Now that’s a fashion show. Minneapolis designer Joy Teiken of Joynoelle skipped ClubDiva this weekend to team up with Monique Lhuillier for Sunday’s elegant Runway Luxury fashion fundraiser hosted by local philanthropist Blythe Brenden at the new Hotel Ivy. It’s rare in Minneapolis to be treated to a show where the fashion commands center stage: no rock bands, no dancers or drag queens – just a runway, a few rows of squished seats, dramatic lighting and music with a beat. And judging from the well-dressed, enthusiastic crowd, the Twin Cities is hungry for more of it.
Teiken showed her versatility and love of the female figure with looks ranging from 20s-inspired to simply modern cocktail dresses. She can drape with the best of them, and her attention to detail came across in everything from a silk organza coat dress decorated with a hand-beaded poodle and scalloped hemline to charmeuse gowns with ruffled necklines. The best part of having Joynoelle’s studio right here in town: any piece on the runway can be custom ordered to fit.
And you’ve got to hand it to Teiken: sharing a runway with Monique Lhuillier is daunting. As home to one of just two flagship Monique Lhuillier salons in the country, Minneapolis enjoys great access to one of today’s true fashion stars. No, Lhuillier wasn’t there in person – but her spring collection represented – in lovely shades of mint and butterscotch. Soft and gorgeous one shoulder chiffon gowns, strapless cocktail dresses with beading – makes a girl long for an occasion befitting the dress. The $3,400 or so to buy one would be nice, too.
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Another native Minnesotan who has learned to play the celebrity game with enviable finesse is jewelry designer Sara Goldfine of SBG Designs, who grew up in Golden Valley and now lives in L.A. (She returns to the Twin Cities for trunk shows at least a couple of times a year.) Last week, Sara participated in a Golden Globes gift suite and got her necklaces and bracelets on Brooke Shields, Paris Hilton and Josh Henderson (who plays the new two-timing teen hunk on “Desperate Housewives”) — to name a few. But her favorite celeb encounter was Ethan Embry (“Can’t Hardly Wait”). Says Sara, “He hung around to chat with my sister and me for what felt like a half an hour….told us all about his up and coming projects and how he is going to have to gain a lot of weight for a new film he’ll be working on.”
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