JeffM wrote:
Its time for me to raise the bar on my portfolio and start using high end fashion apperal in some of my shoots.  What... How... is the best way to acquire these fashions?  Is it the sylists who have these connections or do I have to make some of my own?  My portfolio needs fashion help before I can start presenting it to agencies.
Thanks,
JeffM

Well for one you could let me style a few shoots.
Portland's fashion scene is growing in leaps and bounds in terms of creativity and respectablity and there is a lot of unique and Possibly high-end, or high-end looking stuff available. The Upshot of using young or unknown designers is that they are just as eager as you and I to get their careers rolling and as such would be a lot more open to loaning things for shoots to get their own name out there. If you can give them a few REALLY nice images that they can use for thier own purposes they may kick down.  Very shortly, I will be getting in contact with Todd Foulk from Semper Fashion and see where that goes.  I know a few of the local designers and still have some contact with some kids I went to AI with and perhaps I can see if that yeilds anything.

That is if you still WANT my help...
If nothing else you can be rest assured that I won't be showing up with a boatload of mall crap

JeffM wrote:
Its time for me to raise the bar on my portfolio and start using high end fashion apperal in some of my shoots.  What... How... is the best way to acquire these fashions?  Is it the sylists who have these connections or do I have to make some of my own?  My portfolio needs fashion help before I can start presenting it to agencies.
Thanks,
JeffM

You should use a Stylist. It would probably be much easier for you. I do know a few photographers with some killer connections, but they are usually the ones that shoot fashion shows and shoot the couture clothings for the desisgners/boutiques sites.

I would see if I could find a stylist that can pull designer clothing, because yes agencies shop just like the rest of us. They are trained to know the difference between Target, Express and Yves Saint Laurent. I was recently denied by one, because I had a picture from one of my earlier shoots (mix of mall and target) in with the couture. They were like.. honey.. take these out and come back. I was like... damn, this picture was from a year or more ago!!!! It was only one picture.. but it makes a difference, and I didn't know any better. So.. uh.. yeah! Get a stylist, it will free up a lot of time. It's our job.