Discover the Phoenix Region Special Edition

X I N 2012

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DESIGNER: JOI BY JEWEL ORIBE MODEL: SYDNEY PISCIOTTA PHOTO BY: EBONI LACEY

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Jodie Wilson Editor in Chief/Publisher Rick Rome Publication Layout/ Design Eboni Lacey Intern/Graphic Design Clarissa Burt Media Haleigh J. Hoffmanner Media Karyssa Wilhelm Media Madeline Ulivieri Media Brooke Smith Social Media Shannon Murray Social Media

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2 December 2012 Discover The Phoenix Region

LETTER FROM THE WRITER: Wow! Oh my gosh! How amazing!

Phoenix Fashion Week was an event that I will never forget. From the moment I walked into the Talking Sticks resort and saw the bright lights, the beautiful gowns and the friendly faces, I knew that this special opportunity I received to attend Phoenix Fashion Week would be one of a lifetime. I still get chills when I remember meeting Raina Hein, America’s Next Top Model runner-up and Alexis Lerma, U.S.A. representative for Furne One, who’s brilliant patterns and designs are worn by some of my favorite celebrities. I was quite amazed by every element of the week; from the celebrities, to the beautiful models, to the well organized event and to how friendly and nice every single person I met was. Many people link fashion week solely to big places like L.A. and New York. However, before venturing off to these big places, look no further then your own backyard. This year’s event just proves that Phoenix is exactly where it needs to be: elegant, chic and very fashion forward. Thank you for this opportunity!

Eboni Lacey Discover the Phoenix Region Graphics & Social Media Intern

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Marc Bigelow, Eboni Lacey, Dan Tabar, Mike Florman, Joe Pier, Studio World Photography SPECIAL THANKS: Phoenix Fashion Week Executive Director Brian Hill, Media Director Lauren Pfingstag, Operations Director Brenna Moses and the Phoenix Fashion Week Executive Board and team. Interviews: Ronel Calix, vice president of Davinci, Ashleigh Kaspszak, representative and designer of EYE Thread, Shino Jewel Oribe, lead designer of JOI by Jewel Oribe, Brooke Alicia, lead designer of Sew Twisted, Bri Seeley, Samantha Patterson, Alexis Lerma, celebrity stylist, creative director and USA representative, Phoe nix Fashion Week Fashion Host Brittany Brannon, model Madison Brown -

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classy

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“Click, click, click FLASH!” These were the sounds of the peeptoe heels, the sparkling lights and the constant snapping cameras at the 8th annual Phoenix Fashion Week’s runway shows that occurred Oct. 3-6 at the Talking Sticks Resort. “[This year was] absolutely unbelievable!” Phoenix Fashion Week Fashion Host and Miss Arizona USA 2011 Brittany Brannon said.

“Everything from the models to the emerging designers, established designers; they really, truly had unique pieces.”

These shows featured both established and emerging designers from local Phoenix areas all the way to foreign countries including Mexico and Dubai. On Thursday, Oct. 4, the designers included established designers Kent Denim, Mabella Chic, Davinci, Café Blue, Mariska and emerging designers Living Dreams, OfraStyle, Shawl Dawls and Samantha Patterson.

DESIGNER: PAULIE GIBSON MODEL: NICK KOESTER PHOTO BY: MARC BIGELOW

“It was really exciting putting it out there,” Ronel Calix, vice president for Davinci said. “With our new vintage line, it is really exciting for us just because we are trying to put a new twist on vintage -- giving it a younger vibe.”

There were numerous cheers and applauses for all of the designers’ works, but many fans had their own personal favorites as the fashion ranged from mellow skirts and sweaters to wild, bright, silky pants and button-ups.

Calix also noted that Davinci’s lead designer Lena Hermansson designs for heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, and Davinci is one of many collections under branding label Global Rebels Inc. Other collections within the brand include English Laundry, Scott Wieland, Fender, Jimi Hendrix and many other rock’n’roll and vintage-inspired clothing lines.

“It was wonderful and totally uplifting to see all the models in line ready to walk out,” Ashleigh Kaspszak, representative and a designer of EYE Thread, said. “It feels like at that moment it just kind of clicked and came together.”

On Friday, Oct. 5, the night’s show included established designers JOI by Jewel Oribe, Madison Park Collective, Jean Paul Jeune, Silvia Bours and emerging designers EYE Thread, Jhaus, Paulie Gibson and Sew Twisted.

