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Archive for April, 2010

Have you ever wondered what in the world you’re going to get for your mother for Mother’s Day? It’s a feeling that strikes fear in the heart of many of us. What can we get for the most important woman in our life that will show how much we care? Well, I have found an excellent solution for you and it will be fun for you too!

Deborah Main Designs is hosting a Mother’s Day Pillow and Jewelry Party tomorrow, Saturday, May 1. Her gorgeous collection of one-of-a-kind designer pillows are sure to be treasured keepsakes. The shopping party will be held at Designer Clearance House where you can also shop for Stella & Dot Jewelry and overstocked designers clothes, shoes, and accessories.

Deborah Main Designs will showcase the latest Spring designs with beautiful bright corals, blushing pinks, buttery yellows, refreshing aqua blues and teal greens at special prices offered exclusively to Designer Clearance House customers. Each keepsake pillow is fashioned with an exquisite jeweled vintage brooch that mothers and daughters can share and wear to accentuate any outfit. So, pamper your mom this Mother’s Day with a totally unique, “Austin Made” gift. Custom Orders are also available.

Visit Deborah Main Designs – www.deborahmaindesigns.com

Mother’s Day Pillow & Jewelry Party

Saturday, May 1, 2010
11am – 4pm

Designer Clearance House
5101 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX
map


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Fashionably Austin was proud to provide the FIRST LIVE STREAM WEBCAST of the UT Fashion Show! It was an exciting event full of incredible talent from 32 UT Apparel Design students. We also interviewed several of Austin’s top fashion industry professionals to learn about their businesses and what they have coming on the scene.

> Click here to read bios of our guests

> Click here to meet the UT Fashion Designers

> Click here to see “Behind the Scenes” Judging

UPDATE:  2010 Designer Winners from the UT Fashion Show.

HM Best Evening – Meagan Smith
Best Evening – Steven Campos
Honorable Mention – Best Bridal – Monica Li
Best Bridal – Hwanhee Joy Kang
Honorable Mention – Most Marketable – Liz Wong
Most Marketable – Jill Lancaster
Honorable Mention – Most Well Constructed – Molly White
Most Well Constructed – Beth Yoder
Honorable Mention – Most Innovative – Jackie Williamson
Most Innovative – Alexandra King
Honorable Mention – Best Collection – Julia Goodman
Best Collection – Leslie Russell

Pictures provided by Ashley Andreano Photography

Click here to see the photos from the UT Fashion Show. Photos are copyrighted and available for purchase.

Video of Live Webcast


Posted in UT Fashion Show | 2 Comments »

Tonight we’ll be webcasting LIVE from the UT Fashion Show, giving you the best seat in the house to see new Texas designers show their collections on the runway. The fashion show starts at 8pm – but we’ve got a pre-show line up that you don’t want to miss with Austin Fashion Industry movers and shakers!

The interviews  and web cast will air live on on our home page beginning at 7pm.

UT Fashion Show Pre-Show LIVE Interviews:

Eve Nicols – UT Program Director, Apparel Design

Eve Nicols was awarded a B.A. (Hons) and M.A. in Fashion and Textile Design from St. Martin’s College of Art in London. She has a broad base of National and International experience in the apparel industry.

Her career has taken her from designing in Milan, Italy, London, and Hong Kong to organizing and teaching fashion design courses at the undergraduate and graduate level at schools in England and Hong Kong.  She has also been a design consultant for a wide range of companies, including the Wool Board.

Giacomo Forbes – Celebrity Hairstylist

Giacomo Forbes - Celebrity StylistGiacomo Forbes began his career at the age of twelve in his hometown of Rome, Italy. Giacomo’s creative endeavors ranged from high fashion runways of designers like Todd Oldham to formulating unique remedies for dry hair.
Giacomo has worked with celebrities such as Claudia Schiffer, Emma Thompson, Elizabeth Taylor, Marissa Tomei, Yasmeen Bleeth and numerous other talents. His stylistic talents and hair care products have been praised in the worlds’ finest magazines including Allure, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar,as well as television shows that he hosted such as MTV, VH-1, Fashion Files, and guest of countless other talk shows.

