Win free tickets to THREAD, an indie fashion show this Sunday, October 23

Seattle Modettes,
La Modette is giving away two sets of free tickets to THREAD, a traveling showcase of the best independent fashion and home designers from the West Coast, and the music and art that rock their world.

THREAD heads.

The festivities take place on Sunday, October 23rd from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fisher Pavilion in the Seattle Center.  Enjoy the latest holiday trends created by local designers plus cocktails, gift bags, photo booths, music, giveaways and fashion installations.  Exhibitors include emerging shoe, clothing, bag and jewelry designers.

The first two Modettes to make a comment below will win a set of tickets to THREAD - a $20 value.  La Modette hopes to see you there!

For more info:  Thread Show in Seattle

Magnificent Slow Clothing - Knitting's New Life

Cardigan
 by Johanna av Steinum of the Faroe Islands

There's a lot of talk about sustainability these days, even in the fashion industry. Perhaps no clothing art fits this call more than knitting. The threads (yarn) are most often created from natural materials such as wool or cashmere. And a finished poncho, sweater or blanket can always be unraveled and transformed into something new.  (La Modette has a scarf knitted by her mom from a vest she wore as a kid.)

Artists and designers addressed knitting and sustainability at the Nordic Fashion Biennale, a celebration of Nordic fashion arts that opened this weekend in Seattle.  Makes sense, when you consider the region's tradition of knitting, especially in the Faroe Islands.  Fully one-quarter of the FI's population are skilled handknitters -- in a country where the number of sheep is double the number of people.

Powerful Beauties

Cynthia in a crepe duster and spike-heel boots

Inspiring fashion has less to do with beautiful clothes - though of course that helps - and more to do with the woman wearing it.  Style is all about authentic expression.  When a woman wears something true to her spirit, everything about her comes alive.

So when La Modette met these two women at the Nordic Fashion Biennale this weekend, she was captured by their radiant energy right away.

Cynthia (top) and Pauline (bottom) are fashion industry veterans from New York City. Both were invited here to speak for the Biennale, as well as share their own sense of style.

Even with their impressive resumes, Cynthia and Pauline were grounded and warm.  They reminded La Modette of why I love New Yorkers.  The best of them are savvy, witty and always curious about the world no matter where they are.  And that's even before we get to the clothes!

Pauline in her pleated silk dress from Shanghai

Nordic Fashion Biennale in Seattle

Dress by Guorun & Guorun, Faroe Islands

Quick, do you know where the Faroe Islands are?  Didn't think so. :-)

That's part of the reason Nordic fashion designers from Scandinavia have convened the Nordic Fashion Biennale (NFB) this weekend in Seattle.  Featuring fabrics, jewelry and fashions from Greenland, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway and yes, the Faroe Islands (between Scotland and Iceland), the NFB rocks the house with couture that couldn't look more un-Paris or un-New York.  The Biennale kicks off a fashion exhibit to be held through November 13th -- all hosted at Ballard's own Nordic Heritage Museum.

A fashion summit in Seattle? At the Nordic Heritage Museum? Yes, all true. After all, the city could truly be considered New Scandinavia. Yet La Modette was surprised to find at the exhibit opening -- as her friend Lisa B. put it --"not a clog in sight."  No Norski sweaters either. Styles abounded as style-istas came out to celebrate both fashion and the Land of the Midnight sun.

Red, White and Blue Redux

 

There's a reason countries like our own and France chose red, white and blue for their national colors - they're crisp, classic and bright.  But La Modette loves how Lisa, our latest Modette, combines them in a fresh way using different tones of red and blues.  The red flowers on her blouse are graphic and bold and pretty - same with her beaded necklace - and set off nicely by Lisa's lightweight sweater tied simply in front.

Garden of Fashion

Kathy

La Modette was heading back to work after lunch one day when the sight of a dress cascading in pink and beige flowers caught my eye. I was truly bedazzled by the lush bouquet.

When I stepped inside the shop to get a better look, I confess I yearned to touch the dress and even smell it. But then I was bedazzled again when I met our Modette, Kathy. Although simply dressed in her striped tank and linen shorts - ok, the sandals are killer, not to mention her figure (!) - Kathy floated around the shop as though she were on a modeling runway.

Turns out Kathy was the creator of the flower dress.

(Read more and see more pictures.)