Calling All Female Entrepreneurs!

It's that time of year again! The Entrepreneurial Women of Portland (EWOP) are throwing their annual networking & guided group discussion event on Wednesday, JUNE 4th.

Here are the details:
-This year, we return to Aura restaurant + lounge (1022 West Burnside in Portland).
- Time: 6-8:30pm on June 4th
- Price: $20 if you pre-register before 6/4/08, $25 at the door
- a drink and light appetizers are included
- Guided group discussions with your peers on growing our businesses
- How to register: Head over to www.ewopevent.org

Additional questions? Call Katy at 503.274.7114

Hope to see you there!

Amy Downs Hats - Artful Millinery

What a happy discovery! One of our favorite customers introduced me to her longtime friend Amy Downs, who makes inventive and whimsical headwear confections. Being a total hat addict, I had to see her work.

Amy opened her first shop in NYC back in the 1980s and ran it up until 2001. Lucky for us, she now resides in Washington state where she still creates her wonderful pieces. Written up by such publications as The New Yorker, Paper Magazine, Vogue Magazine, and the New York Times, Amy is an artist of note.

Designer Amy Downs makes hats that speak. Her topsy-turvy take on millinery mixed with her back door approach to fashion is refreshing and friendly. - Paper magazine

Though we are completely spent up for Spring, I couldn't resist bringing in a few of Amy's pieces. Amy and I are already in animated discussion about having a Fall Trunk show at Physical Element. Stay Tuned!

1480 degrees has arrived!

We have a great assortment of 1480 degree rings and necklaces. These gorgeous, modern pieces are also nicely priced at $39 for a small ring, $49 for a large ring, and necklaces range from $39 - $50.

Fashion on Wheels

I biked in this morning for the first time this year. I confess to being a fair weather commuter, even though it ended up raining on me as I made my way in from Sellwood to the Pearl this morning. Anyway, as I was heading in, I tend to people watch and am particularly interested in what people wear for their bike commute.

One of the many things I admire about European cities is how, well, NORMAL they treat their bike transportation. There's no getting "kitted up" in tight fitting spandex and bike shoes every time they hop on a bike. Europeans wear normal clothes and look quite snappy doing it.

So, it was quite a coincidence that I ran across this section of the Sartorialist blog which featured what else? Fashion on bikes. Here are some of my favorite pictures from that blog. The first one is an art director in Milan. This gent is style on wheels. The second shot was taken in NYC. Her style is completely uncompromised.

When biking in to work, I tend to wear my usual street clothes and find this makes the commute a lot less "fussy" and complicated. I also see some inspired outfits while commuting in to work. Seeing the Sartorialist posting this morning inspired me to snap some shots in Portland of our fashion minded cyclists. Stay tuned. Should I get my act together, I'll start posting them.

Canisse

Canisse, a French line we debuted at our fashion show last month, was enthusiastically embraced by all who attended. So much so, that we had to rush to reorder several pieces! Happily, we were able to secure the NOA linen tunic in white and black. It's an easy summer piece that still looks smart. Asymetric lines and its loose (but not sloppy!) fit will be a welcome addition to your summer wardrobe on those 90+ degree days.

The latest Changing Room Magazine has arrived!

Hot off the presses is the latest issue of THE CHANGING ROOM. A fantastic magazine targeted to the small, independent designers and retailers we all know and love. Chock full of great resources, tips and insights, this magazine is a MUST READ. Can't find a copy? We have them right here at Physical Element! Best part? They are free!