Giacomo was most recently a cast member of the Bravo hit, Sheer Genius.www.giacomoforbes.com

Linda Asaf – Linda Asaf Designs

Linda Asaf - Austin Fashion DesignerLinda Asaf is one of Austin’s premier designers.  She studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and learned from the best in the industry. She shared resources with exceptional designers like Vera Wang, Bill Blass and Badgley Mischka among others.
Ms. Asaf’s designs are known for their classic silhouettes with edgy details and luxurious fabrics from around the globe. Her designs have been sold at world-class retailers like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and upscale boutiques nationwide.
She was awarded a golden boot from the 2009 Austin Fashion Week for best bridal designer and served as a judge for the UT Fashion Show awards.
www.lindaasaf.com

Jessica Ciarla – CiarlaBride

Jessica Ciarla - Ciarla BrideJessica started her business by designing bridesmaid dresses for a friend.  She was then inspired by a trip to Europe and eventually where she received an advanced fashion degree.  She has also received a Fashion Design Certificate from Parson in New York City.

The bridesmaid dresses she designs are intended to be mixed and mated to compliment each person’s personality.  Jessica has expanded her collection to include an eco-conscious luxury couture collection which focuses on reworking vintage wedding dresses into one of a kind couture wedding gown.

Jessica has also extensive experience in the fashion industry from styling, magazine editorial and fashion PR and served as a judge for the UT Fashion Show awards.
www.ciarla.com

Chuck Haidet – Managing Partner of Keepers (menswear)

Chuck Haidet - KeepersKeepers in Austin is known for their impeccable menswear collections from some of the most notable names such as Zenga, Brioni, Jhane Barnes and Versace for tailored suiting’s and for their timeless casual wear.

The knowledgeable staff can also create a made-to-measure garment for you as well.   The store is in the heart of downtown on Congress Avenue. Chuck also served as a judge for the UT Fashion Show awards.

www.keepersclothing.com

Megan Summerville – Sew Sister

Megan Summerville - Austin Fashion Designer - Sew SisterIn 2003 Megan created a company called Sew Sister. In the process of discovering what it really means to own her own business Megan was taught the art of bra making from Ethel Prater.  Megan brought this skill to her home town in 2006.

With one of the largest size runs made domestically, Megan Summerville’s 28A-52N bra program has a bra for just about anyone.

In 2009 Megan won Texas’ Next Top Designer. This monumental win allowed Megan to take the lingerie world by storm! Most recently, Megan submitted her application for the next season of Project Runway.
www.sewsister.com

Rene Geneva – Rene Geneva Designs

Rene Geneva - Eco-friendly Fashion DesignerRene’s focus is all about the environment, ecological and social aspects as it pertains to fashion.  She wanted her business to have a positive effect on the environment and also have an impact ecologically and socially. That meant a commitment to materials, production methods and business practices that did the least possible harm to the environment and the people who inhabit it.

In 2003 she began working with a small family operation in Pakistan. In November 2005, Rene headed to Nicaragua (the second poorest nation in the Western hemisphere) to work with a fair wage, fair trade women’s textile cooperative. Training them in the elements of corsetry and appliqué and enabled them to produce Rene’s latest designs and to expand their capabilities beyond T-shirt production. This partnership reflects her commitment to support fair wage and fair trade practices.

In 2009, she won Best Designer at the Austin Fashion Week.  Rene will represent her fashion industry in October 2010 at Vienna Fashion Week where she will premier her Spring and Fall collection.

www.mycorset.com

Lauren Polt – Chicka-d

Lauren Polt - Chicka-dUT Fashion Design Alum, Lauren Polt was inspired to create Chick-d from her own experiences as a fashion-minded chick searching for the perfect tail-gate party outfit. From this inspiration Chicka-d was born and is now providing fashion-forward licensed active wear to universities around the country.

Chicka-d believes school spirit is a way of life and should not be reserved solely for the stadium. Therefore, their premise is simple: Clothes for the game. Clothes for spirit. Clothes for life.

Get Chicka-d at UT – Vote at www.facebook.com/chickad

Matt Swinney – Austin Fashion Week / Launch 787

Matt Swinney - Austin Fashion WeekMatt Swinney is owner of Launch787,  Austin’s premier event production and promotion company focusing on Fashion, Food and the Arts. Launch 787 hosted the first annual Austin Fashion Week in August 2009 and is preparing the 2010 Austin Fashion Week to be bigger and better than last year’s fabulous event for Austin’s fashion fans.

The Launch 787 brands include Austin Fashion Week, Austin Fashion Awards, FLAVORS of Austin, Shop787, Modern Home Tour and AustIN INvolved.

www.launch787.com

Melissa d’Attilio – Fly Productions

When you think of a producer for a fashion show the name Melissa should just roll off your tongue.  She is a creative and ambitious person who calls Austin home but also lives a dual life in  New York during Fashion Week.

