September 21–28, 2000

naked city

Fashion Statement

Jean research: MEGA, formerly of TV’s Big Brother, models Sean John jeans for a captive audience at Moët & Chandon’s. photo: Scott Wiener

Local designers and retailers tout their wares at two waterfront fashion fetes.

by a.d. amorosi

When Manhattan kicks off Fashion Week — couture design’s semi-annual free-for-all for the upcoming season — Philadelphia is never far behind in celebrating its own. Despite this city’s once-heralded lack of forward-looking sartorial self-esteem, Philly retailers and designers have been joining together since 1994 in a communion of aesthetics and idealism that inspires year round: It’s called Phashion Phest.

"Phashion Phest was borne of a notion that there weren’t great retailers in this market," says Sharon Philips Waxman, who along with former deputy city rep Kathleen Sullivan started the idea of a local fashion-free-for-all.

"I wanted to put on a show to let everyone see all the great stores in this region, in one big event," she says.

More importantly to Waxman, Phashion Phest is a pragmatic entity, one to showcase the region’s retailers with an eye toward pocketbooks. "I wanted people to know that after this fashion show, Philadelphians could go out and purchase these great looks the very next day."

Though Phashion Phest has enjoyed partnership from the City and former Mayor Ed Rendell since the beginning, this year, Waxman — who was once a model, and has produced fashion shows for the Gimbels Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Liberty Medal Ceremony and the upcoming Beaux Arts Ball — will do it herself.

Through her SPW Productions, Phashion Phest will move to Penn’s Landing’s Great Plaza for the aptly titled High Fashion, Low Tide this Friday night. With Philly’s tall ship, the Gazela, as backdrop, the event will occur on a runway set up on three levels of the Plaza.

All this is quite a change from Phests’ past: a city sponsored event at the Convention Center during the city’s Make It A Night Wednesdays. Waxman doesn’t feel the changes alter much at all. "I felt that it was important to try to keep the event going and to fly solo," says Waxman, who notes that the city still sponsors the yearly Phashion Phest Philadelphia Award, which will be presented by Mayor Street to jewelry designers/retailers Ann and Steven Lagos on Friday night.

"It’s a positive event that benefits stores, salons, models and agencies as a showcase of talented people and businesses in the Philadelphia area. As for setting, after last year’s Bring on the Street under the Convention Center’s tunnel, I was challenged to do something fresh."

Waxman is also hoping that the switch to Friday is more appealing and will increase attendance. Then there’s the look.

"The setting is breathtaking," says Waxman. "And not to worry if it rains, God forbid! I have 100 tents being erected so we all stay dry."

Penn’s Landing isn’t the only waterfront retreat where fashion rules. Last Thursday Egypt on The Waterfront was taken over by Moët & Chandon’s Fashion Statement; a fashion show/history lesson featuring creations of African American designers like Lafayette 148, Sean John, Epperson, Franklin Rowe, Vondra Couture and Philly’s own Versace, Lamar Johnson.

	Fashion fusion: One of Lafayette 148’s multi-cultural-inspired evening outfits.Surfside Strut photo: Scott Wiener

Set against a staging of leopard skin couches and cushy chairs with buckets of Moët strategically placed alongside them, the fashion show has the quiet feel of a tutorial. Writer/style expert Lloyd Boston — former VP of Art Direction for Tommy Hilfilger and author of Men of Color: Fashion, History, Fundamentals — places black fashion design in historical context, illustrating the influence it’s had since the dawn of time through the present. "Can I get an Amen?" yells Boston. He gets it.

While encouraging Egypt’s audience to get closer to the stage to "feel the textures" of the heritage he’s discussing, Boston also tells the predominantly black audience to notice that these African American designers create works of art specifically for the black body type and skin tone. "Ladies," says Boston with just enough sinew not to sound insulting. "Your size 10 may in reality be a size 12. That’s due to your voluptuous curves."

Boston gives each designer his due, rapping up Puffy Combs’ Sean Jean line of denim jumpsuits and thick sweaters as "down for the mack daddy". Bronx-born Franklin Rowe’s Willi Smith-inspired fashions hit the "body pleasing sense" with silks, satins and faux furs resulting in men’s pinstripes and ladies floor-touching gowns. Inspired by a melange of Asian, Indian and African textures, Lafayette 148 — from Edward Wilkinson, former Donna Karan Couture designer — is cool and chic, bursting with subtle shadings of oranges and maroon silks as well as a knockout see-through lace jumpsuit. Manale is rich with Euro-elegant sensibilities made bold in deep red velvets and silver sparkle. Epperson Studio’s clothing has a de-constructionist feel; a raw and wrinkled, loosely threaded patchwork suited to skin-tight tops, long velvet skirts, and one men’s sweater with a hole cut dead center.

Finally, Philly’s Lamar Johnson, an eclectic mix of all the above, presented the best of male (shiny suits in shark-skin-like fabrics, flowery near-tie-dye prints on velvet) and female (white leather peek-a-boo tops with snap fronts).

"Imagine you were parading around the Art Museum looking, seeing," Boston instructs the audience.

If this evening of eclectic fashion was a painting, it’d be as thrilling as a Kandinsky and as mythically modern as a Basquiat.

Phashion Phest, Fri., Sept. 22, 6 p.m., Great Plaza, Penn’s Landing, Columbus Blvd. and Chestnut St., $50, 215-973-5343.