Lesson one learned from Fashion Week: show up fashionably late — or, at least, not unfashionably early. The flier for Friday night's Royalty of Fashion event read fashion show at 8 p.m., reception at 7 p.m., so this intrepid reporter showed up at 379 Club just before 7:30 to scope out the scene. Big mistake: upon entering the high-end barbershop, we were immediately shown to our seats, only to sit for well over an hour before the show started with nary a glass of water in sight, let alone the high-octane cocktail the opening night of Fashion Week’s festivities surely called for. Note to the organizers: a DJ alone does not a reception make.
But at last, DJ Master Millions was given a reprieve, and after a smoke-machine-accompanied shredding solo by Britt Lightning of local all-female metal act Jaded (this is Rock City, after all), our host for the evening, Chandler Jewelry owner Kendall V. Bretto, took the mike to start the show. Clad in red fishnets, a polka-dotted mini-dress with a cherry-print trim, and a coif that brought Amy Winehouse’s retro rat nest to mind, her look spoke louder than words: you are not in some swank but staid hotel, not in some fabulous yet slightly stuffy $150/head gala — this is Fashion Week, Allston style. (Appropriately, a portion of the proceeds from the $25 tickets benefited Allston Village Main Streets, a nonprofit working to revitalize the neighborhood.)
The show, designed to highlight Allston designers and businesses, kicked off with Bretto's own creations. These pieces put the “statement” in statement jewelry, the necklaces oftentimes taking up the models’ whole torsos. It’s seems wrong somehow to call them accessories, when they so clearly (and, to a large degree, deservedly) clamor to be the main attraction. Whatever fine threads you’re wearing, they would have to sing back-up to these show-stopping numbers — particularly memorable were a necklace made of chains that supported long ribbons of twisted gold with an almost leafy look, another with layers of beaded strands in a sea-glass-like color scheme of blue and green and silver, and a third necklace like a netting of turquoise and gold, a woven wonder gleaming boldly from beneath the model’s fur stole. (And who could forget stylist Jacquelyne Joyah Green’s, ahem, attention-grabbing pink “top,” made entirely from beads and baubles and wire — and worn without any pasties beneath, it seemed, at least from my front-row seat.) Unfortunately, the chain-link-heavy selections worn by the male models didn’t measure up to those adorning the women, and some of the models walked a little too quickly to give good glimpses of all the detail. Nonetheless, the show’s opener definitely made an impression.
Fashions from hardcore/punk clothier Horror Business were next down the catwalk. The female models rocked wearable pin-up-inspired pieces in plaid, polka dot, and a loud leopard print, all with sweetheart necklines and curve-hugging cuts. The sole male ensemble included pants in a mustard-yellow check print that were cropped four inches above the ankle and a black sweater with a skull motif. There was nothing runway-shattering to be seen, but the clothes certainly represented an upgrade over the Hot Topic outfits that have given traumatic middle school memories to so many.
Next came selections from Stingray Body Art & More, which has won many an award for its ink but seems rather less memorable in the fashion department. Loose-fitting graphic T-shirts were de rigueur for the men (it was a bit hard to make out the text as the models stalked by, though one tee definitely had something to say about Jesus and pot). The ripped jeans they wore didn’t make a particularly good pairing. We’re not talking Balmain, people: the rather oddly spaced straight-across cuts gave neither the impression of being the authentic product of wear and tear nor the carefully conceived result of some artful surgery. Turning to the female models, there were a couple of vaguely Native American-esque numbers with exposed stitching and a slightly arts-and-craftsy feel, and later a red tank, black mini skirt, and studded belt combo that made its wearer look rock-concert-ready. But what really took center stage during this part of the show was the hair. Major props should go to hair stylists Nia Murray, Trish Kanapi of Hair by Trish K, and Teda of Ebony & Ivory Hair Salon. The sculptural wonders they created — like a fantastic figure eight atop one model’s head, a fringed Mohawk made from purple and green braids on another’s — were so interesting that I repeatedly had to remind myself to focus on the clothes.
Closing the show were vintage pieces from The Alter Eco, a consignment shop that’s the new kid on the block, having opened last year. With the possible exception of one sparkly, boxy blue top, which looked a little like something someone’s great-aunt would wear to church, the pieces were well-chosen — demure but form-fitting and understatedly sexy. A high-waisted dress and a muted leopard-print skirt paired with a high-necked blouse, both with lace and button details, offered some retro secretary style, while a short black dress with sheer sleeves to the elbow and a white peter-pan collar screamed gamine, in a good way.
Overall, the show had a bit of a homespun feel but succeeded in giving attendees a taste of what Allston has to offer, and as designers, store owners, models, makeup artists, and hair stylists mingled with the crowd afterwards, some heading downstairs to get those long-awaited drinks, it seemed that Rock City had helped give Fashion Week an intimate and offbeat start.
