Spring in Iowa City brings a handful of hair and fashion shows, and Beyond the Hemline has set the bar high this season. The Lexicon Collective, with the help of local stores, designers and other businesses, took over the White Lightning Wherehouse for an entire evening of fashion, titillating entertainment, and music. They transformed the makeshift art space in ways I didn’t think possible. Being a regular attendee of Wherehouse events, my breath was stolen from me when I saw what they had done…a long staircase runway unfolded from large vestibule constructed from luscious red and white fabrics, a trail of lights marking the path the models would strut. I knew then that these ladies were doing something more incredible than I had anticipated.
The Lexicon Collective, according to their facebook page, “was started with the fervency of four fierce ladies who came together around the concept of fashion as language; a medium for self-expression; a vocabulary by which we identify ourselves. The collective seeks to advocate connections between creative expression and social responsibility.” There was certainly no lack of self-expression on the runway that evening. DIY and textile repurposing took center stage in the sauciest way possible. From vintage threads pulled from the racks of local stores to burlap coffee bean bags reincarnated as beachwear, it was a true testament to killer fashion without the inflated designer prices. No wonder the folks of Iowa City look so good.
Designers included Vitae Designs, Gindy Laura, House of Dur, Revival, Artifacts, White Rabbit and Scrap Mental. All the models had their hair done by the talented women at Blaze Color Salon in Coralville. As you scroll through the photos , I can guarantee you will find looks that you will not only love, but you can actually achieve with some smart, local shopping.
The large crowd that filled the Wherehouse didn’t just get eyefuls of good lookin’ locals in great threads, they also got their socks knocked off by some of Iowa City’s best booty shakers, Les Dames du Burlesque and 13 Moon Tribal Belly Dance Troupe. The night was closed out with music, as every good night should be. We were rocked by Techno Lincoln and the Technicolor Union, So Much Fun, the Boxknifes and Lady Espina, spinning tunes until long after my bedtime.
All my rambling can’t express was a great night it was nor how masterfully this event was excecuted. To all those who donated time, money, items, energy and ideas for this project, I personally commend you. I am already eager to attend the next Lexicon Collective event and you should be, too.
Click here to see an interview with Emmalyn Kayser, founder of the Lexicon Collective, as well as some of the designers and models who took part in the show.
Amazing, as always. Thanks!
Amazing, as always. Thanks!