Archives for November 2012
“La Femme, La Fashion”: The Show
Before the Show: Gabby’s View from Other Side of the Curtain
I was so grateful to have been selected to be a part of La Bratique’s first runway show, “La Femme, La Fashion”. I arrived at the doors of Bella Salon at about 2:30pm for hair and makeup; I was immediately struck by a super funky, contemporary piece of artwork behind the receptionists’ desk. As my eyes wandered to the rest of the space, the vibe felt relaxed, professional, and distinctly warm. Being a little early, I was able to sit down and enjoy Bella’s comfortable waiting area for their guests, complete with a fireplace and refreshments. It was my pleasure to have my hair styled by Katie; anyone who has traveled far and wide for the right hairdresser can agree with me when I say there’s nothing like a hair stylist that makes small talk easy, fun, and enjoyable. I highly recommend seeing Katie to anyone who is interested in checking out this salon!
Between the lifting, tucking, and pinning of our hair and last-minute bra fittings, talented Susan Swanson turned me and the other ladies into runway-ready boudoir babes. Once the outfits had been finalized, our Miglio’s sandwiches eaten, and makeup complete, our looks were made whole with beautiful jewelry creations from Realia by Jen. At approximately 5pm, the stage (or a series of three platforms, in this case) had been set, and Richard Moody and fellow model Beatrice gave us a quick runway lesson in how to strut our stuff. Just to be sure I was ready, I went through a few practice runs by myself; even though I was feeling too stubborn to show it at the time, I was becoming really nervous! Time passed quickly, and soon we found ourselves listening to the soulful sounds of duo Wenso Ashby Contemporary Jazz with Soul. As 6pm drew nearer and nearer, all the ladies gathered in the back of the salon. I was probably the most nervous of the bunch, being the only one without previous modeling experience. I was lucky to get some words of encouragement from Kristina Mohlin, who had been a model for 22 years. Needless to say, she made me feel a lot more relaxed and ready for the show. Before I knew it, the chatter from the other side of the curtain subsided, and I heard Richards booming, cheerful voice begin. The show had begun, and it was almost my turn to go…
Part Two: The Fashion Show
“La Femme, La Fashion” was probably one of the most fun events we had the opportunity of covering! Gabby Navarro, my co-author, was one of five models who got to strut what their momma gave them on the runway! When I got to Bella Salon early to support Gabby, she was busy getting her outfits prepared for the show. While I was waiting for her, I got to chat with the other models while they were getting their hair and makeup done. They all seemed very at ease granted that they are about to take their clothes off in front of 75 people.
There were many family members and friends supporting everyone involved in the show. Since Gabby and I have been friends since we were 16, my mom came to support her and watch her walk. When my mom arrived she got lost, so I had to run outside and direct her. Finally, we got her to Bella and when we walked up to the doors we were greeted by an adorable man looking dapper in a tuxedo, who kindly opened the door for us. Music by Wenso Ashby enchanted the crowd upon entering. Mingling was at all-time peak tonight, with familiar faces all around. Red and white wine was served along with delicious hors d’oeuvres. The runway was set up in the middle of the salon and the on-lookers were able to sit and enjoy the show in the salon chairs.
After everyone got settled Richard started off the show by introducing Tracy, letting her talk about the store and the upcoming spring lingerie collections. When Tracy was done speaking, Richard introduced Jen of Realia by Jen, who designed all of the jewelry that was used in the show. After the participants had been introduced, the music started and the first model stepped out on the runway. Watching the entire group of models feel extremely confident in their La Bratique lingerie was really inspiring, I’m not sure if it was the bright spring colors that made them feel that way, but they worked it. It was easy to lose time watching beautiful ladies walking in fine European intimates, and soon the show had come to an end. After the show, attendees were invited to Beaujo’s Wine Bar for an after-party special. On the way out all of the guest received a “swag bag” including gifts and coupons.
One thing that is very special about this event is how La Bratique chose to use many different body shapes. Their styling displayed an array of sizes tastefully and beautifully, making the “real-women” bodies glow even brighter with the selection of luxurious fabrics and details. After seeing such an alluring collection of lingerie, it was hard to find our top three most desirable pieces of the night. Our first fave was a vanilla colored bra from Countrelle. The sheer, floral, scalloped lace made this bra especially unique; definitely a piece to wear for a special occasion of any kind. Our second favorite of the night was the Freya balconet. The elongated band and the playful polk-a-dot print make this a piece you don’t want to hide; instead this would be a great to use for layering as a true part of your outfit. Our final favorite was a young and fun Evolove bra and panty set in a light blue and purple bird print that spoke to the part in us that never really quite grew up; the print felt youthful, but not so youthful that a woman wouldn’t feel unsophisticated wearing it. If you want to see our favorites for yourself, make an appointment with Jackie or Tracy as all of these things are currently for sale!
La Femme, La Fashion” definitely kept up with our high expectations. We anticipated viewing a beautiful selection of European lingerie, beautiful people, light, happy music in the background, and tasty refreshments. Not only did they deliver the latter, but the genuine, friendly, and professional level of service blew us away. We’d like to thank Tracy and Jackie at La Bratique once again for their kindness and hospitality, and also a big thanks to Bella Salon, we had such a great experience and you ladies are so much fun to work with!
You can check out La Bratique’s website at: http://www.labratique.com.
If you want to learn more about Bella Salon and services they offer, you can find their website here: www.bellaedina.com
Local jewelry designer Realia by Jen, we highly suggest stopping by her page here: http://www.realiabyjen.com.
