Runway Clearing for Takeoff

Pittsburgh Fashion Week is in full swing!  Its not too late to get in on everything fashion that is happening throughout the city.  I was at the weeks opening show extravaganza, and it was fantastic!  Since I am participating in PFW as a pro makeup artist, my ability to properly report for SpotlightPittsburgh has been diminished this week,  so thankfully Allegra Johnson,  of Urban Media Today decided to share with  us all her perspective of what the opening night of PFW was like.  To read more from Allegra Johnson visit urbanmediatoday.com

Allegra Johnson for SLP

Pittsburgh Fashion Week is off to a great start!  If you missed Monday’s opening event, then shame on you.  Just image the Southside Works Square , filled with fashionista’s and all-around fabulous-ness!  There was music, dancing, singing and of course some of the best fashion in the city. Designers like Planet Pulse, Roberta Weissburg Leather, e.b. Pepper, MJ Whalen, Jupe and Sugar showcased their work. 

 

The opening show was fun, well organized and just a good ole’ time; I laughed, I cried and I wanted to shop!  (I guess that’s the whole purpose of fashion shows).  Anyway, I’m so excited about the rest of fashion week.  Last week, I interview Pittsburgh Fashion Week Executive Assistant LaMont Jones; he said that the whole purpose of Pittsburgh Fashion Week was to showcase the talents of local models, designers, and stylist.  He also said, when we(Pittsburghers) appreciate what Pittsburgh has to offer; then the city can propel into world-class status!  I so agree and Pittsburgh Fashion Week is just a taste of the fabulous things to come.  Now check out some snapshots from the opening; unfortunately, my camera battery died on me midway through the show L  I know, I was on some last minute stuff.  But I will be fully charged for the Zang Toi show today!   

 

 

For a complete list of fashion week events go to www.pittsburghfashionweek.com  

Pittsburgh Fashion Week!!!!!

The introduction of Pittsburgh Fashion Week in 2010 will be a historical event, highlighting what makes ours a region of style as well as steel at a time when Pittsburgh is emerging as a world-class city. From Sept. 27 through Oct. 3, area fashion designers and retailers, industry insiders, and lovers of style and fashion will converge on the Sen. John Heinz History Center, the William Penn Hotel, and other venues in the Golden Triangle to enjoy an array of fashion-related events. With its unique pace of fashion shows around the city, Runway will strut a new style of fashion entertainment and become the Bryant Park of Pittsburgh. We'll witness the change in pace of fashion shows from around the city. 


Here is the schedule:

Runway: Clearing for Takeoff – Destination, Fashion Oz!

Monday, Sept. 27, 2010

Show Starts: 7 pm

Where: South Side Works Square

Appetizers at nearby Tusca, 6pm

International Fashion Designer: Presenting Zang Toi

Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010

Show Starts: 7 pm

Where: Senator John Heinz History Center

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Presents
An Evening with Zang Toi
9 to 11 p.m. At The Art Institute of Pittsburgh
A Private Cocktail Reception open to ticket holders of Zang Toi's fashion event. 

PINK! Fashion Show Benefiting Susan G. Komen Foundation

Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010

Show Starts: 7 pm

Commemorating breast cancer awareness

Where: Senator John Heinz History Center

I've Been Framed

Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010

Show Starts: 6:30pm-8:00pm

Haute Eyeware Trunk Show with Chic Fashions

Eyepolis at the Waterfront

RSVP by Sept. 28 412.464.2020

All Day Fashion Shows – 10 am to 7 pm

Petite & Plus Perfection – 8 pm

Friday, Oct. 1, 2010

Where: Ramada Hotel And Conference Center Pittsburgh in Green Tree

Saturday All Day Fashion Shows – 10 am to 7 pm

ManStyle All Menswear Fashion Show – 1 pm to 2 pm

Eco-chic Custom Designs and Charity Auction – 8 pm

Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010

Where: Ramada Hotel And Conference Center Pittsburgh in Green Tree

Pittsburgh Fashion Hall of Fame Luncheon

Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010

Luncheon: 1:30 – 3:30 pm

Omni William Penn Hotel

This should be a great week!  See you there!

