Local fashion link roundup: mid-week edition

Oh, hay. Minnesota-born sunglasses designers Coco & Breezy are featured in the June issue of Essence Magazine.

Mpls.St.Paul Magazine style editor Allison Kaplan chats with Project Runway winner Seth Aaron Henderson and former contestants Christopher Straub and Ra'mon Lawrence Coleman at the Sol Inspirations Eco Fashion Show in downtown Minneapolis in this video.



City Pages names local designer Joan Vonderbrugen of Lollycopter and Jenny Carle two of its 100 Creatives.

City Pages is giving away a copy of Susan Marks' In the Mood for Munsingwear book detailing the history of the Minnesota underwear company.

After a successful launch at women's designer resale store June last month, former Ivy store owner Ini Iyamba is launching a month-long menswear collection at Elsworth.

METRO Magazine fashion editor Mary O'Regan goes behind the scenes of METRO's upcoming men's fashion spread with Vision model (and F/W 2009 face of Calvin Klein) Will Defiel.

She also goes behind the scenes of METRO's summer shoot, featuring styling by Andrea Oseland and Vision model Mary Cann.

A swimsuit by local line ArielSimone was featured in the June issue of Essence Magazine.

Star Tribune recaps Art of Hair event & RetroRama.

Metromix has photos from Monday's "CAMP GAGA" CD release party and Gaga costume contest by Nic Abrego.

Macy's Glamorama has been announced. Mark your calendars for August 5.

Coco & Breezy collab with Vuarnet, get worn by Beyonce

The ever-busy designing duo of Coco & Breezy have been seeing success after success since moving to New York from their hometown of Minneapolis a couple of years ago.

During their recent stint in Paris, the duo had the opportunity to collaborate with legendary French designer Vuarnet on a blinged-out helmet:


Meanwhile, they're got even more celebs wearing their accessories. In her recent kids' campaign "Let's Move!", Beyonce wears Coco & Breezy's "Uni" bracelet:

[Photos courtesy Coco & Breezy]

Coco & Breezy shot for French magazine Born

Local natives and eyewear designers Coco & Breezy, now making waves out in New York, were recently shot for a photo shoot for French magazine Born while in Courchevel, France, earlier this year. Though it was styled by another stylist, the twins' trademark style was clearly influential over the spread.

Local inspiration: muses and lenses

The best in local street fashion, portrait and fashion photography from local muses and lenses, gathered via Twitter, Facebook and blog uploads from the past week.

Ellen Dahl Lawson captures Ignite model Tearra Rosario in all her glory at the MNfashion Week buyer event in a Sarah M. Holm swimsuit for The Minneapoline.

Musician/ad agency honcho Christian Erickson and gets a masked kiss from his wife, singer Janey Winterbauer.

Teri Anvid and Emma Berg get leggy at Friday's Walker After Hours, as captured by Kate Iverson.

Sarah Sauser shoots a model in a mask by stylist Hollie Mae, with hair and makeup by Kate Erickson.

Vision model Elle Williams is photographed by Jake Freeman with hair/makeup by Amber Brenke wearing a dress from June.

Amy Gee shoots some moody runway shots at Cliche's Avoid the Grey fashion show on Saturday.

Minnesota-born Ignite model Whitney Fransway (relocated to L.A.) was back in town to shoot with John Wallace and gets spirited away. (Click here for more images from the shoot.)



Sohail Akhavein does a darkly romantic self-portrait series of himself with John Sand.

Ignite model Kristina Lezepekova gets raw for Brooklyn photographer Carolyn Griffin. (Click here for more photos from the shoot.)

Can't get enough of Kristina. Here she is again, this time as photographed by Nuru Kimondo. (Click here for more images.)

Durio shot Minneapolis ex-pats, eyewear designers Coco & Breezy, on the streets of Brooklyn in this recently unearthed photo.

I couldn't pass up the chance to post this adorbz photo of Coco & Breezy behind masks by Brooklyn musician Jaimz Deen.

Photographer Emily Utne is looking pretty with her pooch.

