For last year’s CL Style issue we hit rewind and published “Decades” — a vintage fashion editorial spanning 1920-1980. For this 25th Birthday issue, we pick up where we left off, fast-forwarding beyond vintage time frames to check out what’s happened in fashion over the course of CL’s history.
With 2.5 decades to work with, we’re hanging in the late ’80s, ’90s and “the aughts.” There’s been plenty to cringe at (and we’ll hear a little bit about that) but in the spirit of progress, we’ll focus on some of our area’s most fashionable achievements — the establishment of a style identity being one of them.
“When I arrived in Orlando in the ’80s, I always knew when the Tampa girls were in town,” says Kate Campbell, program coordinator for the Art Institute of Tampa’s fashion and retail management program. “They had an edgier look — eclectic and a little closer to an L.A. look.”
Kate later migrated here, and the Art Institute launched in 2004. Graduates from the school’s retailing and management programs are making their mark.
“I have two graduates working at HSN — one just promoted to associate buyer, the other a merchandise assistant,” Kate beams. Others are working as event manager for Milk Studios in New York City; department manager for Neiman Marcus in Chicago; assistant store manager for Francesca’s at Wiregrass; and area sales manager for Dillard’s in Lakeland.
Kate identifies some fashion trends (good and bad) that have come and gone over the years:
• Street fashion: Trends coming off the streets the way people are really wearing fashion — not necessarily dictated by the designer. [Style Editor’s Note: This one’s my personal favorite trend.]
• The influence of rap, hip-hop and multiculturalism on how we dress — low rise jeans/pants, oversized logos, boxy silhouettes for men and bling.
• The demise of pantyhose and the rise of opaque tights and leggings, prints and bright colors.
• The return of big, ostentatious costume jewelry — an ’80s look that was encouraged by Madonna (think crucifixes with layers of pearl necklaces and rhinestone jewelry — often vintage).
• Cringe-worthy: Uggs and Crocs and any combination thereof with mini-skirts or shorts.
On the fashion design side, some serious talent has been spun from Tampa’s International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT). Crowd favorite Rogerio Martins graduated at the end of 2009 and one-to-watch-and-wear, Sandra Hagen (whose work is pictured on this page), graduated in 2010.
Tampa Bay Fashion Week — yes, our very own fashion week — hit the runway for the first time almost six years ago and will return this September. Four years ago marks the arrival of our own local fashion magazine, VERTICAL Tampa Bay. Modeling agencies like Benz Model and Talent, established here in 1998, have made a beautiful impact on local fashion.
Creative collaborations have occurred between designers, photographers and other industry professionals, such as hair and makeup artists, to deliver fashion editorials worthy of national and international brands.
The 600 Block (no doubt our area’s most concentrated collection of fashion outside the shopping malls) and consignment shops have cropped up. Fashion retailer Sara Stonecipher of Misred has elevated her game and become a designer in her own right with the recent launch of Misred Black Label.
Plenty of boutiques have come and gone, of course, but some of the newer ones are cause for celebration. La Violette, for instance, a lingerie boutique in South Tampa, will be featured alongside the visionary wearable art pieces created by Spathose for CL’s Birthday Bash this weekend at the Ritz Ybor.
On the horizon, Kate predicts that designers will stay and conduct their businesses here. She has noticed an interest in the arts that wasn’t always present. “The focus was on bringing sports here,” she says. “[Now] I see great artist communities everywhere — St. Pete, SoHo, Safety Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater. This area is rich in talent, whether it is in music, fine art, theater or fashion.”
“The Tampa Bay area is on the verge of a renaissance,” Kate says, “and we just need to keep on moving forward.”
Fashion forward! And cheers to CL’s next 25 years!
This article appears in Apr 18-24, 2013.