Silk City Runway Project

May 10th, 2007 in fashion

Jennifer Sauer, contributor

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We joined Jennifer Stern as she debuted her Spring 2007 line for the Manchester Historical Society.

Photo: Courtesy of the Manchester Historical Society

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What do you get when new fashion meets an old factory setting? A hip, fabulous event, of course! Last Friday night, Judy Neukam (our technical editor), Louise Cutting (contributing editor), and I attended a great fashion show in Manchester, Connecticut. Check out the evening's program.

A little history
Jennifer Stern, one of our top-notch authors, debuted her Spring 2007 line at an old Cheney fabric mill, now the home to the Manchester Historical Society. In the early 20th century, Cheney Mills produced the finest silk jacquard in the U.S., so, it was great to poke around the big old building!

Runway meets fine food
Jennifer and her crew did a fantastic job organizing the event. The back room of the mill was used as food-and-wine central (my first stop, obviously!). Plus, they organized a silent auction to raise money for the Manchester Historical Society. Purses and bags from the runway show were up for grabs, as well as sophisticated scarves, jewelry, you name it.

The freshest clothes
When the light went down for the show and the first outfits came out, the audience erupted into applause. First out were adorable tanks and Jennifer’s original jeans in a variety of patterns and colors. Next up, fresh tops, pants with contrast details at pocket and waist, and the flirtiest of skirts. And then: dresses galore! Sundresses in a variety of shapes and patterns, and evening gowns that made me think that I really do need to attend glitzy events on a regular basis.

WANT MORE?
Besides this new line of clothing, Jennifer has her own line of sewing patterns: J. Stern Designs. Check it out on http://www.jsterndesigns.com/ She tells me that she plans to update her Web site soon. In the meantime, call her at the phone number listed and ask for more info about the patterns.