On the street: Coco & Breezy in Paris

Eyewear designers Coco & Breezy in Paris for Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Durio.

Local fashion link roundup

[Photo: Todd Buchanan for Minnesota Monthly]

Kate Nelson highlights new Parisian-style St. Paul boutique Metro Allee Chic for the January issue of Minnesota Monthly.

The Examiner Minneapolis highlights some upcoming local shows and offers at Q&A with MNfashion founder/Voltage producer Anna Lee.

Local style blogger Shannon Licari of Dirty Hair Halo offers a basic self-portrait photography tutorial.

Robyne Robinson, Rox jewelry designer, reminisces over Ra'mon-Lawrence Coleman's Fashion Week Fall 2009 show on her blog. (I was lead stylist for the show.)

Local stylist/blogger Jane Belfry gives her take on national/international spring ad campaigns.

Coco & Breezy are heading to Europe to take part in the Born Designers Festival in Courchevel, France, and collaborate on a project with French brand Vuarnet.

Coco & Breezy model Nous Sommes pendants

Minneapolis natives now based out of NYC, eyewear/accessories designers Coco & Breezy model Nous Sommes necklaces in a new photo shoot. The popular French accessory line turns pop culture idols into iconography for your neck. Their six-piece collection includes busts of Terry Richardson, Karl Lagerfeld, Lady Gaga, Spike Lee, Grace Jones and Michael Jackson. Perhaps Coco & Breezy will get their own faces on a pendant one day? (Via cocoandbreezy.blogspot.com.)

Coco & Breezy to appear in Vogue Magazine

[Originally posted at Vita.mn]

[Coco & Breezy modeling their "wearable art"]

If there's any more of an indication that Coco and Breezy have become national fashion darlings, it's being featured in what is perhaps the most important American fashion magazine, Vogue. According to a Facebook post the Minnesota-bred twins made earlier today, that's indeed the case. The shoot is said to feature their latest collection of "wearable art" as opposed to their bold, bejeweled shades. In what may be a related post, "Whip My Hair" pint-sized singer Willow Smith posted a Twitpic of accessories that includes three pair of C&B shades (confirmed by a C&B blog post), subtitled "I love photo shoots." Awhile back, Coco and Breezy announced that Smith had inquired about getting some of their shades for her personal use - coincidence, or could this be for the Vogue shoot?

[Photo via Willow Smith on Twicpic]

(Thanks for LOL/OMG for connecting some of the dots.)

Coco & Breezy in Mpls last week

Last week, I met up with eyewear-designing twins Coco & Breezy at the PRIME|CULTURE Boutique/Blink Studio in the Warehouse District for their Twin Cities fall launch party. They're eyewear is cool, but what's even cooler is the twins' personal style and their ability to network and make big things happen.


I also realized that I've known the now-20-year-old twins since they were 16, newbie models on the Voltage: Fashion Amplified runway - and their style struck me immediately. Bigger and better things for these girls are sure to come.

For some great crowd shots, be sure to check out Ellen Dahl Lawson's photos at Vita.mn.

Coco & Breezy profiled in Time Out New York

Coco & Breezy get profiled in TimeOut New York in their Style Icon section. Super cool!


Coco & Breezy, 20-year-old twins, eyewear designers (cocoandbreezy.com); Bushwick, Brooklyn

Coco’s personal style: “Fun, futuristic and me!”
Breezy’s personal style: “Unique and different. I express my inner feelings through fashion.”

Their inspiration: “We’re both inspired by art, not by just looking at clothes or trends.”

Favorite designers: “Aston Mozie (astonmozie.com), Robot & Brucling (robotandbrucling.com), Marc Clark (marcclark.com), Money on the Rocks and Mus by Maliro (musbymaliro.com), to name a few. We love these designers because they are all young and their collections are very innovative. They aren’t afraid to take it to that next level with fashion.”

Coco’s signature accessory: “My red lipstick and some basic Coco & Breezy shades.”
Breezy’s signature accessory: “My black lipstick and some crazy Coco & Breezy shades.”

