After a Fashion: Wandering Lust
Finally! Details about Your Style Avatar's return to fashion
By Stephen MacMillan Moser, Fri., Sept. 21, 2012
Tina Johnson of WhiteStar Manufacturing and I had a great time at the opening of Wanderlust, a new boutique (1601 W. Koenig, www.wanderlustaustin.com), featuring such a great selection of very fun women's wear, some men's wear, accessories, chocolates, wine, and all the things that make life fun – including styling, makeup, and an art gallery. With a youthful point of view and an accent on affordable, Wanderlust showed off their goods with a clever fashion show (I sat on the front row in between Tina and Greg Boyd). Tina bought a few fun bags and jewelry, and even bought me a great bracelet made out of a tusk, but there were so many desirable, cool things to choose from I had to stop looking. Located right near the Sugar Factory, this little strip of Koenig is its own fashion happening.
Baddest of the bad
Notorious photographer Bad JohnPaul's work is noteworthy for its overtones of sex and violence, but his forays into fashion are making him one of the most sought-after photographers in town. Currently, he is compiling a lush hardcover book of his best work. Refusing to submit to investors and publishers who want to change the book more than he is willing, JohnPaul has started a Kick-starter campaign to raise the funds necessary for the publication. Find out more at www.kickstarter.com.
Fashionable Agenda
Austin Fairy Godmother (www.austinfairygodmother.org) is presenting a Royal Black & White Ball on Sunday, Sept. 23, 5:30-9:30pm, at Kindred Oaks in Georgetown to help raise money for prom dresses for those who can't afford them. There isn't a young girl alive that doesn't want to feel glamorous and beautiful at her prom, and since, as a designer, I love making women feel glamorous and beautiful, I am contributing clothes to the event, along with a plethora of other designers. Tickets are available at vcevents.ticketbud.com/afgroyalball... If you don't already know the work and productions of Coco Coquette (2109 E. Cesar Chavez, www.coco-coquette.com) wig designer Allyson Garro, get yourself tickets to her new sure-to-be fabulous show, 12 Ways To End the World which happens Tuesday, Sept. 25, 9pm, at ND at 501 Studios. Allyson has a magic touch with glamour and showmanship, and I recall so vividly the performances from her previous events that I'm rubbing my knees together like a cricket waiting for this new show.
Word Is Out
My re-debut into fashionland is confirmed: Sunday, Nov. 11, at the Driskill Hotel, I, along with a hand-selected group of serious designers will present Eleven Eleven: An Evening of Extraordinary Fashion. Time and ticket sales are yet to be announced, but mark your calendars for this drop-dead fashionable evening with the goal of raising $50,000 for Hospice Austin's Pet Peace of Mind Program. I've told you about how much comfort my pets have brought me during my illness ... and how I will indeed need Hospice Austin's help when the time comes – so this is a doubly important charity to me. Maybe I'm trying to pay it forward a bit. We will present a two-part show that will be a lengthy presentation of the work of Tina Johnson, Benson Roberts, Jonathan Shakarisaz, Roosevelt Cevallos, and myself, showing off the most glamorous clothes I've ever made (and I've made lots of clothes in these past 40 years). All my fabrics were privately resourced by TexStyles, and there are some jaw-droppingly gorgeous ones. And then there's my bevy of celebrity models: Adam Curry and his wife Micky Hoogendijk; Eric Groten and his wife Maria; Kevin Benz and his wife Olga Campos Benz; Mica Mosbacher and her daughter-in-law Brittanie Duncan; City Council member Mike Martinez, Tyler Sieswerda, Quita Culpepper, Joanie Bentzin, Karen Hawkins, Trisa Thompson, Gail Chovan, and many more.