It might seem that fashion shows are reserved for cosmopolitan cities such as New York, Paris or Milan, but White Bear Lake has its own slice of first-class fashion, thanks to Tyler Conrad and Kim Schoonover.
Conrad, co-owner of Goodthings, and Schoonover, owner of Indulge salon, first met when Schoonover moved here from Chicago. “We kind of realized we were very like-minded people,” Schoonover says. And after she opened her salon in 2012, “we started talking, saying, ‘How can we really bring more business into White Bear?’ ”
The two started talking about hosting a big event. In March 2014, something clicked. “We looked at each other and said, ‘We have to do something big. A fashion show,’ ” Conrad says. They decided Schoonover would take care of hair and makeup while Conrad styled the clothes, and they wouldn’t cut corners.
For the next six months they studied, brainstormed and made calls to put together a fall style show in September. Held last year at the Manitou Station, 150 tickets sold out in two weeks without any advertising. Guests were treated to food, drinks, a show and more than $200 in swag-bag products.
Conrad and Schoonover didn’t just guess as to how a fashion show should be put together. They attended hair shows in London, New York and Chicago. “We wanted to get everything down correctly,” Conrad says. This year, the show, which will be held September 17 at the Armory, will nearly double the number of attendees.
“We are going to completely transform that building,” Schoonover says. “We want people to be in White Bear and feel like they’re in New York.”
The one thing that really ties it to White Bear Lake is that those involved are deeply connected to the community. While most of the models are professionals, there’s also a mix of friends, family members and employees of local businesses. With models of all sizes and ages, “You could look at the clothes and think, I can do that. I can wear that,” Schoonover says.
Conrad and Schoonover are keeping it as local as possible, with Rudy’s Redeye Grill and Big Woods Brewery handling the food and beverages. “We want it to be a really unique local event that people want to be a part of,” Schoonover says.
The runway show itself will have 12 to 14 models, with four to five outfits per model, running roughly 45 minutes. Part of the after-party is will be at Goodthings, where the shop will be organized based on the fashion segments shown in the show.
The proceeds don’t go to charity—yet. “We want to get a charity involved,” Schoonover says, since they both believe in giving back. “We’re really working this year to get the support and the sponsors so that any money that is made we can donate to a charity.”
For now, the goal is to show the greatness of the city, and support local businesses. “We wanted to create this event that says ‘White Bear Lake is so cool,’ ” says Conrad. “The more people we get down here, the more everybody is successful.”
Fall 2015 Hair
Trends
- Rose gold, lavender and silver hair color
- Out with the ombré, in with the sombré coloring
- The not-so-perfect curl
- Medium-length hair
- Braids
White Bear Lake Fashion Show
Remaining event tickets, if available, can be purchased at Goodthings or Indulge.