She is responsible for casting, creating and producing some of the most popular fashion shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week including, Diane von Furstenburg, Badgley Mischka, Naeem Khan, Rebecca Taylor and Jill Stuart to name just a few. Melissa is also an avid photographer and has a show coming up in may to again show another creative side of this successful Austinite.

www.flyproductions.net


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Recently, several Austin area salons (listed below) joined forces and created Salon Industry Night. Each salon team was instructed to create hair, fashion and make up looks for their models and then send them down the runway at Copa on Congress.

It’s important to mention that the talented hair designers and make up artists complete the look of the fashion designers. They are a vital role in this process and without hair and makeup artists, the fashions would be clothing on a model and let’s face it, it would rather boring. But then you find out that fashion designer Ross Bennett came up with designs for Breeze and actually sewed the looks on the models in two hours before the show. (last set of pictures in the brown)

Participating salons: Vanity, Breeze, MaximumFX, Path, Jackson Ruiz, Bodies by Anne and Ms Abby

Looking forward to the next event!


Posted in Austin Fashion News | 1 Comment »

netSpray.comThe final step for the University of Texas Design and Apparel students is to actually be judged by a tough panel to determine the winners in several fashion categories. The students faced the judges last week and Fashionably Austin was there to give you a little behind the scenes look.

The judging panel included, Gail Chovan from Blackmail, Designer Linda Asaf, Designer Jessica Ciarla, Keepers store owner Chuck Haidet. Awards will be handed out for the following:

Best Fashion Collection, Most Innovative Fashion Collection, Most Marketable Fashion Collection, Best Constructed Fashion Collection and Best Evening/Bridal Gown.

There will also be a pre-show exposition will include work from all aspects of the Textiles and Apparel Program including computer-aided design, retail merchandising, visual merchandising and a special exhibit from the Historical Textiles Collection.

See a short video glimpse below from a few of the talented designers and pix from the actual judging.
Good Luck to all the students. It was a pleasure meeting all of you and we wish you luck in your fashion careers. Just keep us posted so we can write about you!!

The show is at the Frank Erwin Center, Thursday, April 29 at 8pm. There is a pre-exhibition at 7pm.
Fashionably Austin will be webcasting LIVE! Our pre-show starts at 7 pm on the website.


Posted in Austin Fashion News | 1 Comment »

netSpray.comVisualize this…the Frank Erwin Center about ten years ago and it’s the night of the annual UT Fashion Show. Back then, the annual event would bring in, mmm, maybe a few hundred folks, mostly friends and families of the students and the friends of the models, and of course, University staff.

Now it’s another story. “Attendance last year was over 5,000 and has been increasing each year, many attendees plan their trip to Austin around the date of the Fashion Show. Every year is unique, exciting, and special, as is every student!” said Fashion Show Director Eve Nicols.

This year’s class of design students is comprised of 32 talented young women and men who are taking their visions and creating a one-of-a-kind pieces for all of us to see on April 29. The name of the show is High Voltage and I think it is a fitting name especially since Austin is starting to really get on the minds of major fashion movers and shakers. With Project Runway AND Bravo’s The Fashion Show reality television shows scouting out local talent, it is just the start of great things to come. You never know, we could have our next fashion star showing on Thursday.

The Fashion Show and exposition is fully underwritten by the University Co-operative Society under the guidance of President and CEO Mr. George Mitchell. This enables the School to stage a professional quality event. When asked why the co-op decided to sponsor the fashion show, Mr. Mitchell said, “Seven years ago, I discovered how hard the students fundraised to produce quality designs. The extra work took time from academics and the main priority, designing clothes…that intrigued me.”

Prizes will be awarded for Best Fashion Collection, Most Innovative Fashion Collection, Most Marketable Fashion Collection, Best Constructed Fashion Collection and Best Evening/Bridal Gown. The winners will be determined by a panel of judges composed of active professionals in the fashion industry.
There will also be a pre-show exposition will include work from all aspects of the Textiles and Apparel Program including computer-aided design, retail merchandising, visual merchandising and a special exhibit from the Historical Textiles Collection.

