AliShopsBlog.com - The Twin Cities Shopping Blog

At a "Project Runway" season premiere party Thursday at the St. Paul Hotel, Mayor Chris Coleman called St. Paul "Center of the fashion universe tonight." That was a stretch (as was his claim that he resembles Tim Gunn), but St. Paul was the center of "Project Runway" news: Shakopee designer Christopher Straub (left) won the first challenge and former Minneapolis resident Ra'Mon-Lawrence Coleman unveiled the collection he called "A Cool Summer's Breeze" (above) and revealed that he will show it, on his own, during New York Fashion Week next month. While "Project Runway" was held up by a legal dispute between Bravo and Lifetime, design careers apparently moved forward. Coleman presented a collection of refined resort wear for women and men with safari influences. Surprisingly reserved, perhaps, for a confident designer with a major Mohawk, but Coleman has worked for both Target and Kohl's. He knows what sells. Straub, meanwhile, showed his new handbags: fancy clutches and satchels with loads of embellishment. Check them both out online: Christopher Straub and Ra'mon-Lawrence Coleman. They gave out each other's URLs on stage before the show. "We are not afraid of shameless plugs," said Coleman, who slipped in minutes before the show started. Straub, with his mom, aunt, brother and supportive partner (an engineer, whom he dresses) was one of the first to arrive, happily working the room for more than an hour. Read more about the premiere party and the contestants' reaction to the show in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Just got home from Glamorama, nursing sore feet. Ne-Yo and Kristinia DeBarge were still partying in the VIP room when I left. They know a good party when they find it. Read my review of the show in the St. Paul Pioneer Press Saturday, Aug. 15 and tune in to Shop Girls 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on FM107.1 for tons of backstage gossip. (Don't miss my exclusive sit-down with Glam surprise performer Miss Piggy in the Pioneer Press on Sunday, Aug. 16)
Besides learning about Ne-Yo's "shopaholic" ways and Kristinia's love of Steve Madden, I learned tonight that iPhone pictures don't turn out well in the dark. I'm left with the memories. Sigh...

Guess it takes a front page column in the St. Paul Pioneer Press to get a car salesman's attention these days if you don't have a clunker to trade. I've been contacted by several from here to North Dakota this morning, wanting to sell me everything from a Volkswagen to a Chrysler (curious that no one is talking prices). But more interesting are the calls and emails I'm receiving from other prospective buyers. One caller told me she's holding off until December after being ignored or discouraged at several dealerships. Justin, who is trying to replace a 2001Chevy Malibu, shared with me his favorite outrage: the Nissan dealer that tried to charge him $3,500 more than the one down the street. He's hanging on to the Malibu for now - which is just what a Consumer Reports expert suggested. Wait - until the clunkers craziness settles.Jackie couldn't wait. When a Toyota dealer told her to come back another time, she went to Honda and finally found a salesman at Buerkle willing to stay late to help her. She's driving a new Civic - with a sign in the rear window that says "This is not a clunkers deal!"

If you feel like there are a disproportionate number of extremely tall, lithe, good looking people on Nicollet Mall this week, it's true. They're The Models. Pros from New York have descended on the Twin Cities this week to prep for Glamorama, which happens Friday at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. More than a runway show, Glam is like a Broadway production requiring a lot of coordination, glitzy numbers and plenty of dancing. (Models will not only shake their booties - they are allowed to smile.) Poor things, they'll be working long hours on stage, in fittings, with hair and makeup all week. Many tell me they live a bit like hermits while working - early to bed, nothing stronger than milk to drink.
Yeah, right.
They're here all week, so dress nice, get a blow out and be ready to cross to the other side of the street to avoid an inferiority complex.