“Function is so important,” designer Shiho Jewel Oribe said about what it takes to be a designer. “[The clothes] have to be easy to wear … I just want to see my clothes make people happy.”

On Saturday, Oct. 6, the show had quite a few surprises as the crowd kept filling the seats, leaving the outdoor auditorium more packed than any other night. One surprise was a special appearance for America’s Next Top Model Star Raina Hein. The Cycle 14 contestant fiercely walked the runway wearing one of the night’s hottest numbers- a full, sequined red, white and blue dress from established designer and Dubai native Furne One. This dress gained the audience’s applause and yells from the minute Hein’s sparling gray, high-heeled boot touched the beginning of the runway.

“We try to keep it at a certain level where people have not seen and not experienced yet,” Alexis Lerma, celebrity stylist, creative director, and Furne One U.S.A Representative, said. “We want to give a fresh new look for people. We are bringing couture to the U.S. market.”

Among Furne One, other established designers included SJ Couture, Bel Kazan, Enzoani and Elevee. The emerging designers included Bri Seeley, Envy by Khanh, Italia Rocks Couture and Suzanne Lay. In addition to the designers, the year’s top 40 “Smartwater Model of the Year” contestants wore the chic clothing. These men and women were all competing for a signed modeling contract with The Arizona Agency.

The big winners of Phoenix Fashion Week included the top emerging designer Bri Seeley and the “Smartwater Model of the Year” Madison Brown. Seeley took home a package equaling over $10,000 of goods and services to help launch her brand.

Brown, a 17-year-old junior in high school, took home a signed modeling contract with The Agency Arizona.

“The number one thing I was blown away by was how nice and genuine every single person is,” Brannon said, recapping the whole experience. “[Personality] is everything: You have to have the talent to create the pieces, the clothing that is on the runway, to be able to have the business mind to put it all together, to have the hosting abilities. In the end it’s about working with people.”

Some of the modeling contestants included Nick Koester, Couter Model who was also featured on the cover for Dicover The Phoenix Region’s June 2011 edition; Kimberly Lopez, a Ford Robert Black model with The Agency Arizona; and Madison Brown, a returning Phoenix Fashion Week model, who modeled for last year’s emerging designer contest winner Jeanne Hankerson.

Phoenix Fashion Week grew more this year in attendance then any other year. There were also many guest celebrity appearances such as Fox 10 News Anchor Kristin Anderson, Heather Bilyeu from Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing” as well as Miss Arizona USA 2012.

The night was hosted by Phoenix Fashion Week Executive Director Brian Hill, who’s main focus of the event was pushing Arizona fashion forward and merging all fashion interests of the Phoenix community, he explained to the audience.

DESIGNER: FURNE ONE MODEL: RAINA HEIN PHOTO BY: DAN TABAR PHOTOGRAPHY

DESIGNER: SILVIA BOURS MODEL: KELSEA CHAPEL PHOTO BY: EBONI LACEY

4 December 2012 Discover The Phoenix Region PHOTO BY: MARC BIGELOW

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sexy with modesty

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emerging designer Samantha Patterson

Samantha Patterson, from Flagstaff, Ariz., had a vision when she first began her fashion design business -- to make modest clothes for the everyday woman. Though sophisticated and chic, she defines her clothing as traditionally malleable, with garments that cover the shoulders, skirts and bottoms that stop just before the knee and tops that avoid plunging necklines.

“I grew up with a lot of Morman friends in high school and Mormons have a fairly strict dress code,” Patterson said. “Growing up it was hard for them to shop. With going to prom they could never find a dress, they had to alter everything. They got a little older and started getting married. They couldn’t find bridesmaid dresses or bridal gowns.”

Patterson soon grew the idea that she would provide these clothes for women like her friends that want to be fashionable, yet want to respect their faith and morals.

“I felt like it was a market that needed to be filled to give those people fashionable options while maintaining modesty,” Patterson said. “It should be a choice. Fashion is the most universal form of self-expression. We all make choices. So if you want to be modest you should be able to be fashionable at the same time.”

Patterson feels that sometimes the wrong message is given when it comes to the meanings of high fashion.

“I feel like we drifted into a mindset in the fashion world where sexy and beautiful and high fashion are less fabric, like they’re synonyms -- but they’re not. So that’s what I’m trying to fix.”

Patterson, who just graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising 18 months ago and immediately started

DESIGNER: SAMANTHA PATTERSON MODEL: KIMBERLY LOPEZ PHOTO BY: MIKE FLORMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

her company soon after, said that fashion design has always been in her blood as she has been designing since single digits.

