Chau Chic Phoenix Fashion Week 2018

A highlight of the yr for fashion enthusiasts far and wide, Phoenix Manner Week 2018 returns to Talking Stick Resort Oct. 18-20. A new dynamic line-upward of 12 emerging apparel and accessory designers from beyond the country are set to entertain fascinated crowds, showcasing their collections as they make their debut on the runway while competing to win the coveted championship of designer of the year.

We spoke with three Arizona-based designers nearly their experiences as emerging designers for Phoenix Style Week including participating in the rigorous bootcamp, their inspiration and process creating their collections, and what they're looking forward to when they debut their collections Oct. 18-20 at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale.

Jummy Salami

Salami, designer of SiSi Aduke will exist debuting her 12-piece summer/spring afro-fusion drove on Friday, Oct. nineteen featuring glamorous dresses, jumpsuits, and bold prints and fabrics for the sophisticated woman.

Salami moved to Phoenix a year ago, and decided to become involved in the fashion customs every bit a designer. "I stumbled upon the Phoenix Style Week Eventbrite and I was immediately enthralled by what they were doing," Salami says. She decided to exist autonomously of Phoenix Fashion Week as a volunteer after she heard glowing commendations online and from people she had met about the process and how benign information technology was for emerging and established designers.

"When I started attending a few events, I idea, 'these are people I demand considering they're really involved in the customs,' which was big for me, and I saw that desire to assistance designers succeed…and so I decided to submit an application."

Salami was very excited when she found out she was selected every bit one of this year'due south emerging designers, but had some doubts she was ready for the intense bootcamp and creating a drove to debut at Phoenix Mode Week.

"I thought, 'I'm non ready for this,' but when I spoke with the Phoenix Fashion Week team, they were very encouraging, and I think they believed so much in my brand and me equally a person, that they gave me a gamble to launch my brand…it bolstered my confidence that I could do this."

Going through the emerging designer bootcamp, Salami says she's learned a lot about herself in creating her collection. "I've learned a lot nigh the artistic side of me…which is trying to fuze a few unlike extreme parts of my heart, and bring them together on the rails—and see the beauty I create."

Her SiSi Aduke collection blends fabrics to create something new— dresses, jumpsuits and separates with bold patterns and colors, portraying both simplicity and complexity. Salami hopes her brand and collection convey a cultural appreciation with African prints while showcasing the global entreatment of prints in fashion. "If I am able to convey that this is not just African wear, but something that tin be appreciated by people of all races and that information technology's African-inspired," Salami says.

Designing for the sophisticated woman, Salami says she aims to create quality pieces that will final and be relevant in style for years to come. "I design for someone who is adventurous, and open-minded," Salami says. "A lot of people aren't used to fusion-prints, and then I design for women who are open up to trying new things in their life and with their fashion choices."

Given Phoenix Style Week'southward success, Salami hopes her and other designers' collections volition bring Arizona more recognition as a fashion hub, in addition to working with Phoenix Fashion Week in the future. "I believe Arizona'south fashion scene has a lot to offer, majorly because I run into information technology equally a huge melting pot of unlike cultures, and the fashion scene hither is really growing…and I'm thankful to be apart of it," Salami says.

She'south excited to run into everything come up together on the runway when her drove debuts on Friday, October xix. "And so seeing all the other designers, we've been on this journeying together, we've seen how we've grown and seeing how everything comes out on the runway, I call back I'm looking most frontwards to that."

JC Donaldson

Donaldson, founder and designer of Being Dapper, will be debuting his Gatsby 1930s and 1960s-era inspired collection on Friday. Oct. 19 featuring sport coats, suits and polos for gentlemen of all ages.

Donaldson's journey to way week was three years in the making. He attended the shows for a long time, then started making men's accessories-flower lapels-so he began getting inquiries asking to make shirts. "And so Phoenix Way Calendar week staff encouraged me to send in an awarding to be an emerging designer, and so I made the decision last year to participate, and the rest is kind of history," Donaldson says.

All emerging designers become through a bootcamp at Phoenix Fashion Week that teaches them skills to develop their make identity, create a concern plan, and how to create a collection that's true to their make. "The bootcamp challenged me to take Being Dapper to the next level," Donaldson says, which he focused on the make Dna, which was challenging since he decided to switch to the contemporary category halfway through from the streetwear/lifestyle category. "It's more than challenging, but information technology's more rewarding in the end, so I said 'why not?' considering you have to give everything you've got since lots of people are watching that stage, might as well present a new drove, a new level of Being Dapper—and Phoenix Fashion Week has encouraged that transformation."