“The students selected the ‘High Voltage’ theme. They’re knowledgeable in modern fashion and technology; they create high voltage, energetic designs, so it’s really reflective of the group,” said Karen Bravo, Fashion Show Associate Director. Cosmetics will be provided by Sephora & Hair Styling by Cobalt Blue Hair Salon.

I am very pleased to also announce that Fashionably Austin along with netSpray, will webcast the fashion show for the first time, LIVE! We are excited to bring this special coverage to spread the word even more about these talented designers. Register on the home page to get details about the live webcast.
Meet your designers below! (not pictured: Fi Nguyen, Sara Schooner)


Posted in UT Fashion Show | 2 Comments »

The University of Texas sorority Alpha Chi Omega hosted their annual fashion show, Faith, Hope and Fashion last weekend at the Mansion at Judges’ Hill. The standing room only crowd filled the ballroom to see fellow students strut their modeling stuff down the catwalk. It was an entertaining and crowd pleasing show and I have to say the fashion show was not the only place with great fashions. What a polished and very fashionable group of women who are making a difference in our community. The silent auction and proceeds from the event raised a reported $10,000 for the charity SafePlace. Fashions for the show were provided by Anthropologie and Texas Clothier.

SafePlace provides safety for individuals and families affected by sexual and domestic violence.
Promotes safe and healthy relationships for the Prevention of sexual and domestic violence.
Engages the Community in advancing alternatives in attitudes, behaviors and policies to impact our understanding and responses to sexual and domestic violence.
Click here to see the fashions from the show.


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When Chloe Dao won Project Runway Season 2, her life changed and catapulted her into fashion stardom. Chloe has several successful ventures including “Simply Chloe”, a line for QVC, fashionably designed “Dao Chloe Dao” computer and travel bags for NUO Tech and she owns LOT 8 Boutique in Houston, TX.

Chloe is the sixth of eight sisters and several work with her to make the business run smoothly. Her mother also helps out as a seamstress during busy season, like now…it’s prom.

We traveled to Houston to see Chloe’s Spring 2010 Collection “Lightness” and we also used this event to officially launch Fashionably Houston which is part of our Fashionably Connected Network. Our group of 14 were met with a very warm reception from Chloe’s staff and then Chloe walked out to meet us for a meet and greet and we enjoyed shopping at her LOT 8 Boutique, of course! We took group photos, I shot some video and then we headed over to the fashion show venue, Warehouse LIVE. There we checked out hair and makeup and saw the pre-show walk through. It was fun for me to see our group from Fashionably Austin experience the excitement of fashion show behind-the-scenes activity. What I think was more fun was to see that the group got front row seats! Big thank you to Sydney Dao for that one!

The “Lightness” Collection was just that, a light and airy, timeless dress collection. Chloe knows that timeless pieces are important and her pieces are modern but not too trendy. In fact, she still stocks the “13th piece” she designed for the finale of Project Runway. The soft fabrics were paired in pale shades of mint, butter and white. These are the types of dress you would want to wear out on a summer date or weekend wedding. And speaking of wedding, Chloe premiered her first bridal collection! When you watch the show, try and find the dress she cut and sewed in four hours on the DAY of the show.

Another element that made this show so wonderful was the production. From the lighting to the music, it was a top-notch event, equal to a New York Fashion Week runway show. The show also had a couple of “big” celebrities. The “Little Couple” was there shooting their show for TLC. There was also another “first”…Joey and Jennifer from netSpray helped successfully webcast the fashion show LIVE on Chloe’s Spotlight Portfolio – you can see the fashion show on www.chloedao.me!

Thank you to everyone who took time out of their schedule to travel to Houston and spend the weekend with us. Great time, beautiful clothes and successful launch. Enjoy the video and pictures from the show!

Our Fashionable Travelers from the Fashionably Austin Road Trip

Jennifer Victorian – netSpray
Tristan Skidmore – Fashionably Houston Fashion Reporter
Corley Brian – Fashionably Houston Fashion Reporter
Tee McNamera
Celine McNamera
Christina Garcia
Malissa Long – MLW
Clarita Sanchez
Sara Sanchez
Lauren Polt and Daniel – Chicka-d
Rob Bemis
Joey Victorian- netSpray

Chloe Dao Spring 2010


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Tim Gunn of Project Runway and NYFWProject Runway is now casting for Season 8! Emily Hardy, Casting Director for the production company Bunim-Murray is looking for fashion designers for the upcoming Season 8 of the series. Texas has been blessed with a lot of talent on the show, but so far, no one from Austin has made it – let’s see if we can change that Austin Fashion Designers!