After her line was seen on the runway, Patterson came out and introduced herself to the audience while walking the catwalk just like the models for her very first time in Phoenix. Though she admitted she was a nervous wreck, she appeared quite confident as she strutted down the runway holding hands with one of the models in one of her signature pieces.

“I told the model ‘Will you wait with me and take pictures with me?’” Patterson said recapping her runway walk. “I was so nervous. It was such a high and went so quickly.”

To see more of Patterson’s work visit samanthapatterson.com.

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rom local

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Model of the Year competition from Phoenix Fashion Week coaches. The runway challenge winners were Brandon Short and Jessie Rose.

This July hundreds of hopeful models gathered at Axis Radius for an open casting call for Phoenix Fashion Week’s “Smartwater Model of the Year Challenge.” After the casting call, the long list of participants was narrowed down to 40 local models. Each of these models were seen numerous times on the runway, wearing both established and emerging designers’ looks as well as appearing in videos, photo spreads, numerous magazines and many other media outlets.

Phoenix Fashion Week TV Host Brittany Brannon spent a lot of time working with the models and explains how much work they must go through.

“Hands down [it takes] lots of work,” Brannon said. “No sleep.

This past week every one of us on the team has been getting about two hours of sleep. We get here about 2:30 in the afternoon and we go to about 1 or 2 a.m. But at the end of the day you have the best experience.”

Throughout the competition, the models had opportunities to win smaller competitions, including four challenges: headshot, runway, print campaign and social media.

For the headshot challenge, each model was given a makeover and photo shoot with a Phoenix Fashion Week photographer.

Their assignment: to pose for the camera like flick, flick, flick and produce the best photo from the shoulders up. The headshot challenge winners were Kick Koester and Madison Brown.

For the runway challenge, the models all had to practice nonstop to perfect their catwalk. They had numerous walking lessons

6 December 2012 Discover The Phoenix Region

For the print campaign, the models’ assignment was to visually show the Smartwater brand with an athletic and lifestyle vibe.

The print campaign winners with Brandon Short and Kashlee Gorski for athletic shots and Cassie Brooks and Nico Labarbera for lifestyle shots. The models were placed in gym like settings for the athletic shot and were to simply make the gym come to life.

For the lifestyle shot, the look was sophisticated as the models wore business style clothing while still maintaining a high fashion look.

In the social media challenge, social gurus were given the opportunity to vote on their top pick for the best model. The model with the most social media votes won the challenge. The social media challenge winner was Maureen Montagne.

Finally, after months of anticipation and preparation, Madison Brown was chosen as the model of the year.

“When he called my name I didn’t know if I should cry. I was just frozen solid,” Brown said after her big win. “It was a mix of emotions. It was awesome.”

Brown, only 17 years old and just a junior in high school, hopes this win will be one of many as she focuses on furthering her career. Along with the title, Brown won the grand prize of a signed contract with The Agency Arizona. Brown shared that this win was very sentimental to her as she was able to follow the footsteps of one of her biggest role models, Brown’s older sister and America’s Next Top Model (Cycle 19) contestant Brittany.

“The fact that she just lived out one of her many dreams, she just made me want to live out my dreams and make things happen,” Madison Brown said. “She really inspired me and I just hope we are going to rule the fashion world together.”

costume

to wear every day

Alicia, who plans to soon move to Phoenix to expand her brand in a bigger area, hopes to continue to get her clothing line out there with her costume inspired clothing and her bold and outgoing attitude.

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“It was totally out of my comfort zone,” she said. “I’ve never made anything like that. My whole goal when I did Phoenix Fashion week was ‘I want to have a Silvia Bours, where my dress is so killer they have to post it on everything.’ ”

But more then anything, she just wants her audience to truly acknowledge her as a clothing designer.

“That’s all that an emerging designer can hope for-is that other people take them seriously in something they truly, truly love doing,” she said.

emerging designer Brooke Alicia

Tucson native and self-taught designer Brooke Alicia started out in theater. She could sing, dance and act and grew up pursuing a career toward being on the stage. This was until she began falling in love with her theater costumes and realized that she wanted to pursue a different path: creating unique, daring and bold clothing for women who loved costumed-styled fashion as much as she did.

“I am not a classical inspiration person,” Alicia said. “I am a theatrer kid and I had to make my own costumes. [Being a designer] kind of spilled into that. It was not an original thought plan.”

