It's getting haute in Phoenix

Among a growing number of Valley boutiques, fashion weeks and students eager to learn, Phoenix is becoming a style destination.

 by Jessica VanZalen
 published on Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Sam Nalven / STATE PRESS MAGAZINE

Journalism sophomore and model Rachel Niu says Phoenix’s fashion scene is mainstream and unoriginal.

Sam Nalven / STATE PRESS MAGAZINE

Electric Ladyland manager and business management junior Lauren Reid says fashion should never be predictable.

As always in fashion, there is a constant turnover of "new" trends and hot places to be.

In Arizona's case, the Valley might literally be the hottest new place to venture for fashion.

But it's only in the beginning stages of developing itself into a chic style destination.

Being compared to the likes of New York and Los Angeles might seem ridiculous, but it provides inspiration for what can be accomplished in addition to those fashion capitals.

Residents can see that the Valley's cities and culture are developing at a rapid pace, and therefore a lot is to be said for the future of the art and fashion scene.

As skeptics murmur their opinions on whether desert could really be the new black, there are glimmering beacons of hope for Phoenix.

Can Phoenix be fierce?

Events like Phoenix and Scottsdale Fashion weeks, various fashion shows and Frock 'N Roll, an annual charity event that combines music and fashion, are some of the best ways to get people excited about fashion and showcase what the city has to offer.

"Because the city is such a desirable place to live, people love to look fashionable," says Linda Whitlow, senior marketing manager of Scottsdale Fashion Square. "The weather is so conducive to great fashion, so we have great events."

Whitlow is in charge of Scottsdale Fashion Week, where designers and buyers come together for a series of events and shows, she says.

"Certainly New York Fashion Week previews fashions for the upcoming season, and the schools and designer houses help that. [It] makes them more of a Mecca for fashion design," she says. "We have everything to offer in the way of current fashion."

Disappointed by the current state of the industry in Phoenix, Adrienne Curry, an ASU and Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising graduate, explains her frustration.

Curry says she went to Phoenix Fashion Week a few years ago, but wasn't really impressed. "The creativity and trend research for fall and spring hadn't been done," she says. "It was clothes that anyone could create. I think fashion needs to inspire people to be different and new."

You can always go … downtown

Some residents are doing their part to promote the blossoming industry by opening boutiques, which are beginning to flourish around the Valley. These boutiques are often a reflection of what residents believe is real fashion.

"It's exciting to be a part of downtown revitalization through the arts," says Cole Stevens, who lives in downtown Phoenix and works at Bunky Boutique.

Stevens, along with many other downtown business workers, says he believes downtown Phoenix is growing into a respectable area.

"It's a birth of fashion," Stevens says. "So it's not a rebirth, but the beginning."

He says the city is just getting its feet on the ground and attempting to make its own image. "We are trying to activate the area," he says.

Bunky sells men's and women's fashions with flair. It is an alley-entrance boutique that is quirky and fun.

Stevens says he believes Phoenix has a great chance that other cities don't.

"The fact that it's like a blank canvas — there's a lot of opportunity," he says. "It's a great opportunity to start from scratch."

Stevens says he sees downtown growing into a bigger scene for fashion and the arts in the future. "[It will be] crazy busy," he says. "There are a lot of different things going on. Phoenix has one of some things but we need more of everything."

The small number of boutiques now isn't enough to boost the industry, he says. There needs to be more inspiration and new ideas promoted at these boutiques.

Though Phoenix has a few successful female designers like Angela Johnson, Stevens says there are a lot more to be discovered.

"[Phoenix is] missing the guy element," he says. "There are no guys in Phoenix doing women's fashion."

Amber Dennison, a 1996 communication studies graduate, owns Spoken Boutique in Phoenix with Jodi Mickelson.

Spoken contributes to the fashion scene by trying to get people excited about the area and hosting fashion shows almost weekly in the neighborhood.

First Fridays has helped the boutique without it having to do much advertising, Dennison says.

One of the best things about local businesses is what they give back to the community and how they can expand ideas on a local perspective, she says.

Dennison says that it's great to be a part of the Phoenix culture and revitalization. She predicts that in 10 years, "downtown will be flourishing."

Desperation for inspiration

A city's fashion forwardness is dependant on individual taste and people stepping outside the box, the Dennison says.

Dennison says she is sick of the way many of the trends in Phoenix come in a chain from New York to Los Angeles and then to Phoenix.

"I think things really get overplayed," she says. "We want things that are different. It's frustrating because we want to move on to something else, something new."

Stevens says he thinks Bunky is contributing to that cause.

