Local Fashion Week lives on - vita.mn

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The designers of the "Black Hearts Ball"

When MNfashion -- longtime organizer of Twin Cities fashion weeks -- announced last week it was going on an indefinite hiatus from producing its signature Minneapolis-St. Paul Fashion Week (MSPFW) events, the Shows, and the annual Voltage, it left open the question of whether fashion week would continue in its absence.

But as they say, the show must go on. So far, at least three independently-produced events are slated to take place during MSPFW. It's an abbreviated version, to be sure -- as it looks, the week has been contained into a single weekend (February 14-16).

It kicks off with the first-ever "Black Hearts Ball," a Valentine's Day soiree with a black-and-white ball theme. Notably, the show is designer produced -- by sibling designers Tim and Thom Navarro, who'll also show their latest designs within a solid lineup that includes Danielle Everine (of "Project Runway" fame), Laura Fulk, Sarah M. Holm, Rachel Roff and Carly Schoen, each taking inspiration from the worlds of the orchestra, opera and theater. (8 p.m. Feb. 14. Tickets TBA. Minneapolis Club, 729 2nd Av. S., Mpls. RSVP at the Facebook event invite.)

On Saturday night, "ALIGN," the University of Minnesota's College of Design 46th Annual Apparel Design Fashion Show, will showcase fashion lines from 20 graduating seniors, including Lindsey DeWitt, who made it clear she's one to watch at MNfashion's Emerging Designer Showcase in 2012 and at the "Envision: Artopia" fashion show last spring. (5:30 p.m. & 8 p.m. Sat. $8-55. Rapson Hall on the University of Minnesota campus, 89 Church St. S.E., Mpls. fashionshow.design.umn.edu)

Finally, the local edition of the "Red Dress Collection" -- in which local "celebs" walk the catwalk in red dresses by local designers -- returns for a third year at the Graves 601 Hotel ballroom. "Celebs" including Mall of America trend specialist Sara Rogers, KARE-11 news anchor Julie Nelson and "Next Fitness Star" winner Stacie Clark will model designs by 20 local designers like "Project Runway"'s Christopher Straub, Emma Berg, Lindsey Hopkins, Tara LaTour, Max Lohrbach, Laura Fulk, Caroline Hayden and Samantha Rei. (6 p.m. doors, 8:15 p.m. show. Feb. 16. $25-100. Graves 601 Hotel, 601 1st Av. N., Mpls. www.reddressmn.com) (Full disclosure: the author of this post is also a guest model in the show.)

But fashion shows aren't relegated to Fashion Week; mark your calendars for Grant Whittaker and Ballet of the Dolls' annual "Fashion Ball" on March 21 and 22 at the Ritz Theater (www.ritz-theater.org) and the semi-annual "Envision: Artopia" fashion show on April 19 at the Graves 601 Hotel (www.envisionmpls.com). Emma Berg is planning a solo fashion show for sometime in April (details TBA) and Danielle Everine will debut some new cold-weather fashions at “Hug It Out,” a group popup exhibition curated by Altered Esthetics. (Free opening reception 7-10 p.m. Feb. 7. Ends Feb. 27. REPUBLIC at Seven Corners, 2212 Cedar Av. S., Mpls. www.alteredesthetics.org.)

Follow Vita.mn to stay up to date on any additional events as they're announced.

[Photo: Rhea Pappas]

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