This past Wednesday night I attended Charleston Fashion Week for the first time. What a thrill! I can see why it is one of the fastest growing fashion events in North America. To break it down, there are over 35 shows spread out over the course of five days with the sole purpose of providing a “pathway to New York” to promising East Coast models and designers.
Wednesday featured several Emerging Designers: Annina King, Elyssa Wingard, Julie Le & Sean Mueller, Gloria Forehand, and Christian Caldwell. I was very impressed with the line up! They were all extremely talented and it was intriguing to hear them discuss what inspired their fashion designs. Inspiration can come in the most obscure forms!
Above is a photo of Elyssa Wingard, who won the people’s choice for the Emerging Designer award; congratulations to her! Her flashy, vibrant style is bound to uplift anyone, and I am certainly a fan.
But at the end of the night, there can be only one victor who can claim the rights to the Emerging Designer award and that victor was Gloria Forehand. I’m proud to say that I voted for her! Check out her line up for Wednesday night.
Several established fashion designers from the surrounding region were featured in Wednesday’s Local Night as well, including Ike Behar and Mosaic, who both have stores in South Carolina. The Featured Designer of the night wasHarbison, a designer from North Carolina, who drew inspiration for his line from 90s Prada and the model and actress Beverly Johnson. His crisp colors were striking and the classic lines of his clothing deeply resonated with me. I’ll be on the look out for his clothing!
For those of you who have not experienced Charleston Fashion Week–go! This event is one of the best that Charleston offers in the Spring. Don’t miss out! Tickets are still available for Saturday’s Finale.