Dresser :: Lydia Selk Photography