If you made it out to Scottsdale and followed the “Fasionistas, This Way!” signs through the Talking Stick Resort and Casino and down the elevator, you probably found yourself at the glitzed out, seventh annual Phoenix Fashion Week(end).The three-day fashion celebration featured the work of 24 established designers, 10 emerging, and 106 accessory…
Taunts or testosterone were in abundance inside the Phoenix Convention Center this past weekend. Joystick jedi from throughout Arizona descended upon the downtown destination en masse to wage pixilated warfare during Devastation, the annual gaming competition and expo.Fueled by both adrenaline and energy drinks, gamers battled for supremacy (and cash prizes)…
Anya Melkozernova says she knew she would be involved in the fashion world since she was a kid growing up in Russia. “I’ve always been into creating art,” she says. “And I see fashion as an artistic expression.”When she was younger, that sentiment translated to making clothing for her Barbies. Today, Melkozernova…
Art walks are more often about people watching and shenanigans and less about the actual art. We’re here to guide you through both. Presenting our very own Field Guide — an evolving guide to art walks around town.From time to time, we’ll introduce some of our favorite spots and dish out some…
It’s that time of year when the weather cools down, the creative project lists get a little longer, and a little flier comes through the mail for one of our favorite events of the year. Frances and Smeeks announced the date and time of their sixth Crafeteria, an annual gathering of local…
We’re always game for a good scare — especially when we’re not the ones being spooked. It’s why we can’t stop looking at the official spook album of the Nightmares Fear Factory, the longest running and arguably the scariest haunted house in North America. The haunted house in Ontario keeps a steady…
Before Astrid Guri Olafsen began selling her handmade creations, she was a scientist with a degree in botany. For 16 years, she was doing research for the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. Today, she sells handmade, reconstructed, and hand screened clothing at Downtown’s Indie Arthouse, and on her Etsy page.”This is…
Mesa native Ashley Nielson enjoys showing off her personal creativity with the clothes on her back. The 22-year-old works in retail and writes about her daily life and outfits on her blog, I Believe In Unicorns. Her colorful and quirky style was one of the first things that caught our…
Each week Gem features one standout piece from a local shop. Whether it’s a jacket, necklace, or handbag, it’s on our have-to-have list. What: These classically shaped black leather Kate Spade ballet flats mix sweet with flashy. Stones arranged as framed daisies give the skimmers personality without being obnoxious. A favorite of…
The Rainbows Festival and Street Fair filed Heritage Square Park in Downtown Phoenix with LGBT themed festivities and booths this weekend. Supporters of the LGBT community celebrated the event with calls for marriage equality and with more lighthearted options including karaoke, dunk tanks, and plenty of fabulous outfits. We noticed a few…
If you can manage to put down your hefty Best of Phoenix issue this weekend, here are your best bets for a good time out on the town. Scottsdale International Film Festival @ Harkins SheaThe film fest kicks off tonight with a screening of Like Crazy and a Q&A with…
Betsey Johnson’s fall collection, “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not,” brought a fun dose of fashion to W Scottsdale. And before we brush on the awkward production or over-the-top fanfare, we will note: Yes. It’s Betsey Johnson. So, yes. It’s supposed to be quirky. Models strutted down the L-shaped catwalk, which…
Photos by Chelsea BrownWalking through the aisles of the Mesa Typewriter Exchange is a little surreal. Reports of the last typewriter factory closing down caused quite a drama, but Mesa’s Bill Wahl and his stockpile of machines and accessories aren’t going anywhere. The little shop on MacDonald in Mesa has been serving…
Phoenix transplant Ashley LeMieux is known not only for her sweet style, but also for her charitable efforts. The 24-year-old is self-employed and dedicates her days to working on her blog, The Shine Project, where she shares peeks into her daily life and outfits, as well as running her own handmade…
If you see Dani Danger out and about, chances are likely she’s dressed up to perform. The 28-year-old Mohawked fetish model and performance artist can often be found at local nightspots and alt-cultural events participating in flesh-hook suspensions, burlesque routines, or her monthly comedy gig at Goat Head Saloon in…
Each week Gem features one standout piece from a local shop. Whether it’s a jacket, necklace, or handbag, it’s on our have-to-have list. What: A simple, casual Wrangler workshirt in lightweight chambray. It’s cut for gentlemen, but has serious potential as women’s top (and not for the next theme party).The pale blue…
If you’re ever an obnoxious douche bag to a local bartender, beware: Your story could become fodder for a new, Valley-based blog called storiesfrombartenders.com.Several local barflies have already made cameos: the woman who walked up to a bartender and asked if it was spa day because she “could really go…
If you’re gearing up for October’s Phoenix Design Week and still looking for fashionable (and animal-printed) inspiration, look no further than the W Hotel Scottsdale. Betsey Johnson’s Fall 2011 collection “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not” will show on the W’s WET pool deck on Thursday, September 28, for some pre-Phoenix Fashion Week designer…
The ASU student body tailgated before the university’s win over USC on Saturday night in classic ASU fashion. The win ended an 11-game losing streak to USC and seemingly continued ASU’s streak of drunkest and most disorderly tailgate parties. While most of the fashion was limited to maroon and gold, we…
Phoenix native Justine Nations is more than just a pretty face. Even though she’s signed with FORD Models, one of the most recognized names in the modeling industry, Nations doesn’t like being defined by her line of work.”I want to show people that I’m not just a model,” she says…
Chelsea BrownThe Antique Centre on Scottsdale Road is a trove of charms and treasures. And while it’s filled with collections of jewelry and antique housewares, this shop caught will stay in our minds (and noses) for its overwhelming collection of taxidermy.Check out what we’d take, what’s on our wish list, what we’d pass…
Each week Gem features one standout piece from a local shop. Whether it’s a jacket, necklace, or handbag, it’s on our have-to-have list. What: A BCBGeneration v-neck shift dress in a multicolor print, reminiscent of pointillism, with flecks of two essential fall colors: teal and eggplant. Both Versace and Gucci showed the…