How they describe New York style: “Everyone has their own way of dressing. There is no certain style.”

How their style has evolved through the years: “We have always been edgy and risk takers. We love to have different looks and get inspired by different things, so our style is always changing.”

Coco & Breezy at Lincoln Center

Eyewear designers/identical twins Coco and Breezy were at New York Fashion Week this weekend; here they are at Lincoln Center. On their fall style, they say, "This fall, we are giving you all black & lots of layers. High-fashion Goth."

If you're in New York, the twins are doing a pop-up shop and meet-and-greet this Wednesday, September 15 at 166 Elizabeth St in Soho from noon to 6 p.m. and will be selling their hot-hot-hot studded shades.

Fashion link roundup: Weekend edition

[Photo by Kiah Brasch]

My Lady Gaga costume review from her show last Monday is up at l'etoile magazine, with photos by Kiah Brasch.

John James Wallace has concert & crowd photos from the Lady Gaga show for l'etoile magazine.

LOL/OMG! has a clip of local pals chatting about meeting Lady Gaga at the Turf Club on Fox 9 News.

Ellen shoots some stylish Gaga oufits at the Lady Gaga show.

Model/blogger Hina Khan and I take in the Needle & Black/Carrier Piegon studio opening last Thursday.

Jane Belfry does a Q&A with designer Danielle Everine on her upcoming "Pale Rider" show with Raul Osorio for City Pages.

Tila Tequila is spotted wearing Coco & Breezy shades. Their eyewear also just got picked up by an online boutique based in Paris.

Local model and ANTM runner-up Reina Hein was purportedly mobbed by paparazzi in Florida.

Fashion/art photographer Benjamin Fredrickson Emily Cm for his femalebenjaminfredrickson blogspot.

Hair Plains Thrifter reviews Savers on Lake Street.

Coco & Breezy featured in PAPER Mag

The Coco and Breezy news just won't stop coming. Now the eyewear-designing duo have been featured in the September issue of PAPER Magazine in an article cutely titled "Twin City." They posted a Youtube video of them picking up the issue. The twins had this to say about it on their Facebook page: "From working at Metropark where they sold PAPER Mag to PAPER Mag doing a writeup on us! It was one of our dream mags!"

Coco & Breezy nab national magazine covers

Coco and Breezy have sure been blowin' up non-stop since they made the move to NYC. The identical sunglasses-designing twins and fashion plates have now landed themselves on the covers of two hip artsy mags: SIR Magazine, a mainstream-meets-indie music and entertainment publication based out of Atlanta, and Art Nouveau, a visual art & design and culture magazine (also based out of Atlanta). Their Art Nouveau cover, one of four covers, drops September 30. Here's an interview with Coco and Breezy on their SIR cover shoot.

Coco & Breezy get high-profile gig, writeup in Style.com

[Originally published at LOL-OMG]

When identical twin models/sunglasses designers Coco & Breezy left the mini apple for the Big Apple a little over a year ago, they've been busy little bees, getting their shades worn by hip hop stars like Ashanti and had their glasses featured in a spread for Vibe. Now, they've gotten their highest profile coverage - and gig - to date.

[Photo via In Tandem Magazine]

Style.com's Style Files Blog reports that high-profile sunglasses designer Selima Salaun, who's collaborated with the sisters, invited the sisters to customize 20 pieces for her shops. The collab-loving Salaun has already worked with J.Crew, Proenza Schouler, Tim Hamilton, and more.

Here's one pair of shades from the forthcoming collection:

[Photo: Courtesy of Selima Optique]

You go, girls!

Via Coco & Breezy on facebook

Submitted by @jahnapeloquin

Hot photo: Coco & Breezy

Loving this hot shot of Minnesota-native sunglasses designers/it girls Coco & Breezy - minus their ubiquitous shades - via GlobalGrind.com.

[Photo by Philippe Bontemps]

The twins have been guest blogging for the site; check out their latest entry here. View more photos from the shoot over at cocoandbreezy.blogspot.com.