Austin Fashion Week 2014 Mash Up Pictures Unveiled

It’s one of the most anticipated, fun and community driven events during Austin Fashion Week.  The Mash Up concept started out as a fluke by Matt Swinney, Founder of AFW, who bounced ideas for fashion week events with friends.  Thinking about “what if” we  put together people who didn’t know each other from all different types of fashion businesses around town and made them photograph their work, what would happen.  Not sure if he was thinking this event would be a combination for disaster, a pilot for an Austin reality show,  or if it would actually be one of the most fun events to participate and/or to watch.  Well, it certainly became the latter.
In an unoccupied space at the Hill Country Galleria on Friday night, participants, models, photographers, and excited attendees viewed the pictures from what was probably months in planning from the Mash Up teams.   The photos  were printed in canvass and displayed like a high end art exhibit.  The creative visions of nearly 30+ entries to compete for the coveted Critics Choice and People’s Choice awards was all the chatter at the event and which team could take the prize.  I had fun taking pictures of teams who stood proudly in front of their work  and hearing stories about how they got their perfect shot.
 Austin Fashion Week founder, Matt Swinney looked dapper dressed in an all white jacket paired with slim jeans and wife Kara was stylish in a long maxi dress in the color of the year, Radiant Orchid accessorized with cascading triple gold chain necklaces.  Among the other top dressed was designer Megan Pinto adorned with a vintage fur falling from her shoulder.  Others were dressed in cocktail attire to casual jeans and boots…it is Austin where anything does “go”.
Matt and I  chatted about the photos about the vast improvement and quality of photos have become from the inception of fashion week in 2009. He was giddy with excitement about his year’s crop of entries and mentioned there was certainly not a runway, clear winner.  He explained  the Critic’s Choice panel of judges had a difficult time selecting the finalists and then ultimately the winner.
Depending on who you ask, fashion, art and photography all have an opinion.   “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, said Swinney.  So true, so I guess we’ll  have to wait and see what direction the eyes of the critics went and which Mash Up team will take home the Golden Boot and bragging rights at the Austin Fashion Awards on Saturday, May 3 at the Austin Music Hall.
See the 2014 Mash Up Photos AND VOTE for your Fan Favorite!
Click here to see the Mash Up Unveiling Party Photos
Don’t have tickets?  You need some!!
“Official” Photography for Austin Fashion Week 2014 provided by Fashionably Austin.