Lady LUX

On Saturday, Newport Beach’s premiere shopping destination, Fashion Island, hosted the finale of the 6th Annual Style Week OC. Guests who attended joined the FIDM Museum Fashion Council for the 2nd Annual FABULOUS! Soirée benefitting the FIDM Museum & Galleries and the Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection Acquisition Campaign. The evening featured a two-part fashion show beginning with the Cadillac: Couture Design Competition and followed with the 2013 DEBUT Runway Show.

The crowd became amped up for the ending Style Week fashion celebration with the help of loud party tunes, a dramatic lit up runway back drop and of course, flutes of champagne. In homage to the event’s prime sponsor, Cadillac, the first runway show exhibited especially innovative eveningwear fashion designs created by students of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. The designers wowed the crowd with their rendition of haute evening couture using 2014 Cadillac car parts. The floor-length gowns flowed down the runway with ease revealing Cadillac emblems, seat belts and paneling.

The DEBUT Runway Show followed featuring additional FIDM student designer collections. Each collection was preceded with a mini movie interview on the runway back drop unveiling how the designer got into fashion and the inspirations for their line. Collections ranged from all different types of inspirations such as roses, the beachy lifestyle of Mykonos, the beautiful colors and saris of India and even snowboarding active apparel.

After one last stride down the runway, the student designers appeared on the stage next to their Cadillac creations for the competition ceremony. The winner of Fashion Island’s Cadillac: Couture Design Competition was Blake Patterson, who designed a beautiful white, one-shouldered gown with car part headdress was awarded $2,000. Facebook Fan Favorite winner, Mohamed Salaheldin, was awarded $500 for his sleek, sheer black-paneled creation complete with a Cadillac emblem belt.

FIDM Museum Curator Kevin Jones wrapped up the runway shows with a big thank you to the FIDM Fashion Council and a special thank you to Fashion Island for lending the student designers their “fashion island” for the night.

Proceeding the show, guests continued to celebrate amazing fashion by attending the after-party where cocktails flowed and a jazz band with singers performed into the night. Guests couls continue to celebrate fashion by entering a raffle to win a vintage feathered hat worth thousands of dollars and participating in a silent auction in hopes of winning the highest bid of four different pairs of evening shoes outfitted in floral satin from the 20s.

FIDM Fashion Council Member Jeannine Abraham enjoyed the entire night’s ambiance, both runways shows but especially one collection in particular, “I thought the shows were gorgeous and the design that won for Cadillac that was my favorite by far. A couple of the designers were just impressive and I’m sure they’re going to go far. I loved Katie Chick’s designs which were inspired by the Mykonos Islands. I would wear every one of those, they were so cute,” said Abraham.

LadyLUX caught up with Jones during the after party and got a glimpse of the feel for next year’s soirée, “This is our Second Annual and I can’t wait to say our 22nd Annual OC Style Week and Cadillac, and FIDM event. Last year was a very quick one where we had to put it together very fast. But this year has been a year of planning and it really showed,” Jones said. “This place is filled, it’s amazing and the Cadillac competition was astounding and the garments were so beautiful and so refined. I can’t even wait until next year because it will be much grander.”

Throughout the duration of the after party, guests toasted to celebrating a week filled with fashion, fun and plenty of beautiful designs. Orange County fashion lovers can only anticipate what FIDM students will envision and design for next year’s Style Week OC.

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