HAPPYPLAYGROUND

A quarterly newsletter and Instagram resource featuring collaborations between NW talents that show conceptual style projects of distinct merit.  Our mission is to influence creative professionals to push their process and think outside the box.

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‘Bye to Summer’ (part II)

We thought we would show you our fave colorful stills from our September gif launch editorial project,‘Bye to Summer’, by photographer JD White.

Let these inspire you to look further into the Maximalism movement, the biggest thing since the 90′s fashion revival of Minimalism.  Oh yah, and be sure to check out the animated gifs that launched this project in Fall - here.

Styled by Willyum Beck

Model | Hailee Levias w/ Savage talent.

Shoes by Barbara Seipp

Produced by Christine Taylor

Assisted by @perrinelijah

Instagram @Happyplayground

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'Bye to Summer’ (part I)

Photographer | JD White

Styling | Willyum Beck

Model | Hailee Levias w/ Savage talent.

Shoes | Barbara Seipp

Creative Producer | Christine Taylor @Happyplayground

Bright colors are so big not only for summer but for fall and winter!  We decided to recruit color master photographer JD White to have some fun pairing statement shoes by designer Barbara Seipp with kaleidoscopic apparel designs styled by Willyum Beck to see out the summer sun and welcome in the grey days ahead.  If there has ever been a time in fashion since the early 1990′s to show your experimental side, it’s 2016/17.  On top of that there hasn’t been so much glitter since the days of disco.  Its a very fun time for clothing nerds to get the green light on making style choices that give insight into your confidence and imagination.  Funky femininity is again flowering all over fashion, apparel and sportswear, for both women and menswear.  In fact taking their cue from sportswear, designers all over the U.S. are breaking free of the past years of conservative ideals around style and fabrics.

Personal expression is more than popular for the fearless and since we know you’re both curious and nervous about it, we produced this project for you to safely peek at wildly wonderful pieces that you can match up with your regular wears to break all the right rules.  Enjoy it while it lasts!

Wardrobe Credits:

Shoes - Barbara Seipp.

Printed jumper, tank, & jacket - Coachella Collection for H&M.

Tee shirt, tank dress - H&M. 

Sequin turtleneck and leggings - Discount Universe. 

Net dress, net top - Gypsy Sport. 

Sequin patch jeans - Topshop. 

Underwear - Calvin Klein. 

Sunglasses, goggles - Holes Eyewear.

White watch - Wildfang.

Macy's Sequin scrunchy - H&M.

Lady bug purse - Betsy Johnson.

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FERVENT VIEW with designer Liza Rietz

Photography & Questions by Christine Taylor

Seasonless Fashion

1.  Can you define what ‘seasonless’ fashion design is to you and share any 'rules to live by' that you have for your own reasoning behind clothing purchases?

Seasonless fashion is a way of dressing that can adapt to any time of year. This usually requires pieces of clothing to be somewhat timeless as opposed to trendy, with neutral fabrics and design elements that complement the form regardless of the weather. This is fashion that can be adaptable to any season by way of layering or dressing up or down. And if worn a lot, it must be high quality.

rules to live by... I rarely shop, but when i do, it is usually vintage because the quality is usually superior (to new clothing) and I like having something that has been worn and from another time. It feels more authentic to me. If I want some trendy clothes I always go to second hand stores because there is a ridiculous abundance of clothing that have barely been worn that are literally thrown away. But if I buy new, I try to buy quality, timeless pieces that I can wear again and again. Of course this is difficult, but I try to buy American made. And 99 percent of the time, I buy a jacket over anything else because I think a good jacket makes the outfit.

2.  Because your work is so well known for its comfortable yet highly structured form around the body, can you tell us more about how you think shape can contribute to longevity in a personal wardrobe?  Can you give us some examples from your latest collection?

In order to have a structured or tailored garment, you almost always have to use a thicker more durable fabric to hold the form or the shape. In most cases, durable fabric equals longevity - a garment that will last. A durable garment has weight to it. So much of 'fast fashion' is weightless. Literally. It doesn't weigh anything because the fabric is usually poor quality and will disintegrate. In another sense, structure is personalized. It fits your measurements and feels more like a shell of your body. I have some well fitted suit jackets in my closet and I will never get rid of them.

As for some structural garments from my latest collection - I have some high waist suspender skirts that are very fitted in the ribs and waist with a cummerbund waistband and the hips have these exaggerated inverted box pleats to add some volume to contrast the fitted waist.

3.  You create meticulously sewn handmade fashions.  Can you explain how and why slow fashion is an important part of the seasonless wardrobe?

