slides: Recap: Portland Fashion and Style Awards

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Kemea Smith, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Shannon Day Photo Credit: Kemea Smith

It was a night full of crass jokes, sequined dresses, and no shows at this year’s Third Annual Portland Fashion and Style Awards.

Exuberant drag queen Poison Waters, (who describes himself as “chocolate with nuts”) got the award show started with a lip synch performance of the cheesy fashion song “Fashionista” by Jimmy James. Waters wore a fabulous red hot flame sequined corset and matching flame hat, and was joined by some awkward dancers and amateur models. A strange stage set up of white curtains and black jeweled candelabras on small circular tables was the backdrop for the evenings event.

“A rich white guy who can’t keep commitments,” was Waters first comment of actor Daniel Baldwin who was scheduled to host the awards, and must have canceled at the last minute. But the show must go on.

And it did go on. Half of the winners were no shows. No shows included Best Fashion Publisher winner, Portland Monthly, Frances May, winner of Best Boutique Northwest and Best Women’s Wear Designer Michelle Lesniak.

This brings up the question, how can one take an awards show seriously if half of the winners and nominees don’t show up?

After what seemed like forever, Sara Gray stylist from Vanity Junkies happily walked up on stage and accepted the award for Best Salon in Southeast Portland. She was probably one of the few passionate acceptors who was genuinely happy about winning, as she yelled out “We are in the best F***ing industry ever and I love it!”

A collaborative finalist runway show hit the stage after the first round was over. Plus size model Katana Fatale was one of the few who seemed to care as she strutted her stuff in a Shop Adorn outfit.

Poison Waters Photo Credit: Kemea Smith

Throughout the awards comments like, “I don’t know if you're a fashion blogger or what, but I can’t believe this is serious,” swarmed the room, as audience members stayed through the awful show.

I doubt I am the only one who thought the awards would have been a snooze fest if Baldwin would have kept his commitment. Overall, Poison Water’s "tell it like it is" attitude and overall wonderful stage presence, pretty much made the awards enjoyable.

To see all the winners of the Portland Fashion and Style Awards, click here.