By Allison Pavlick
Minneapolis inched a little closer to the turquoise waters of St. Tropez and Brazil during Thursday’s Vita.mn Poolside Fashion Show at the Calhoun Beach Club. Set against vibrant Lake Calhoun, the high-energy event began with two outdoor shows before retiring to a dimly lit solarium for a final showcase. The evening featured the bossa nova sounds of Buffalo Moon, a crowd clad in vivid maxis and crisp checkered shirts, and generous interludes for mix and mingle—but kept the runway as its focal point.
The show exhibited more than 40 retro-inspired looks from notable Twin Cities retailers, including Bumbershute, Covered, Nani Nalu, Bettie Page, and MartinPatrick3. Stylist and Vita.mn contributor Jahna Peloquin completed ensembles with brimmed hats, cuffed men’s pants, sun-faded floral swimwear, and polka-dotted skirts. The styles evoked the romanticism of “Casablanca” while borrowing from the prints and color palette of a mid-century pinup. And to balance out the predominantly prim and playful styles, a few tattoo-bearing models and micro-mini lengths lent the event an edgier streak. Because the French Riviera might not be around the corner, but the trendsetting Uptown scene is.