Alicia, who just learned how to sew last year, explained that for her, fashion is something that is still a costume, but can be versatile and worn everyday.

“I want what I do to be the fashion of people’s everyday lives,” Alicia said. “Something that she can say ‘Ok it’s not crazy, I can wear that to my kid’s soccer practice. I can wear that to my kid’s banquet. I can wear this to my 5 o’clock meeting. I can wear this out to the club.’ ” As this was Alicia’s first time ever seeing her clothes on the runway and then walking out herself on the runway, she explained that it was quite nerve-racking, yet very thrilling at the same time.

“I truly enjoy watching my stuff walk on real people. It’s something crazy … It was so quick and such a blur. All I remember is walking out on stage and then going back and saying ‘I need a drink.’ ” Alicia’s signature look was her last piece on the runway, which was a big, silky, silver ball gown with a see-through top.

DESIGNER: SEW TWISTED MODEL: WHITNEY NELSON PHOTO BY: EBONI LACEY

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winner

“I’m glad that the details stood out in this collection,” Seeley replied about the positive response she received about her attention to detail. “[Details] are really important. Most days I am [a perfectionist], but I found running a business you almost can’t be.”

To see a clip of Seeley’s designs at L.A. Fashion Week visit http://blip.tv/mobilefashiontv-videos/bri-seeley-design-lass13-6406335.

takes her throne

emerging designer of the year Bri Seeley

Most people think to win big, you must think big. However, emerging designer Bri Seeley thought differently; she thought small.

She thought about every small detail and crease in her pattern.

She thought about the small areas of craftsmanship that would perfect her clothing and make the care and creation of her pieces stand out above colors and boldness. Not only did Ms. Seeley’s thinking win her the emerging designer contest, it won her much audience attention and approval. And let’s not forgot the $10,000 prize.

“I actually was kind of convinced that someone else was winning,” Seeley said modestly. “I was on the edge, but I wanted it so bad.”

DESIGNER: BRI SEELEY MODEL: LULU KAIALI PHOTO BY: JOE PIER PHOTOGRAPHY

Seeley said that she grew up around fashion and designing as her grandma taught her how to sew at a very young age. In addition to that, her mother was a business owner, which helped her learn how to run a business very early in life.

“It’s been in my blood for so long that there’s nothing else that I know,” Seeley said. “I always joke that I was bred to be a fashion designer.”

Seeley, who holds a master’s degree in fashion design, has been building her brand for over six years. So naturally, she was well prepared to take a big step in participating in Phoenix Fashion Week. Seeley was also invited to participate in L.A.’s Fashion Week, which was just two weeks later.

8 December 2012 Discover The Phoenix Region

EMERGING DESIGNER: BRI SEELEY PHOTO BY: STUDIO WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY

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and fundraiser see Fox 10’s exclusive interview with Furne One at http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/category/235508/girlsclub.

esigning

for the stars

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established designer Furne One

Clothing brand label and designer Furne One’s numerous collections have been seen at the Video Music Awards as well as on many artists such as Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez and Nicki Minaj.

The clothes of One, a native of Dubai, are very dynamic with full sequin dresses, bright sparking patterns, feathers, pendants, ruffles and every bold color you can imagine.

DESIGNER: FURNE ONE MODEL: KIMMIE VU PHOTO BY: EBONI LACEY

“We want to make it different. We want to give something new, something to experience,” Alexis Lerma, celebrity stylist, creative director, and Furne One U.S.A. representative, said. “We want something that is outside of the box.”

Lerma included that the brand focuses on the shape and form of the woman and embraces curves as the clothes are especially used for curvy women that are not straight up and down, Lerma said.

“If you see the collection it’s like ba-boom; boobs, [butt] and everything,” Lerma said. “It brings back the whole 50’s vibe, bringing the glamour and sparkle and richness to the department.”

Other celebrities that Lerma and the One have worked with include Shakira, Heidi Klum, Amber Rose and Natasha Bedingfield.

Lerma and One also returned back to Arizona in late October for a fashion show in honor of actor Christopher Reeve (who portrayed the 1978 character Superman) that benefited the Arizona Spinal Cord Injury Association.

To get to know the designer Furne One, his brand and his other inspirations visit www.furneone.com.

To see highlights from the Christopher Reeve benefit fashion show DESIGNER: FURNE ONE MODEL: SAYDI ZIRKER PHOTO BY: DAN TABAR PHOTOGRAPHY