With Fashion’s Night Out and The Philadelphia Collection 2012, this town’s sartorial splendor is in full bloom. Let us not forget, though, who first brought runway style and sass to this city: Sharon Phillips Waxman and Phashion Phest. Waxman was curating extravaganzas when all y’all were still wearing Norma Kamali shoulder pads. “I was definitely wearing Kamali pads, too,” laughs Waxman. “I had a Kamali black dress, a black-and-red-checked jumpsuit and a red parachute coat that I adored.” Waxman’s 19th Phashion Phest, on Sept. 19 in the rotunda area of the Shops at Liberty Place, will be a theatrical affair inspired by the Parisian music hall Folies Bergére, and filled with new participants such as Philly’s André Richard Salon and nationally heralded designers LELE, Lobo Mau, Mariel Rojo and Secret Bohemia. Rather than scoff at the new kids on the block like the city-run Philadelphia Collection and New York spinoff Fashion’s Night Out, Waxman welcomes the competition. “I think it’s wonderful that there are so many fashion-related events planned for this month. The Philadelphia Collection markets all of these individual events under one umbrella, giving both long-established events like Phashion Phest and newly created events a unified presence.” Whee.
➤ Jose Garces is a busy man. Not only did he and his missus visit Paris recently, the trip apparently was a revelation — his upcoming boutique restaurant on the first floor of the Kimmel is rumored to be leaning toward French-inspired cuisine. And there’s the Chef Jose and Dr. Beatriz Garces Family Foundation launch in October. Before that, though, Garces and his grassland pal Alex McCracken host a Meet the Maker dinner at the Cira Center’s JG Domestic on Sept. 13. When McCracken, already an established organic farmer in Bucks County, heard back in 2010 that Garces had bought nearby Luna Farm, now the source of much of the vaunted local produce at JG Domestic and other Garces restaurants, he got bold. “A lot of friends and associates were talking about contacting Jose to grow food for him, so I thought, ‘Why let them have all the fun, I’m going to contact Jose, too!’” recalls McCracken, who got Luna’s managing gig just weeks after meeting the Iron Chef, who at the time had zero farming experience. “It’s been fun teaching him how different of a profession farming is from virtually anything else; no matter how long you’ve been doing it, there is always more to learn if you keep your eyes open,” says McCracken. Garces stays out of McCracken’s way, but lends a hand in the field when necessary. Betcha McCracken stays out of the kitchen when JG chefs have a go at Luna’s crops this Thursday.
➤ If you’ve got a passion for fashion, there’s more Icepack at citypaper.net/criticalmass.
