Video Recap: Charleston Fashion Week 2016

Celebrating its 10th year anniversary, Charleston Fashion Week has proven to be an impressive fashion force featuring talented emerging designers, CFDA anointed featured designers and a fashion icon of the most fabulous kind. My colleague and friend, Dr. Courtney A. Hammonds and I attended and we were so blown away that we simply had to talk about it! From the non-stop parade of street-style to meeting Fern Mallis, we cover it all in this video recap. *Thank you to Two83 Media for the video production, Brandi Mallory for make-up and Annysa at Roche Bobois for the chic set. [Subscribe to fashionadoTV]

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Featured Designers: Charleston Fashion Week 2016

CADET

photos: Side Yard Studios

CADET's Raul & Brad

presenting to an esteemed fashion panel at CFDA's Vogue Fashion Fund.

CREATURES OF THE WIND

TRACY REESE

Charleston Fashion Week got a heavy dose of New York runway chic through designers Cadet, Creatures of the Wind, and Tracy Reese. The three "featured designers" rocked the fashion week tents with modern, elegant and sophisticated collections.

Tracy Reese brought "A Detroit Love Song" to Charleston. This collection was an homage to her hometown of Detroit. Lively colors and prints provided a fluidity that was balanced off with structured coats and the casual chic of slacks and dresses. There was a slight nostalgic quality to the collection which was no accident. 

Creatures of the Wind blew the crowd away, no pun intended! A series of jaw-dropping A-line top coats came down the runway leaving everyone mesmerized. Creatures of the Wind are all about textiles and it was evident. Furs, wools, silks, chiffons - all so rich and beautiful. The collection left me wanting more. Everything moved so well. It was feminine and powerful at the same time.

Cadet presented an impressive collection of menswear and womenswear looks. Cadet epitomizes what I consider to be a modern-chic approach to fashion and style. This is how I want to dress. Crisp. Sharp. And even though Cadet looks to the past, they offer a fresh perspective and sensibility to design. They have achieved a near seamless aesthetic (and balance) to menswear and womenswear.

Cadet designers, Raul Arevalo and Brad Schmidt, who I met a couple of times while at Charleston Fashion Week - they travelled with their precious doggie, so you know they're good guys - are currently on a TV show. Cadet is a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist and right now, you can catch them on The Fashion Fund airing on Amazon.

Charleston Fashion Week celebrated their 10th anniversary. It was my first but certainly not my last. It was a truly spectacular week. I looked over from my runway seat and sitting across from me every night were Ayoka Lucas- CFW founder, Fern Mallis!!, Tracy Reese and Cadet... not too shabby - at all. Rock on Charleston Fashion Week!

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The Art Institutes Rocked the Runway at Charleston Fashion Week!

The Art Institute of Atlanta

Charleston Fashion Week / Photos by Side Yard Studios Photography.

The Art Institute of Charleston

Ayoka Lucas

and the President of Ai Charleston.

When Charleston Fashion Week founder, Ayoka Lucas, introduced the Art Institute show, she said that this was the "future of fashion." Well, I couldn't agree with her more. These talented student designers will become emerging designers and move on to be featured designers. The caliber of the work on the runway was skillfully produced but equally important was the plethora of ideas presented. There was vision and thought, manipulated through textiles and fitted to the body.

The runway show opened with four looks from Art Institute of Atlanta students, Karimah Ali and Zuri Zander (first four looks in slideshow above). Zuri worked with chiffon and an African print, layering the two and creating structure with horsehair. Karimah delivered a modern and youthful twist to classic styles. Ai Atlanta Director of Fashion, Dr. Hammonds and President Myvett were gleaming with pride, as was Ms. English and myself who worked closely with Karimah and Zuri. 

Allow me to explain something - the process. Atlanta / Charleston student designers presented sketches which were created in muslin and fit to the models of their choice. Later, the looks were made in their respective fabrics. Students also worked independently with members of the hair and make-up teams to create the overall looks of their collections. Students were responsible for every detail and decision-making aspect throughout this entire process. It's these "real-world" experiences that are so crucial and instrumental to success and I commend all the parties involved for providing them to our young designers.

The Charleston students gave an impressive runway as well. From ready-to-wear to conceptual and sculptural looks, Ai Charleston rocked the runway with a dynamic level of modernity and sophistication. The fashion faculty, led by Ms. Dominca Baird, is as supportive and vested as we are. Two teams working for the same cause is a winning combination!

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