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Nnnnn ssst, nnnnn sst, nnnnn sst. That’s techno beat for fashion show. The Fort Mason Officer’s Club and Altitude Productions pulled out all the nnnn sstops for the Vino Moda Fashion show on August 19. Wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, and beauty advice from expert stylists occupied guests during the reception. Women in colossal heels and chic jumpsuits pulled their dates over to the picture window for a sunset view of the bay. Guests were invited to pore over designer’s samples.

Attendees clustered around the catwalk for a show incorporating both local and national designers. Los Angeles handbag designer Amber Pollard helped accessorize the models with “the first high-fashion handbags designed to carry your lunch.” In a national economic meltdown, more have been brown-bagging it, even those who have to maintain their untouchable image with chic pocketbooks. Incidentally, friends to the environment can also opt for vegan material. Pollard’s favorite is the vegan Cafe satchel: “The black lace and faux suede lace-up detailing against the hemp silk satin fabric really make for a feminine handbag that can easily be paired with the right outfit for an edgy look.”

Fluttering and weightless representations of the natural world adorned the ears and wrists of the runway thanks to local jeweler John S. Brana. Displayed at the show were his nationwide bestsellers from both the Marina and the Lily Pad collections, ranging in price from $16-$200. “With one metalworking technique, and the combination of metals with patination/anodizing, I’ve been able to create a wide variation in color and texture that has proven to be my most successful line yet,” explains Brana. His creations encompass the fishing nets from the piers in San Francisco, the koi pond in his backyard, and mesmerizing scenery from his trips around the world, where he personally selects much of the material for his jewelry.

Accessories provide a necessary framework for the designers showcasing their apparel collections. Jill Pillot didn’t have a far trek from San Mateo, and her items would be perfectly comfortable clothes with which to make the trip. She explains, “My brand name, Ricochet, – which means ‘bounce back’ – shows my commitment to caring for the environment and transforming discarded materials that might otherwise end up in the trash into modern, and well-designed pieces – pieces that look new and fresh.” Her pieces have won first prizes at DeYoung Museum contests; and it’s no wonder because she titles each piece individually as “one-of-a-kind wearable art.”

It’s almost as rare to find an artist who can create beauty by reconstructing discarded waste, as it is to find one who excels at both draping and leatherwork. Heike Jarick’s Fall/Winter 2010 Collection allows the wearer to embrace Indian summer with oversized knit cardigans all the way to New Year’s Eve with his sequined mini-shift. One favorite is the gun-metal gray cape-inspired leather jacket – both modern and impeccable.
From the get-go one was able to spot Candice Janeen as a designer familiar with Bay Area microclimates. Her pieces mirrored the challenges of traveling from Sausalito to the Mission District, a few miles often spanning the difference between fog and sunshine. Janeen’s collection creates dresses with hoods that collapse into cowl necks. Her color choices embrace dichotomy as well, juxtaposing brown pockets on black pants and multi-colored tier dresses. Janeen says, “As you can tell I don't stick to the traditional dark colors! I call it my Infloresence collection which means a cluster of flowers.” Whether prints or solids, Janeen always creates a banquet for the eyes.

Althea Harper may not be local, but her reputation as a finalist on Project Runway Season 6 precedes her wherever she (or her clothes) may travel. Now a resident of New York, she can appreciate versatility like most San Franciscans: “It’s my lifestyle, too: The big-city lifestyle … You don’t have time to go back and change.” She based her Fall 2010 collection on the futurism movement: strong shapes and arresting color combinations. Building print pants and mesh cut-out gowns elicited crowd appreciation.

The forerunner in diversity, Lorian Lindsay displayed her range with impeccable corsets, pencil skirts, cigarette pants, and coats. Lindsay gushes, “I was honored to close the show with my Fall 2010 collection ‘A Day at Daly Creek.’ The line was inspired by a trip to my friend’s equestrian ranch at the base of the Sierras. It had a very rustic and antique prairie feel to it. There was something very inspiring about the vast open landscape at the base of the mountains, with the beautiful horses running wild!” Her vision obviously hails from a vintage era, but has been reconceptualized into a modern twist that appeals to all ages. Feathers and sequins add tasteful embellishments for a whimsical surprise. And boy, were we ever!

The evening concluded with a afterparty freckled with the exhausted eyes of contributing designers. More vino was sipped as more freezing fog rolled while the local attendees concluded that this was the perfect summer to showcase winter.

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