Slow fashion is important on so many levels. It is important to a seasonless wardrobe in the sense that less is more. You pick fewer pieces that are more versatile (with the seasons) and make sure they are high quality and will last. To be seasonless means you really can't jump on the hyper-trend frenzy of fast fashion (buying for not just every season but for every mood) thus you support slow fashion - buying timeless, quality pieces that will stick around like an old friend for years to come.

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Looking back, our favorite NW designer #ss16 #lookbook is by #nwphotog Cara Denison shot for #nwdesigner Alexa Stark.  Model is writer & artist Sidony O'Neal. 

It holds all the qualities we like to see in a beautiful lookbook: unexpected model that all the clothing looks great on, little to no makeup, little to no hair styling, consistency between looks, quality materials, a great location, even and well lit, little to no Photoshop on the photography. 

And wow, what an amazing collection!  If you like what you see, check out Alexa’s A16 collection here.

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#weekendwisdom by Harry Winston. 📸 selfie by @danafranklin Clothing by @willyumbeck #stylebywillyum

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NW design goes global. Launching the Happyplayground visiting artist series is photographer Travys Owen of South Africa featuring neckwear pieces by Seattle designer, Seth Damm of Neon Zinn @neonzinn who presently resides in New Orleans.  Drop Seth a line if you want to custom order one of his beautiful pieces made of cotton rope.  They come in all shapes, sizes, and shades - and that something we love! This beautiful shoot is for the new Orange Culture campaign - A/W16. @orangecultureng Art direction & styling by Gabrielle Kannemeyer @gabriellekannemeyer Model is Ronald Agbazagan @agbazagan_officiel with @20modelmanagement @oneleague_agency @onepostsa

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A BIG congratulations to a BIG Happyplayground supporter, stylist Willyum Beck, on his Portland Monthly interview about his styling on the Kanye West team for season 3 showing of the Adidas Yeezy line in NY fashion week.  We asked Willyum a few quick questions about his work and ideas on style so you can keep him on your radar for upcoming projects.

Q:  What do you do and how do you think you’re breaking the rules and expectations of stylists?  

A:  I'm a stylist and an art director and I feel like I always break the rules — probably because I always followed them growing up.  With fashion, I'm really interested in deconstructing looks using classical pieces.  And exaggerated proportions.  With my art, I try not to think too much about the rules or whether or not I'm following them.  

Q:  What’s your specific point-of-view?  

A:  The work should always be beautiful.  Everything else is subjective. 

Q:  What are your thoughts on style?  

A:  Style has little to do with clothes and everything to do with how you wear them.

   Q:  What do you want the world to know?  

A:  Stop trying to understand art. I think it was Picasso who asked "why not try to understand the song of a singing bird?". Explanation kills art. Just look at it, enjoy it (or don't), and keep it moving. 

Photo credits l-r / t-b:  Christine Taylor, Yeezy photographer, Shaun Mendiola.

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FINALLY this project is done, and launching this week. What a monster it was - a good monster! Its a self-published look at slow fashion working with a hefty list of local designers mixed with national and international designers. It also includes many small businesses in Portland so be sure to check out the by lines - (its a giant project for one person to pull off), and sign up for a PDF of the full project here: http://goo.gl/VEuvs8 There will be follow up interviews in the upcoming weeks on the new Instagram account @Happyplayground so if you're into supporting NW fashion please come follow. It is a platform specifically for fashion projects from the NW!

The team: Christine Taylor, Samantha Lemieux, Taylor Stillwell, Dana Franklin, Willyum Beck, Chad Calvert, Oxford P. Wellington III (Backporch Projects), Mike Whitehead, and Michael Lazarus.

Featured designs by: Six/Seven, AlexaStark, ALEXANDER WANG, BOET jewelry, Bottega Veneta, Brunello Cucinelli , Colico, Demimonde Studio and Shop, Formations Inc. - Portland, Jacobsen, M.PATMOS, Nancy Stella Soto, Numinous Works, Pointer Brand, Portland Garment Factory, rag & bone , Ancliffe Collection, Rowen Sartin, Straw Studios, Sydney Brown, Tiro Tiro, Utility Canvas.

Retail who supported this project: Six Seven,Hand-Eye Supply, Marios,Seven Sisters, and Stand Up Comedy (and of course the independent designer listed above).

Location: FINEX Cast Iron Cookware Co.

Talent: Savage_Models

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@happyplayground - follow us on Instagram! Curated content of innovative style projects by NW designers | directors. Accepting submissions. Email [email protected] OR keep your eye on the pulse of NW talent and sign up for news, and receive a monthly PDF of custom content sent directly to your Inbox. goo.gl/dXmXxc

Mission statement: "Don't be like the rest."

#dbltr

We're building our fan base and want your support! Come show us some love, send us your submissions, give us a lead on someone you think is making innovative cool stuff.