Classic Material

Big Phill has been bugging me for years to track down reissues of some classic blaxploitation records via one of my distributors. Admittedly, I've lallygagged, and it's been a bit of a recurring joke every time we cross paths. So, when Phil approached SMI about doing a blaxploitation night at CM, I couldn't refuse. Blaxploitation movies have provided the backdrop for many a classic hip-hop track. If it wasn't for James Brown's contribution to the Black Caesar soundtrack "Blind Man Can See It", we would be stuck with the wack remix of "They Want EFX", not the the ill guitar loop that still drives folks bananas to this day. And who can forgot about Marvin Gaye lending "A Touch Of Jazz" to Jeff & The Fresh Prince courtesy of "T Plays It Cool" from the all Marvin "Trouble Man" soundtrack.

Blaxploitation flix's have provided countless hours of visual and audible entertainment over the years, tonight we will honor the best of the genre, complete with the hip-hop artists that freaked the samples + film clips on the big screen all night! Phil is a master at this genre, come check out the collection he has amassed over the years, alongside residents Selecta and SMI. Thanks for keeping Classic Material fresh and exciting as we move in to our fourth year of amazing parties. Next month Mr. Murray will be in the place to be for the "Most Beautifullest" edition of CM. Cheers! 


-SELECTA

After the Event, Hot House

This After the Event is all about the Sprout Funds annual event, HOT HOUSE.  If you know anything about the Sprout Fund, and I am sure that many of you do, then you know something about, or have heard about HOT HOUSE.  This year the crowd was bigger, the spectacle was bigger, and the event was fantastic!  How could it not be though?  Food, liquor, beer, wine, art, lively people, there was one eye catching experience after another.  The opportunity to learn about some businesses and projects in the community that I had never even knew existed, is the cherry on the cake for me.  I realized that that is only our perspective, the happy party goer. What about the event coordinators  themselves, what about their perspective?  I had a brief conversation this morning with Matt Hannigan of the the Sprout Fund to get the collective thoughts of the non- profit, and share some of how they felt about the HOT HOUSE event this year, and to learn more about the Sprout Fund.

SLP :   How did you like the Don Allen location compared to Bakery Sqaure last year?

Matt Hannigan : I think that they were really different sites, ...all the sites are very different that we do so generally each one has its own benefits.

SLP :  Did you guys meet your goal this year?

MH :   Yeah, I think that we got the volume of people that we were looking for.  For us it an opportunity to showcase the projects and activities that we've supported over the last year.  So, in looking at the event and seeing how many people were stopping by the project booths and learning a little more about what they are doing in the community, that is a really important aspect of what the event is about.  Some people think its just a really fun party but for us it does have that secondary purpose as well.

click play to view pics

SLP :  For people who are not familer with the Sprout fund, could you breifly summarize what you all are in place to do?

MH :  What we basically provide is catalog support for community projects, and we do that through small grants and through the creation of works of public art.  We have a couple of grant making programs, where people can apply to us for support and try to get there idea off the ground.  Then we have a public art program thats focused on creating murals around the town.

SLP :  Thanks for all the great info Matt, one last question before you go, any new projects or collaborations that the Sprout Fund is currently engaged?

MH :   Well, the thing thats coming up the fastest for us right now after HOT HOUSE is the application deadline for a new funding program that were offering which is called SPRING.  Thats a program that focuses on programs that are related to biodiversity, and that application deadline is  Friday September 24, 2010.  So we're hopeful to get  projects from across Pittsburgh and Allegheny county to come back to us with ideas of community projects that would kinda measure the impact of the biodiversity within the Pittsburgh region.

If you would like more information on the SPRING program or any more info at all about the Sprout Fund click the title link to there website.  The Sprout Fund is located at 5423 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, Pa, 15206-3423