Jantzen Swimwear will be presenting 35 looks to celebrate their 100 year anniversary at Portland Fashion Week.  The date and time for the Jantzen Swimwear runway show is still tba, but Portland Fashion Week 2009 will take place October 7-11.  Jantzen has a long history in Portland.  Jantzen began operations in 1910 as a sweater manufacturer.  When the Portland Rowing Club needed something that would keep them warm when practicing wool seemed like a good solution.  When wet the original Jantzen suits weighed in excess of 15 lbs!  This of course was not very practical but it was the birth of the modern swimsuit as we know it.  It is hard to imagine but in the 1920’s-1950’s Portland, Oregon was the center of the swimwear world.  Jantzen Swimsuits are of course a very important brand to Popina.  In our Portland Swimwear Boutique we carry Portland’s largest selection of Jantzen Bathing Suits, including the very popular Jantzen Vamp Swimsuit.

Portland Fashion Week to promotes local Portland Fashion Designers, Sustainable Fashion from around the world, and up and coming start up designers.  In this regard Portland Fashion Week has been very helpful in promoting the local fashion scene, Popina Swimwear participated in the first two years of Portland Fashion Week the first two years our swimwear boutique opened. PFW was a very helpful marketing tool and helped us create awareness of who we are and what we do to a larger audience of primarilly Portland women (our customer).

The driving force behind PFW Tito Chowdhury, has been very effective in putting together his show.  From finding suitable talent, from both established designers, to up and comers, to creating interest in the event to draw press which in turn attracts greater fashion talent, to fundraising for sponsors and creating buzz for well attended shows. Seems whenever there is a fashion event in town, there you will find Tito, networking, enjoying fashion and following his dream of creating a more vibrant fashion scene in Portland.

Does the name Leann Marshall ring a bell?  Perhaps her first big break was Portland Fashion Week.  Tito and his partners Tod and Christopher putting her on the runway in Portland could not have hurt her when being selected for Project Runway the season just after showing her line at PFW.  Leanne went on to win last seasons Project Runway.

So thanks for all the hard work Tito and his partners Tod and Chris for keeping Portland artful, promoting fashion and for creating such a fun event in Portland!

Tags: Jantzen Swimwear | Popina Retro Swimsuit Boutique, Portland Fashion Week

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