Phoenix needs boutiques that are less "Vegas" and "L.A." to create a new variety of fashion sense that is unique to Phoenix style, Stevens says.

He says he hopes Phoenix will be able to develop a respectable street culture, which will influence fashion.

Students also agree with the idea of innovation for the trends that are brought to the Valley.

Diana Celis, an MCC apparel design sophomore, says that if Phoenix puts enough effort toward building up the industry, it could accomplish something similar to other fashion districts.

"It needs to be more independent," she says. "We don't want to be remembered for Arizona Jean Co."

A fashionable city has a lot of culture, museums and art, Celis says.

"In Miami, everyone wears bright colors," Celis says. "In New York, they wear darker colors. In L.A., they wear sunny colors. Phoenix needs something to call its own."

There is a lot lacking when it comes to style of Valley residents, Celis says. She says people mostly wear "hoodies" with pants in the winter and tank tops and shorts in the summer.

People don't care to put much effort into how they dress and aren't willing to spend a lot of money here, she explains.

Though Arizona trends are still ahead of the Midwest, designers are more concerned with making money, not creating fashion for fashion's sake, she says.

Get educated

Phoenix is not known for being a fashion education capital like some other major cities around the world, but it does offer a few options to those who are hoping to make an impact in the industry.

ASU doesn't currently offer any fashion degrees, but other local colleges like the Art Institute of Phoenix and Phoenix College offer majors and classes related to the fashion world.

Celis says the school is one of the few options to study fashion in Arizona. She hopes to open a boutique in Arizona to sell her own designs along with other designers'.

Celis says the teachers are some of the most experienced people you can find in Arizona.

"Phoenix is definitely no Milan," journalism sophomore Rachel Niu says.

Niu has been a model for S.I.M. Agency since 2006 and works in local fashion events.

"I feel that the fashion industry here [portrays] mainstream fashion that is reflected in what we see in magazines and in other fashion markets," she says.

Niu says she believes that with all of the expansion in the Valley, students would be able to learn from people who work in the industry.

"I think it would be beneficial for ASU to start instituting a fashion program because it is a growing industry that provides many with opportunities in the fashion world," she says.

Future of Fashion

Phoenix is getting attention from many designers and influential stores like Bloomingdale's at CityNorth in Phoenix and Barney's New York at Scottsdale Fashion Square, coming in the fall of 2009.

But Phoenix cannot just rely on big retail stores to help its industry's future.

Another woman who agrees with stepping outside the box is business management junior Lauren Reid, a manager at Chandler's Electric Ladyland.

Electric Ladyland only has locations in Phoenix. It is owned by a mother and son duo and has five locations throughout the Valley.

Reid, who has been working at the boutique since November 2006, says that in order to be fashionable, residents of the city must not always be predictable.

The boutiques bring a unique element to the community because they are not part of a chain, so the clothing is special and unique, she says.

"I think there are definitely people who like to use the word 'trendy' a lot, and I don't like that word," Reid says. "I think people are quick to say that. You should wear what you want to wear, and I think people are doing that."

Most of the stores in Phoenix offer clothing to cater to the "Scottsdale" trend, Reid says, which she describes as showing cleavage and wearing short skirts or shorts.

The company holds different fashion shows and events to contribute to the industry, attract designers and get people excited about the scene, she says.

"I think that one of the biggest things [affecting the industry] is when people say, 'I don't think I can pull that off.' But if it's something you're scared to do, just do it," Reid says. "I think it will add to the scene if people try new looks."

New cities around the world are beginning to emerge as fashion capitals, like Copenhagen, Berlin and Bangkok, which has a campaign, Bangkok Fashion City, to establish it as a world fashion leader.

Perhaps someday Phoenix will be able to find its niche in the industry and have something different to offer. Here's hoping it doesn't trip when it's finally on the runway.

Industry Lingo:

Avant-garde: innovation of art in a particular period

Catwalk: narrow footway or platform; runway

Couture: fashionable dressmaking or design

Haute couture: high fashion, always made to measure

Ready-to-wear: clothing marketed in a finished condition, in standard clothing sizes

Glitterati: a crowd of people who tend to be well-dressed

Faux pas: a mistake in fashion; an error in style judgment that should be avoided at all cost.

Chic: stylish and elegant

Passé: out of fashion

The new black: This term is thrown around often while describing new trends because black is a very flattering, easy-to-wear color on any body type. If a new trend is growing in popularity, it rivals the easygoing trend and is referred to as "the new black."

Reach the reporter at: jvanzale@asu.edu.