IMG_3926IMG_3485Friday night I had the pleasure of attending Phoenix Fashion Week’s event, Shop Garment District. The event was held at the Palomar Hotel in downtown Phoenix and gave a chance for 13 emerging designers to not only give a sneak peak for what’s to come at Phoenix Fashion Week in October, but to also sell their goods at wholesale pricing. As an attendee I was able to walk around the show room to meet the designers and get a feel for what they offer, followed by a fashion show where they showed four (4) designs. The worst part about the event is that I now have to wait two (2) whole months to see each designer’s full collections and I’m a tad bit impatient 🙂 I can’t wait for October 1-3 for Phoenix Fashion Week!

I attended with my good friend, Alicia, and wore my custom made Hues of Ego tulle skirt that was designed and hand-made by the designer herself, Natasha Duran Lynch, for my work holiday party last December (full blog post here). Unfortunately, I couldn’t capture photos of each designer, but head to Anna Phillips Photography Facebook page for photos of each designer’s runway looks to follow along as you read my comments below.

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The first collection was from Arae, designed by Rachael Levine. I enjoyed the whimsical and earthy designs that were featured. The accessories were very unique and she had a great mix of pieces; two dresses and two two-pieces outfits were shown.

Next was Asmara Asefa, which featured a super creative collection. Everything was very crisp with straight edges, except for the chunky statement jewelry that gave the exact amount of contrasting styling. Three out of four of the looks include a crop top variation paired with either pants or a skirt. One of the crop tops had back cut-outs that were unexpected and appreciated. Another crop top looked like a perforated material that also included wrapping around the waist. The white, sea foam, lavender and gold color palette looked fresh.

Charmosa Swimwear was a fun change from the ready to wear collections. I love the crochet influence in her pieces. The long skirt cover-ups were the perfect addition to the collection. If you’re needing a classic or a unique one-piece, she has some great options!

Cute Like Mad by Jeanette Svensk Li, is a collection made for a glamista (a glamorous fashionista). I enjoyed the silk romper that was shown and the split sleeve top that was paired with the tie-dyed silk bottoms. There was a certain familiarity with the black and blue fringe skirt that reminded me of Sean Kelly, the Project Runway season 13 winner. The long romper definitely showed that this designer embraced risk-taking.

The next collection was luxe-athletic wear by Haute Body. It was fun to see that even while breaking a sweat you can still be fashionable and stand out. Innovative pieces were shown that included a sports bra with a hood, all white outfits, and see thru jacket sleeves that I’m sure contribute to athletic performance.

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Obviously based on my outfit for the evening, I was extremely excited to see what new looks Natasha Duran Lynch had constructed for the Hues of Ego collection. As soon as I heard Selena Gomez singing “Good For You” I knew the looks would be my favorites. The first look to walk down the runway was a fresh take on one of her signature luxurious coats with short sleeves and textured fabric, but to my surprise was the hot little white one-piece with a plunging neckline underneath. The other looks contained pale pink and champagne textured fabrics with white accents. I loved the 1950’s feel with the jumpsuit, high-waisted pants and dress with a full skirt. One of my favorite pieces was the high-low crop top and I thoroughly enjoyed the back details. Most pieces had either a plunging back or a jewelry piece on the back or both.

Laura Tanzer is a very modern and sophisticated brand. Right away I felt that the collection was very organic with uses of linen fabric. She did a great job of incorporating a pop of bright orange and floral patterns into her mix of neutral colors.

Another favorite of mine was Leola Sky. There’s something about the blue, white and shimmer of gold print that she used that spoke to me. I’m also a big fan of full skirts paired with crop tops and plunging neck jumpsuits.

I love how Lily V Designs uses comfortable cottons in a way that makes them look like anything but. The designer has a strong eye for pattern mixing. The bold patterns and fabric cuts were very unique as well.

Lousy Rich incorporated bold standout jewelry pieces that perfectly complemented the runway looks. A head-piece and long drop earrings definitely stood out to me as well as the long sheer black dress with small panels that showed off the small onesie underneath.

Medium Apparel is eclectic men’s wear that incorporated camo influence, a floral dress shirt, a baseball uniform shirt, and a player’s jacket mixed in with the Medium apparel labeling on their pieces. Seeing these pieces definitely left me wanting more. Every item was different enough from the rest, but cohesive enough to tell a story.

If you don’t believe that fashion is art, Michelle Hebert will change your mind immediately. Her artistry and technique is stunning. Each look is compiled of the perfect collection of individual pieces that mold together to narrate a fairy tale. I loved the all white lace slip dress and the black corset cap over the baby doll long dress. I wish I could take a peak into her creative mind.

The last designer of the group of 13 was Michi Knitwear, which reminded me of a similar aesthetic to Herve Leger based on the bright color combinations and unexpected shapes.

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I love how Phoenix Fashion Week picks such a strong display of passion and artistry through their emerging designers. Each designer is vastly different from the rest showing that the fashion industry is expanding with fresh ideas daily. I can hardly contain my excitement for fashion week in October.

 

Be You, Bravely.

The Foxy Kat

 

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