FactoryPeople has been on the scene for a year and a half, and already it is entrenched as Austin's über-hip nexus of fashion, music and art. The buzz is heard all over the country. How appropriate then, that FactoryPeople is hosting a mini-marathon of festivities for the country that is converging on Austin for South by Southwest.

Parties and live music are nothing unusual for the store. In fact, they are central to its mission.

"When we started talking about opening the store, we felt like in this day and age, it wasn't enough to just sell something. We wanted to create a community of like-minded people who appreciate music and design and Japanese pop culture and other things we dig," says Le Popov, who owns the store with her husband, Thomas Popov.

"We are so excited about this South By," she says, abbreviating. "This is what we live for."

Today, the store gets an early start to the weekend with the "beauty bar." Enjoy MAC makeovers and Bloody Marys from noon to 3 p.m. today through Saturday. You must be of age, of course. Conference musicians will take turns playing DJ all day, while URB magazine will film a documentary about real DJs on the rooftop deck. FactoryPeople then lives up to its Warholian namesake with a late, late party featuring live performances and more DJ sets from midnight until 5 a.m.

How are the Popovs such night owls when they have four kids, ages 4 to 10?

"Thomas is a night owl, not me. But this is Christmas for us. During South By, our families pitch in a lot to help us because it's 24/7."

The rock star DJ sets will continue all weekend. On Friday afternoon, there will be a party for Chicken George, one of Austin's favorite DJs, to celebrate the release of his first 12-inch single and the launch of his Web site.

On Saturday, FactoryPeople will host legendary photographer Mick Rock, who is best known for his iconic work in the 1970s with David Bowie, Blondie, the Sex Pistols, Queen, Lou Reed and The Ramones. Rock was Bowie's official photographer during the Ziggy Stardust days.

"Mick Rock is not only the sweetest human being . . . he took all these images I grew up with, and he's had such an amazing life," Popov says. Rock will be on hand from 2 to 4 p.m. to answer questions and sign copies of his books. His best-known prints will be on display, and signed posters will be for sale.

All the while, FactoryPeople will be raising money for the Sims Foundation, which provides mental health resources to musicians. Shoppers will have the option to add donations to their totals at the register.

A word about that. Visitors to FactoryPeople have reported sticker shock, as prices for their casual and sometimes funky clothes and shoes can run from $25 to several hundreds. "Why," some wonder, "would I pay that kind of money for a designer I've never heard of?"

Think of fashion design as an art form, just like painting. While some people are content to own a $30 poster of Monet's water lilies, others prefer to pay thousands for a one-of-a-kind original work by a promising contemporary artist. The same goes for fashion. Some people are happy to get clothes from the Gap. For others, only indie designer threads will do, and they're willing and able to pay more for them. It's a matter of priorities.

"All of our clothes are designed by independent designers who are, in most cases, designing and sewing and marketing themselves. It's not unlike a lot of artists in Austin who care about what they do and want to be paid a fair salary for what they do," says Popov.

Consider also that hardly a month goes by without a FactoryPeople party, and they have never charged a cover. Instead, retail revenue goes to underwrite these events, which support musicians and designers and artists. FactoryPeople also dresses musicians and arranges for sponsors to throw clothes and shoes on musicians.

"That's the way we give back," Popov says.

If that doesn't fully justify paying full price, show your SXSW badge for 10 percent off your next purchase.

Don't be at all intimidated if you haven't heard of a lot of the designers the store carries, or for that matter, the musicians it supports. That's the whole idea. The Popovs want FactoryPeople to be a place where consumers are introduced to emerging talent. They helpfully tag each item of clothing with information: a little background about the collection or the designer, and the "fan club," names of celebrities who have worn the label.

It bothers the couple to think that anyone would find their store intimidating.

"I think it's partly intimidating because it's an amazing building. We hired great architects," who transformed the dreary old Just Guns space into an ultra-modern and flexible expanse of steel and glass. "But then people come in and realize it's a fun, laid-back place to hang out," Popov says.

Their mission statement — and how many stores have a mission statement? — ends with the line, "We are FactoryPeople. You are, too." FactoryPeople, 1325 S. Congress Ave., 440-8002

More melding

of fashion and music, no wristband needed

Love on the lawn

Musicians from near and far will play hour-long sets on the lawn of Love, the boutique, on Friday starting at noon and ending with the Ginger Leigh Band at 9 p.m. Then it's an all-female lineup of half-hour sets from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. No cover. Children are welcome. Bring your chair or blanket for the lawn, and BYOB. Love, 1000 S. First St. 442-5683

Funk & Roll fashion at K Lounge

Friday, 9 p.m., Funk & Roll fashion show by local boutiques Upstairs and Sola, the L.A. line Salvage, PF Flyers tennies and Jackson-Ruiz Salon Spa. DJ sets from 9:45 onward. Cover $7, $5 with a SXSW wristband. K Lounge, 600 E. Sixth St. (at Red River), 236-0777.

jscheidnes@statesman.com; 445-3974