The Bride Wore Bamboo

Designer Anna Cohen's work was a standout in this showcase of West Coast design employing sustainable practices

all images: tim gunther

The finale of the CONNECTION fashion show at MASU on Wednesday evening was a parade of models in ivory jersey shifts emblazoned with phrases spelling out a call to action. The first read, "deep in the coal mines." The second, "canaries gave warning." And the next, "when to take action for survival." Designer Anna Cohen, one of the two coordinators behind the show, created the dresses out of a knit made from bamboo, putting her design muscle where her mouth is in support of weaving sustainability into every corner of our lives.

If the audience, made up of buyers, industry insiders (our informal survey found a surprising number of makeup artists), and others had previously associated earth-friendly apparel (if they gave it a thought at all) with brown drawstring hemp pants, designers from Seattle to LA rolled out a broad range of apparel to show that sustainable design and manufacturing practices could turn out clothes that are sexy and directional. There were some odd notes in the show, but like the little girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead, when she was good, she was very, very good.

Portland designer Anna Cohen's work stood out for its vision as well as its sublime draping and cut. The work included a number of elegantly draped bamboo jersey dresses and sexy tops (see right), an exquisite painted camisole with a surprising open back, and a great raw-edged peach satin (and was it black leather?) bolero. Many of the designs required a body work them with generous displays of skin and form-hugging fabric, but others like the perfectly pieced, fitted skirt were cut to flatter. Best detail: mile-long ties ending feather-like shapes on another jersey top.

CONNECTION was produced by Cohen and Austie Wallace of Network Productions, "to educate and inspire an important shift in direction toward creating cutting-edge fashion while maintaining globally responsible practices." It's a notion that's starting to gain currency, supported by giants like adidas, where Cohen first began working with bamboo fabric and mavericks like Bono who's throwing his celeb weight behind the Edun line.

Cohen--who worked in Italy for a number of years working with Patrizia Pepe, designing for names like GUESS and MAX MARA and producing fashion shows--moved back to Portland precisely because she sees it as fertile ground for fashion based on sustainable practices. We'll see if buyers from local boutiques (Jason of N.A.C. and Sally of Pin Me were spotted in the audience...we heard the Seaplane girls arrived too late to get in to the SRO show) will step up to prove Cohen right.

CONNECTION notes: Shoes were provided by Michael Jolley's shoe boutique, Jolie, just downstairs from MASU. Other local designers included Mon Petite Bijou, Tiffany Thomas Jewelry, and Cat and Catherine Jewelry. Daniel from DSPR threw down for home stretch production and PR.

Photographs courtesy of Timothy Gunther. Tim Gunther.
Posted by lisa on Sunday July 31 2005 13:02 www.ultrapdx.com