What Makes Portland Fashionably Different?

New York has a Fashion Week, London has a Fashion Week … and Portland has a Fashion Week. Ours, however, doesn’t attract bored celebutantes—Portland Fashion Week attracts those who appreciate the hard work and originality that go into independent fashion. Models strut down the runways to indie rock tunes and often have more than one visible tattoo. It’s essential Portland, where couture meets creativity.

And that’s just the beginning. Aside from making their own clothes, Portlanders love to be practical. They drive hybrids cars or simply ride their bicycles, they are not ashamed to use public transportation, and everybody—and we mean everybody—recycles. Including designers. You can find reworked vintage clothes in every incarnation, from men’s suits to ballerina dresses for babies.

And right now, sustainable clothing is putting Portland on the map. For those who aren’t yet familiar with the terminology, “sustainable” means it is made from organic materials such as bamboo fibers, banana leaves or organic cotton, which have a smaller environmental impact than commercially farmed cotton or non-natural fabrics. Even the locally based Columbia Sportswear giant uses recycled plastic bottles to make their cozy fleece. There is a strong wave of environmental-friendliness here that has everyone talking about reducing their carbon footprints.

No surprise, most Portlanders have their own style—though sometimes you can see trends emerge in certain neighborhoods. You’ll see high heels in the Pearl and dreadlocks on Hawthorne, and that is absolutely OK. Everyone has the notion that they’re daring to be different—whether they’re wearing handmade clothing or hanging local art on their walls.

And a lot of fashion designers simply open their own boutiques if they can’t find what they want. One of the originators was Seaplane, where owners Holly Stalder and Kate Towers paved the way by featuring their own clothes as well as the creations of other eco-friendly designers. Another favorite is the young but talented Emily Katz, who is gaining national attention for her Emily Katz originals, as well as her whimsical Bonnie Heart Clyde line. And the ladies behind The English Dept design everything from cocktail dresses to wedding dresses in-house. In addition, there are a plethora of local shops that carry local and sometimes one-of-a-kind-designs. Check out Pin-Me Apparel, Moxie, Foundation Garments, and Olio United, to name just a few.

But back to Portland Fashion Week. It began in 2007 with just 30 designers, and really opened people’s eyes to what beforehand had been a fairly underground scene. Suddenly, Northwest style was catching the eye of national fashion magazines and style reporters. And in true Portland style, it was a “green” event, with everything being organic or made from eco-friendly materials—from the runways themselves to the cocktail mixers. This effort alone provided inspiration and hope to hippies and fashionistas everywhere.