That transformation started with making what Donaldson calls "gentlemen'southward T-shirts," that have typography describing the gentleman lifestyle that can exist dressed up and dressed downward. The collection has expanded to include suits, sport coats and polos, which Donaldson says are designed for their target demographic, the xxx-yr-onetime available "who wants to enjoy the finer things in life and appreciates dressing really well," which he hopes is conveyed to the audition. "The collection encompasses the lifestyle of this admirer—from coincidental to professional—capturing every phase of a gentleman's life. There's something for every fellow to older gentleman."

Donaldson says he hopes Being Dapper will bring something new to the Arizona fashion scene. "I wanted to give some zest to men's gimmicky, it can be fun; and do information technology with a brand that is versatile and scalable. My collection is customizable, and so people can have their own way of Being Dapper," Donaldson says.

The designer is looking forward to showing his collection and what Being Dapper looks like on Oct. nineteen, and "taking that powerful proper name and then exemplifying that through fabric."

MaryElizabeth Stewart

Stewart, designer of Rockin Street Wear, will debut her rock and roll-inspired collection on Thurs. Oct. xviii featuring leather and denim pieces for edgy men and women that can be dressed upwardly or dressed down.

A graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York, Scottsdale resident MaryElizabeth Stewart decided to participate in Phoenix Style Week to grow her make under the leadership of the Phoenix Fashion Week squad while gaining exposure, making connections and beingness apart of a tight-knit community.

Stewart says creating her 12-slice collection has been full of hard work, and is inspired by rock and roll. The drove for men and women features fabrics like denim and leather to create edgy looks that reference rock and roll such as music-inspired shirts and jackets, camo print, leather jackets with patch detailing, distressed pieces, and hoodies.

"I design for a person who loves streetwear, someone who is a social trendsetter," Stewart says. "The drove is about someone who tin experience absurd and confident wearing something dressed up or dressed downwardly."

Existence involved in Phoenix Way has helped Stewart perfect her brand and grow in many ways. "With aid from the Phoenix Fashion Week team forth the style, debuting the drove is really awesome since it's going to describe attending to where we're from since we're based in Phoenix. Information technology's the perfect place to debut the collection since everyone who'south at that place loves fashion…I've learned so much about the brand, and going through the bootcamp has sent me in a perfect direction for the brand."

She hopes to inspire people in the fashion community in Arizona, and that people feel confident when wearing Rockin Street Wear, likewise as continuing to abound the make and edifice a customs in the fashion industry in Arizona.

When she debuts the collection on Oct. eighteen, Stewart is looking forrard to the audition seeing the designs. "I can't wait to come across how things are going to look and motility on the rail. It's always fun to see the crowd's reaction besides."

Phoenix Style Calendar week 2018 Designer Line-up: Emerging and Established Brands

THURS. OCT. eighteen

Lifestyle Clothes — Activ Intimates, Nani Swimwear, Rockin Street Article of clothing, WVSH

Established Brands: Fashionably Pink, Customs Showcase (12 Brands), Ali Jawad FIDM Debut, Qmulative

Friday. Oct. 19

Gimmicky Apparel — Being Dapper, Cody Chris Collection, MollyKate Cline, SiSi Aduke

Established Brands: Nouvelle Palm Embankment, #ForTheStars by Jacob, Design ME past Al-Mutawa, SVETIK'Southward Haute Couture

SAT. OCT. twenty

Luxury Dress — Amanda Casarez, Chau Chic, Orlando Dugi, Zelenco

Established Brands: Aconav, Christine Adar, Yas Couture by Elie Madi, Finale– Rocky Gathercole

Phoenix Fashion Week 2018 is Thurs. October. 18 to Sat. Oct. 20 from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Mode, Scottsdale. Doors open at v:30 p.m., seating begins at 7:thirty p.m. and shows begin afterward. Tickets are $50+ and tin can be purchased online here. To learn more about this twelvemonth's bear witness, how y'all can watch the commencement-ever Phoenix Mode Week Livestream, and programs such as The Business organisation of Style Seminar Series presented by FIDM, visit PhoenixFashionWeek.com.

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