Skip to main contentNordstrom's annual "Fall Designer Preview" usually is an afternoon affair for certain in-the-know buyers, society standouts and a clicky media clique. But, for fall 2001, Nordy's went for broke with a fashion hoo-ha of metropolitan proportions. Held on a hot August night at the Portland Art Museum, FDP was a big-ticket dream date with the latest collections from the likes of Calvin Klein, Missoni and a phalanx of other name-dropping-worthy designer houses. Canapés, cocktails and, perhaps rarest for Portland, black tie--it all seemed a rather daring thing for Nordy's to do.
For, far away from PDX, New York and London's splashy, media-savvy "Fashion Weeks" received skeptical, sodden receptions from once loyal style editors. There was every reason to believe the public's patience for shows (the hot lights, the stalking supermodels, the live goats) had gone sour.
Not here. Our local smart set was more than willing to swelter in the steam heat for the sheer sake of style. During the pre-show mingling hour, the well-appointed crowd (including the likes of Juanita and Howard Hedinger, Cinda Hoffman and a "fashionable" appearance by eco-conscious U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden) perused and pawed the luxe, heavy clothes corralled under a tent in the museum's swank Roberts Sculpture Mall. Mutual admiration and air kisses flew thick as bullets, just as you'd expect at a society event for a fashionable cause (proceeds from the show benefit PAM). But there's a big difference between hobnobbing with high-end fashion and actually buying high-end fashion. To get a bead on the Portland couture-friendly customer, I talked to Carol Steele, of Nordstrom Seattle.
She says that even a city as steadfastly informal as Portland has formidable fashionistas. "Just because someone lives in Portland doesn't mean they only buy a Portland wardrobe," explains Steele. "Portland affords a great lifestyle, but we're serving customers who are often out in the world, having a global experience." And once those map-spanning customers leave town to see what New York or Paris has to offer, Nordstrom has to be lean and fast in order to hold their attention.
How do they do this? Nordstrom employs people like Steele, fashion sharpshooters transfixed by the trends and have the ear of the local buyers who, because they're closer to the customers, edit and filter according to regional preferences and buying habits. It's a tricky balance between what the designers are producing and what the customer's lifestyle demands, a dance that's sometimes edgy, sometimes ladylike and always at high speed. Steele has noticed that today's customer becomes better informed every day; new technology grants the ravenous consumer ever greater access to fashion advice, trends and the always elusive "Next Big Thing."
"Is that DKNY shearling going to be in the show?" one woman asked Steele. Of course it was.
And what is the next big thing? If the Nordstrom Collections have it by the tail, it's nautically styled pea coats and military trenches (Celine), asymmetrical sleeves and hems (Donna Karan, Calvin Klein), leather and denim, equestrian tweeds (Michael Kors) and a bit of fur (still!)--all in those rich, dark colors (chocolate, wine, black) that are the only reward for winter's return. Not conservative, exactly, but sober clothes, with a professional poise to them. You might even say that the discriminating Portlander likes to keep it sensible, even when she's paying the big bucks. As the models breezed by in wool overcoats and calfskin trousers, patrons sat riveted, fanning themselves with their programs. But sex appeal still sells--backless dresses from Calvin Klein got the big applause (maybe because it was hot as the dickens).
Tim Geary, Nordstrom VP and a PAM trustee, announced the show with the observation that a city's character is measured by its dedication to upholding the arts. Of course, it takes more than staging a fashion show in the middle of a museum to bring fashion and the arts together. But the big "N" has used proximity to make its point. In some circles (and some countries), fashion is a powerful cultural contributor, not just an off-the-rack diversion. Regardless of whether you ultimately buy the fancy stuff, it can't hurt to learn what's out there. The more informed your fashion forecast, the faster stores like Nordstrom will have to hustle to keep up with you. And giving Nordstrom a run for its money might be fun....
701 SW Broadway and other locations 224-6666, www.nordstrom.com
WWeek 2015