Design Collective and W7 Collective - Minnesota Fashion and Art Design

Design Collective in Minneapolis has been representing local fashion designers and artists for several years now at their Uptown Store. Among the Minnesota designers who have work for sale at Design Collective are Project Runway alumni Katherine Gerdes, screenprint fashionista darlings Calpunia Peach and rock band poster designers Burlesque North America. Much of what Design Collective carries is from Minneapolis designers and locally made, the goods on offer range from homespun crafty accessories to very professional clothing and handbags.

This month, St. Paul gets an equivalent establishment in the up-and-coming West Seventh neighborhood. The West Seventh area of St. Paul, currently home to the abandoned Schmidt Brewery and dilapidated Victorian homes, has potential to be the next hot area of the Twin Cities. West Seventh is lined with a wide variety of independent businesses, many of which have been in operation for a generation or two. And mixed in are the recent arrivals in the neighborhood like the Mississippi Market co-op, just opened on West Seventh, and independent community coffee shops like Mad Hatters and Rudies Coffee Shop.

W7 Collective is at 1032 West Seventh Street, in the triangular Pilney Building. The store will be selling work by independent fashion designers, artists and photographers. W7 Collective is only open on the second weekend of the month, which in perfect time for you to check it out, is Thursday through Saturday, November 12, 13 and 14. W7 Collective promises live music on Friday evening, and cupcakes, the perfect compliment to rocking and yummy local and national designers' wares. The designers represented will change every month, so keep an eye on W7 Collective's Facebook page to see who's work you can shop for.