Fashion Week New Orleans Struts Its Way To Success

March 30, 2011 - PRLog -- Every fashionista, industry professional, and fashion 'wanna-be' strapped on her stiletto heels and attended Fashion Week New Orleans so see firsthand what all the fuss was about.  And, strut they did!  The catwalk came to the Crescent City courtesy of Fashion Week New Orleans, March 15-18. The stellar show, which highlighted prêt-a-porter fashions of local boutiques and retailers throughout the Gulf Coast, gave undiscovered and emerging regional fashion designers a platform to display their collections and gain exposure and recognition. The week of events began with an exciting kickoff party at Mike’s on the Avenue and featured spectacular runway shows each night at The Sugar Mill, culminating in a top design winner being named.

The winner of the 2011 Top Designer Competition at Fashion Week New Orleans was local designer, ALICIA ZENOBIA, whose brilliantly executed, over-the-top designs swept the competition and wowed audiences and judges, alike.  Zenobia, a Brooklyn, NY native and studied design at F.I.T., believes that “clothing must have 360 degrees and at least four dimensions of interest.” As part of her prize package, Alicia Zenobia will showcase her collection in Hemline Boutiques for 90 days, along with two days of trunk shows, receive web design consultation and a photo shoot of her collection by Cathedral Creative Studio.  Runners up in the Top Designer Competition included designers: Brendan Manuel, Esther Rose and Molly Stackhouse-Ernst.  

Judging the Top Design Competition were Brigitte Holthausen, Owner and Entrepreneur of Hemline Franchise, Suzanne Perron, Couture Fashion Designer and Steven Putt, Director of PR, Marketing, and Special Events for Saks Fifth Avenue.  Steven noted, “The talent presented was phenomenal...so much so, that instead of selecting three top finalists, we had to include a fourth! I was both amazed and impressed by all the designers.” Brigitte added, “This was the most professional fashion event executed in the city in quite some time [since Pre-Katrina].  The Sugar Mill was transformed into our very own Bryant Park.”  Other designers competing for the honor of Fashion Week 2011 Top Designer were: Anthony Auld, Ashley Gunkel, Carolina Gallop, Emily Riche’, and Michelle Beatty.  

Participating Fashion Week NOLA retailers included:  Wish, Swap/Swap Kids, Lola, Buffalo Exchange, Lili, Frederick’s of Hollywood Swimwear, Hemline Boutiques, Howlpop, Righteous Fur, Spring Boutique, Dirty Coast, Prima Donna’s Closet, Voluptuous Vixen, Ducatti & Triumph Fashions, Loretta Jane, Giggleberries, Belle Couture, Branch Out, Baby Bump, Red Carpet, John Delgadillo, Style Lab, Lissy, Green Serene, Total Woman, Brinkman’s, House of Lounge, Fairy Fashions, JC Penney’s Children’s, All About Me, Langford Market, Angelique, Xiomara del Carmen, Meghann Harney, Fleur de Paris, Banana Republic Men, Brooks Brothers, Jean Therapy, Anna Mixon Jewelry, Kano Branon and Saks Fifth Avenue.

In addition to the runway shows, fashionistas had the opportunity to interact with top designers and boutiques in the FW NOLA Style Lounge, while getting a sneak peek at the season's “must have” trends.

Sponsors of the 2011 Fashion Week New Orleans included:  Ciroc Vodka, Saks Fifth Avenue, Hemline, Vanguard College of Cosmetology-a Paul Mitchell Partner School, The Transportation  Revolution, The Makeup Lab,  Keith Noonan Salon, Make Me Up,  Stardust Salon, Jeff Strout Photography, New Orleans Magazine, Gambit Communications, NOLA.com, and Where Y’at magazine,

Proceeds from the Fashion Week NOLA’s  Silent Auction will benefit charitable and educational programs in the city, including: NO/AIDS Task Force, Dress for Success, Fashion Institute of New Orleans and the NOLA Firefighters, each receiving over $2500 in donations.

According to Tracee Dundas, creative director of the event, former modeling agency owner and contributing fashion editor for New Orleans Magazine and stylist, “Following this first successful event, we believe we have made an incredible impact and proved that New Orleans is a fashion-forward city with amazing talent.  And, through the efforts of FW NOLA, designers as well as boutiques have been able to put their personal stamp on redefining what it means to be fashionable.”  

“We achieved our goal of hosting a fashion event that would create a buzz and will bring focus to the Gulf Coast fashion industry, have an economic impact, and be well-received by fashion houses, buyers and fashion enthusiasts alike,” Dundas added.  “I am confident that Fashion Week New Orleans will continue to be one of the must-attend fashion events of our region for years to come.”

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Fashion Week NOLA will showcase the talents & collections of fashion designers & boutiques from the Gulf Coast region in a series of incredible runway shows. Taking fashion beyond the bounds of the industry with verve and panache like no other city. The date has been set for FW NOLA 2012 - March 21-24.