The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

Not all fashion designers consider themselves artists, but there is certainly a fine art to developing an exciting and cohesive line of clothing, a one-of-a-kind gown, or, for that matter, a sock-monkey bikini. Just five years ago, when home-grown clothing was paraded on First Avenue’s stage at the first Voltage fashion show, resources in the Twin Cities—for designers and their customers—were just beginning to emerge. Five years later, the response and outpouring of support speaks volumes about the growth, both current and future, for local fashion.

Well, one highlight of the weekend was stopping by Anna Lee's Ruby3 trunkshow. As I mentioned previously, Ms. Lee is best known for her sculptural, showgirl-style hats, like this one, which she made of Big Bird feathers leftover from a production of Sesame Street Live:

Joy Teiken, the brains behind the local label Joynoelle, opened her new studio and storefront yesterday eve. You'll find it at 312 W. 42nd St. in South Minneapolis. Here she is, looking as carefree and chic as ever while taking a short break from basking in the glory of it all: