Rather than designated and institutionally-consecrated forms of art, street art allows everyday people to be consecrated by the people who create and street fashion blogs. Further, websites exist where people upload photographs of their own fashion sense, and thus, consecrate themselves. In this sense, the public visibility of having one's clothing worn, photographed and uploaded on the internet, and given proper recognition, is essentially, a new form of exhibition. It is not institutionally exhibited through a museum or gallery, but by less official and more diffuse networks of people, who are also connected to and visible by other local scenes.

One such example of a website where people upload their own pictures of their own fashion, tell about their own fashion, expose web-viewers to new designers, and even sell their own garments is a fashion social networking website called lookbook. In response to the non-curated spaces of the internet and its often democratic lack of distinction, lookbook is a participant-based social networking site that is based on distinction and taste through being made invite-only. Both designers and fashion wearers co-mingle in such online spaces, without a clear distinction between who is creating and who is consuming. There is a community of participants that turns the the static idea of clothing design into the active social process of fashion.

http://lookbook.nu/

The design collective is a leading boutique for minneapolis-based designers to show and sell their work.

http://www.designcollectivempls.com/

Additionally some people have developed their own approach to entrepreneurship through the opportunities afforded through the internet and start-up business. Through websites such as e-bay and etsy, people can join existing web infrastructures to get exposure and sell their work.

Additionally, there are lots of smaller start-up design businesses, of people making their own fashion brands. Such an example is Calpurnia Peach, a fashion brand started by the design partnership of two U of M design students. Through a combination of local and internet distribution, they are making themselves known in the Twin Cities and beyond.

The core structure of the local scene are interdependent on each other for local exposure, publicity, photography, distribution, sales, exhibition, ect. Their collective activity often reveals itself in work that looks very produced. Yet, being in on this core group of collaborators is not everyone's ideal, as some find it stifling and socially petty. Even though this central structure calls many of the shots locally, there exist alternatives to the confines of this system.

Interestingly, some people have used the internet to avoid and circumvent the local social structure of the Twin Cities fashion scene. One of my informants is frustrated by the local scene, and sees the internet as a way to remain creatively, economically and socially autonomous from the artistic and promotional interdependence of local fashion. The work she makes does not entail flashy and elaborately-staged fashion shoots that the central structure typically creates. She is more interested in being creative for herself, not for the promotional aspect. While some people use the internet to promote not necessarily their work, as much as they promote themselves as people and their social roles. Through my fieldwork, it appears that there are generally antagonistic groups, one that despises in the social flaunting of the fashion scene, and the one that participates, perhaps gratuitously, in it. The informal position-taking on this activity (going to fashion parties to be seen, photographed and flaunted on the internet versus going to a fashion show to see and participate in the fashion) seems to define two general different groups, the central figures versus the more peripheral figures.

For those who participate in national or international online communities, the internet is a source for income and expression that does not depend on the workings of this relatively bounded central structure of fashion producers. For such designers, the internet is a creative space, where one can 'exhibit' per se, to a global audience works that may not be on the same page as the local scene, affording it a greater amount of social autonomy as it is removed from direct and local sanctions. It is a creative space, both vulnerable in its public visibility yet secure in its isolation from the immediate, local world.

The internet's lack of curatorial oversight has emerged in new forms of exclusivity taking place on the digital landscape. Take a look at the 'blogosphere'

What does independent mean exactly? Well, the answer relates a lot to Finnigan's search for a distinction between a professional and an amateur. These independent designers do not work for a company, but perhaps form their own. Many of independent brand their own professional identities, and own a sort of distinctive style. This presents their work as professional and conceptually developed, rather than an un-unified body of work, and gives it more standing, prestige and chance for market success. Independent designers may present a unified concept, but the majority of designers do not have their own brands. Some do not have their own brands, and their work is highly variable and is based upon commissions and individual circumstances. Still 'independent' designers occupy this middle space of not being 'professionals' nor 'amateurs'.

http://www.etsy.com/category/clothing

Because of the decentralization of fashion, it is increasingly difficult to distinguish someone who is involved with fashion as a profession and as a leisure activity. Many DIY designers have used the internet and alternative channels of distribution to create their own small businesses for themselves. As opposed to working for other employers, such a way of doing business can allow for greater autonomy from authority. Concurrently, this way of conducting business makes designers more influenced by the market of potential consumers.

* Encourage fashion industry aspirants by providing the resources to accomplish their artistic and entrepreneurial goals;
* Assemble events seasonally and offer the opportunity and framework for new, creative fashion-related events;
* Promote events and fashion-centric art, raising awareness within media outlets and the general public, thereby growing participation and enthusiasm for what’s happening locally.

Through runway shows, informational seminars, in-store events, museum tours and swanky parties, MNFW showcases the very best fashion in the Twin Cities.

In the face of globalization and cultural diffusion, the role of fashion in defining a city's sense of identity has taken on greater and greater importance. Cities cultivate their own distinctive style, or at least, they are marketed as having distinctive style. Through the cultural flows of internet, travel and migration these individual scenes are increasingly influenced by each other. In fact, fashion just might be one way to distinguish what makes one city or area special or unique in a time when these very forms of exchange distribute ideas that compromise the distinctiveness of a given place or scene. As seen on street fashion blogs especially, fashion is a way to promote and celebrate the locality to a global audience. Fashion scenes seem to take on a very important role when marketing a city's local culture.

a couple of city's street fashion blogs exemplify how a city's image revolves around its people's fashion sense

http://www.hel-looks.com/

http://www.themidwasteland.com/

http://manchesterlooks.blogspot.com/

http://www.copenhagenstreetstyle.dk/

http://cityrunway.blogspot.com/index.html

Minnesota Fashion week, almost entirely based in the twin cities, is a collective effort to promote and recognize local arts and culture. For fashion week, there are many events that often coordinate with other genres like music, graphic, fine and performing arts. Collectively coming together to promote local designers, boutiques and organizations, people from various genres nourish the local art and fashion scene.