> Click here to apply to be on Project Runway - Keep us posted!

Melissa and met Tim Gunn during our last trip to New York Fashion Week. We interviewed him after the Anna Sui show and he discussed his thoughts on Anna’s fashion-forward collection.

> Click here to see our coverage of the Anna Sui Fall 2010 Collection and see Tim’s take on her career and designs.

Here is a list of Texas Fashion Designers who have made it to Project Runway:

Chloe Dao - Winner of Project Runway Season 2Chloe Dao – Houston

Chloe Dao has been a huge success since she won Project Runway Season 2. She has her own Houston boutique www.lot8online.com, a clothing line on QVC, and she designs a set of computer and travel luggage for Nuo Tech. Chloe is a member of our Fashion Industry Directory, so check out Chloe’s Spotlight Portfolio.

> Project Runway Bio – Winner!

Elisa Jimenez – El Paso

Elisa competed in Project Runway Season 4. Elisa uses writing, drawing, painting, performance art, installation, and fashion to express herself artistically.  She is a very successful independent designer with many celebrity clients and currently resides in New Mexico.

> Project Runway Bio

Marion Lee - Project Runway Season 4

Marion Lee – Tyler

Marion Lee is a graduate of Parson’s School of Design in New York City and was a contestant on Season 4. He has shown his collections several seasons in New York and currently resides in Dallas where he is partners in a home decor boutique called Grange Hall Urban Flower. He also continues to design for private clients.

> Project Runway Bio

Jerrell Scott- Project Runway Season 5Jerrell Scott – Houston

Season 5 contestant Jerrell Scott lives in LA where he has launched a men’s and women’s collection. Even though he wasn’t in the final three he was still able to show his collection at Bryant Park.

> Project Runway Bio

Louise Black - Project Runway Season 6Louise Black – Dallas

Louise Black was on Season 6 last year and has a popular following on Esty.com as a fashion and accessory designer. Her unique gothic designs and vintage collection has an impressive following. She’s on Esty at www.etsy.com/shop/louiseblack.

> Project Runway Bio

Shirin Askari - Project Runway Season 6Shirin Askari – Richardson

Shirin Askari made it to episode 9 of Project Runway Season 6. Shirin went graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in Fashion Design. She recently held a runway show in Dallas. You can see the show and view her fall collection on her web site at www.shirinaskaristore.com

> Project Runway Bio

Amy Sarabi - Project Runway Season 7Amy Sarabi – Plano

A regular fan favorite, Amy Sarabi hails from Plano but currently resides in Oakland, CA. Amy is on the current Season 7 but was voted out on March 18. She has a web site but no collection online yet.

> Project Runway Bio

Mila Hermanovski - Project Runway Season 7Mila Hermanovski – Dallas

Mila has a degree in Apparel Design from Rhode Island School of Design and has made it to the final cut for Project Runway Season 7. She currently has a business called Brave New Frock based out of LA.

> Project Runway Bio


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Issac-mizrahi-cherylbemisBravo’s coming to town! That’s right Austin Fashion Designers – this is an opportunity you can’t miss! Bravo has just begun accepting applications for fashion designers for the second season of their exciting fashion design reality competition hosted by international fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi.

And even better, Bravo is coming to Austin on May 8 for a casting call! You can apply online immediately by filling out their application and submitting a video, but they do specify that the casting call is the best way to be considered for the show. Click here to find out more about the requirements to be considered for ‘The Fashion Show’.

The casting call will be held on May 8 at the Art Institute of Austin.  We’ll release more details as they become available. **NOTE** – Bravo first reported that the Austin casting call would be May 22 – THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO MAY 8.

I’m a big fan of Isaac Mizrahi, the host of The Fashion Show – I actually met him at last September’s New York Fashion Week. He was so gracious and sweet to pose with me for a picture. His runway show at February’s New York Fashion Week was electric! Melissa and I thought it was the most gorgeous runway show of the season. His models strutted down the runway with the New York skyline in the background to the music of a live band. He even made it snow. Truly a showman beginning to end.

Video of Isaac Mizrahi’s 2010 Fall Collection – New York Fashion Week

Video credit: Cheryl Bemis

Photos from Isaac Mizrahi’s 2010 Fall Collection

Photo credit: Melissa Shea

> Learn more about Bravo’s ‘The Fashion Show’

> Learn more about Issac Mizrahi


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