A few years ago we organized our first Petrune fashion show. Twenty gorgeous guys and gals, friends and customers, modeled in the show. We all had a great time. One of those models was Amanda Setton, an Ithaca College student, who has since made a name for herself starring on the shows One Life to Live and Gossip Girl.

We were all very excited when she came back to Ithaca and dropped in to say “Hi” this past weekend.

Amanda Setton in front of Petrune!

Petrune is proud to have a staffer who will be showing some of his designs in this Saturday’s annual Cornell Design League Fashion Show. Gordon Verrill, originally from Southport, Connecticut, studies Fiber Science and Apparel Design at Cornell, and also finds time to put in some hours here at Petrune! Here is some information about his collection:

“When I set out to produce this collection, I was concerned not with my material selection or my design statement, but with who the girl was that would be wearing the clothes. It was important to me to have the
clothes be wearable, at least for the customer that I had in mind. The girl that I designed this collection for is young, confident, and even a bit daring. She is creative and intellectual, but also loves to have fun and occasionally revel in more frivolous matters. While she would probably be one of the first to see the new Marina Abramovic exhibit at MoMA, she would just as likely be seen dancing on tables at a dive bar downtown. She is not afraid to experiment with her clothes, and to take fashion risks that may not always agree with the status quo.

With my customer clearly defined, I then set out to establish some sort of theme that would tie the collection together. Whilst fabric shopping, I came across a lovely nude-colored silk chiffon, and my concept was born: the collection explores the way in which nudity can be implied by clothing, though not necessarily in an overtly sexual way. The clothes are intended to emphasize the body in their understated simplicity. They strategically cling to, drape around, and expose the body in all the right places, celebrating the beauty of the human form.”

A little preview of the Petrune party dresses for spring, made by “One Swell Gal” designer Natasha Keller, in our upstairs studio. This strapless number features a black cotton sateen bodice with boning for shape, with a patterned cotton skirt. So cute.

Here are some of those colors we were talking about! Now if only the weather would cooperate…

Okay, we know: in Ithaca, spring is still a long way off. Still, the days are getting brighter and lasting longer, and we find ourselves wanting to get a haircut, wear lighter colors, clean out a closet or two and maybe go for a little vacation. Colors for spring 2010 at Petrune feature lots of bright yellow, silvery grays, palest greens and the whole range of purple, from lavender to deep violet. We are also loving poppy red and turkish blue.

There are lots of new arrivals, all 10% off for all our Facebook fans through the month of February. Become a fan and get a jump on your spring wardrobe!

Check out our men’s department on the second floor.

We have everything from vintage toggle coats, Hawaiian shirts and Lacoste jackets, to brand new argyle socks, leather wallets, and gloves.

Just arrived: cherry red pair of Balenciaga sandals. They are marked size 7 1/2, but fit more like a 6 1/2. There’s only one pair here- so maybe you can be the lucky one. Come see!