Story and Photos by Victoria Davila
It merges the couture of eye-catching clothing designs on the runway with the carnival of a sideshow bazaar. It brings together the Eugene community of families, students, and individuals with local artists of all kinds. And, for the most part, it’s free. The Carnival of Couture: Parade of the Custom Made will be held this Saturday, April 24, at the Lane County Fairgrounds Expo Halls.
The fourth annual event will provide over eight hours of free entertainment beginning at 11:00 am before a reasonably priced ($10 presale and $12 at the door) runway show of Eugene clothing designs at 7:30 p.m. The multidimensional artistic event will pull from a pool of local talent to include fifty to seventy fashion related vendors and carnival style entertainment every forty-five minutes. Food and drink as well as games and activities will be available.
The Carnival of Couture is a Deluxe*Kitsch*Redoux Production put on by three Eugene fashion buy-and-trade boutique-style clothing stores: Deluxe and Kitsch and The Redoux Parlour. All of the stores set themselves apart from the rest by striving to connect with the community.
Twenty-six designers will have their work featured on the runway including University of Oregon student Andrew Helm whose new line “Grintage” will be worn by some of the over 100 expected models. The fashion show is open to all who are interested, says Deluxe and Kitsch proprietor Mitra Chester.
“I don’t know what’s going to be in the show till I see it on the runway. We don’t judge, screen, or select,” says Chester.
The Deluxe building oozes postmodern edge as the owners Mitra and Aaron Chester aim to run a store that not only supports neighborhood designers, but teaches them with internships and apprenticeships for independent business and clothing design and production.
The Redoux Parlour welcomes passersby with a warm retro-sheq atmosphere, in which the back of the building encompasses studio space where regional designers use the facilities to create their art.
“Any way that I can help designers become self sufficient with their art as a means of employment is a major goal of mine,” says store owner Laura Leelaroux.
Read Ethos’ profile of featured designer, Harlequin.