Wenso Ashby – Contemporary Jazz with Soul: http://www.wensoashby.com/home.html
Authors and Editors
Jordan Nentl & Gabby Navarro
La Bratique: “La Femme La Fashion”
As the fall season draws nearer to winter and we all start to bundle up in our favorite sweaters and coats, us women are covering up some things that may have been forgotten since the steamy summertime. No, not our legs or arms…think just a little higher up, and don’t be afraid if your mind wanders into the gutter. Why? Because we’re talking about our bosoms, of course! Now that we are no longer soaking up the sun and baring it all in our barely-there bikinis, it’s easy to forget about our good friends residing just below our collarbones. Ladies, we are here to speak for the boobs! An important part of womens’ health and well-being, taking proper care of these guys is just as important as brushing your teeth before you go to bed or taking off your makeup so your pores don’t get clogged. You may think taking a quick trip to Victoria’s Secret for your favorite bra is the one-size-fits-all solution to finding a bra for the year ahead, but that may not always be the case. Seeing as a bra is not a one-size-fits-all product, many larger-busted women get frustrated when looking for something to fit and support their unique shape in the correct size for them, without sacrificing aesthetic value. We have found the solution to incorrect sizing and unattractive intimates in the form of a lingerie boutique right on 50th &France called La Bratique.
We were first introduced to La Bratique through several interactions with employee Jackie Wallin, who excitedly urged us to check it out after chatting about our own personal “ugly intimates woes”. Every time we spoke with her, she was encouraging us to come in for a fitting, swearing by the talent of her and partner/owner of 5 years Tracy Anderson, as well as their fab European products. When IamMoody and La Bratique teamed up to bring us their first ever runway event “La Femme La Fashion” coming up on November 12th, we were thrilled to have our excuse to come in for ourselves! Since all of their fittings are done in a pre-scheduled, private one-on-one session, we initially expected everything to be way out of our price range.
Getting sized and fitted by Tracy was an absolute delight. Even though we are not particularly shy people, we don’t think any woman gets excited about getting topless for another while trying on bras. There is just something about her that would make even the most timid woman feel incredibly comfortable and at ease; She laughed with us, telling us that even the shyest of women come in to their fittings feeling a little self conscious, and by the end of their time they are walking around in their undergarments in La Bratiques’ main room, completely disregarding the window view that is visible from the street. Tracy is extremely professional and aims to get the perfect bra and fit for all customers; no matter what they might be looking for! “The average American woman’s breast size is D or DD.” Now that was a statement we were not expecting to hear. Coming from women who share the big-breasted-burden, we had expected the average to be smaller, something like a B or C cup. Well, we were wrong about that! We also walked in to our appointment wearing what we were told were correct sized bras for each of us; but we were wrong again! One thing Tracy emphasizes is education. During a fitting, she is constantly explaining her process for selecting the perfect bra; she thoroughly describes why each item is or is not working on your body. It is truly an impossible feat to leave without taking customized information about your specific body shape and the support it needs. One thing left us flabbergasted was when she mentioned that some women in their 50’s and 60’s come in to get fitted by her, having worn the wrong bra size their whole life! We are so happy we got to her sooner! Just by hearing Tracy speak, her mission is visible: to educate females as early as possible about the importance of wearing the right bra for your body shape. Its more than customer service, she really cares about women and their health.
After we left, we were able to see what it means to actually have “support” in a bra. It easy to look at elements of design, but it is not so easy to look at an intimate and evaluate exactly how it will fit once on the body. Even though we know the importance of support and coverage, there is no need to forgo the sex appeal at La Bratique. In fact, their luxurious selection re-defines what it is to be sexy and to have sex appeal, without melon-like cleavage and constant re-adjustment. Looking back, it was a pleasant surprise when we discovered the prices of these items are considerably lower than we anticipated-their price range runs from about $55-$175 for a bra, not quite the $250 we would have expected due to their professional nature and expertise.
Come watch as our gorgeous Gabby Navarro strut her stuff along with four other beautiful models in the upcoming runway event “La Femme La Fashion” on November 12th. You can check out La Bratique’s website at http://www.labratique.com. The show will be accessorized with glamorous jewelry from local jewelry designer Realia by Jen, we highly suggest stopping by her page here http://www.realiabyjen.com.
Event info for La Femme La Fashion on November 12th: http://labratique.eventbrite.com
Location: Bella Salon and Spa at 50th andFrance(3811 W. 50th Street,Edina)
Time: 5:30-10:00pm
The evening will have a limited guest list, RSVP required!
Authors and Editors
Jordan Nentl & Gabby Navarro
IAMMPLS! 2012
Musical performances by Heatbox, A. Wolf & Her Claws Hosted by Jade Tittle of 89.3 The Current Comedic performances by Nate Abshire and Ben San Del I AM MPLS! is an annual variety show celebrating and connecting passionately creative people from Minneapolis. Now in its third year, the multi-facted event integrates comedy, music, fashion, and art to form an entertaining evening based on locally grown creative pride. IAMMPLS! is about celebrating who we are, what we do, and the common bond that ties us to our fair city. IAMMPLS! was conceived by local fashion stylist, Sarah Edwards, a Minneapolis transplant, who, within a few short years of living here, has become an inspiring advocate for the city. She sees Minneapolis as a place brimming with possibility, passion, and artistic energy. After recognizing and embracing the potential within the Minneapolis creative community, Edwards took leaps and risks to make something new happen…and IAMMPLS! was born.