Welcome to Oakland Fashion Week 2018, Day 3! Emerging Designer! Wednesday, May 16th 2018- Oakland, Ca Oakland Fashion Week 2018's third day took place at the West Oakland Youth Center, located on Market Street in Oakland, California. Although my own designer collection was to be featured during the fourth day of OFW, I was excited to come out on this particular evening to view the collections of the Emerging Designers that would be showcased. I had met many of the designers during the dress rehearsals held in the months leading up to Oakland Fashion Week, and was able to speak to some of the designers in depth about their inspiration and point of view as a fashion brand or designer. When I arrived at the fashion show, Hair and Make-Up was well underway backstage, and many models were already wearing designer clothing. I was able to get a few candid shots of the backstage action! Take a look: The host of Oakland Fashion Week's Day Three was the lovely model, Gabrielle Jermaine, who is "The Face of Oakland Fashion Week"! Jr. Esmeralda Fashion Jr. Esmeralda Fashion is a women's clothing store, located at 2201 MacDonald Ave in Richmond, California. Jr. Esmeralda Fashion offers it all, including dresses, pants, skirts, blouses, jackets, and bathing suits! Check out a few of my favorite runway looks: Myra Leana "Behind every dress is a story." Myra Leana is a woman's clothing brand that consists of a four woman design team, with headquarters located in Santa Rosa, California. During our fashion show dress rehearsal, I had the pleasure of meeting Christina Fullmer, who is one of the talented women working in the Myra Leana team. Interestingly, Myra Leana is not only a clothing brand, but a production company as well. Their brand not only creates figure flattering dresses in classic silhouettes, but also creates videos of women who have overcome specific challenges and obstacles in their lives. One such woman is the beautiful model, Chelsea Werner. Chelsea Werner was born with Down-Syndrome, is a Special Olympics Gymnastic Champion, and a fashion model. Due to being born with Down-Syndrome, Chelsea faces limitations in what she is able to do naturally, but that hasn't stopped her from achieving what some have said would be impossible! It was truly an inspiration to see Chelsea Werner, who is also a petite model, walk the runway during Oakland Fashion Week. I absolutely loved that Myra Leana featured a diverse spectrum of models, including models of various shapes, sizes, and skin tones. Their runway looks were styled with jewelry created by Treska Jewelry. You can view their web-site by clicking here. Check out some of my favorite looks: Hella Woke Gang (Wokie) Ace Johnson is an East Bay Production Consultant who participated immensely in the production of Oakland Fashion Week 2018. Ace Johnson also networked with four East Bay emerging designers, to create a fashion design collective. The four designers came together to create a cohesive collection featuring crochet pieces, and "hyphy" inspired streetwear. I loved the color combinations of the looks, the amazing crochet accessories, such as the unforgettable crochet hoop earrings, and the screen-printing embellishments! Check out a few of my favorite runway looks created by the design collective, Hella Woke Gang (Wokie): Oluwabukola Aminashaun Oluwabukola Aminashaun is a first generation Nigerian American, who is both a stylist, and an emerging fashion designer. Oluwabukola's collection, which she has called "Reign", brings together Nigerian fabrics, Nigerian Head Wraps, and American Style. Oluwabukola explained that wearing a head wrap completes a fashion look in Nigerian culture. The use of the intricate head wraps, paired with the vibrant colors of the fabrics truly created a stunning runway presentation. Check it out: As you can see, Oakland Fashion Week 2018's Day Three, was an amazing showcase of a diverse group of emerging designers! One of my favorite aspects of Oakland Fashion Week is viewing the very much different fashion design aesthetics of each designer brand. Which was your favorite collection? Leave me a comment below! Related Links:
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Welcome to Oakland Fashion Week 2018, Day One! Opening Ceremony! Monday, May 14th, 2018-Oakland, Ca
Oakland Fashion Week 2018's Opening Ceremony began with a gathering at Agave Uptown, a fantastic restaurant on the corner of Franklin and Broadway in Oakland. Enjoying cocktails and eating delicious Oaxacan Mexican cuisine is always a great way to start off any week, and this occasion was no different, as the people happily packed in to socialize and enjoy the fashion week program! Local celebrity, and stylist, Sara Anders was our host for the evening, creating a truly exciting atmosphere for those in attendance. I love Sara's vibrant personality, and energy. I know that any event will be fantastic if Sara is there! In a banquet room behind the bar, OFW set up a private backstage area, where designers could organize their designs, where models were getting ready with the hair and Make-Up Artist, and where stylist, and event coordinators were finalizing their tasks. Backstage is often a busy, chaotic place for those participating in the fashion show, but it is an experience we all greatly enjoy, as we come together, making visions reality! This is the lovely, and talented Jacquelyn Vassar (Beauty by Vassar), who worked each night during Oakland Fashion Week as one of the many Make-Up Artists! Battle of the Stylist! One of the main features of Oakland Fashion Week 2018's Opening Night, was a styling competition where two local stylist presented three complete looks styled accordingly to a theme of their choice. Stylists arrange accessories, and pair them with specific garments to create a stylish and attractive look. They work closely with designers, as well as Hair and Make-Up Artists to prepare models for runway events, photoshoots, or films. The competing stylist this evening were Oluwabukola Animashaun, and Pharoah Brand. Oluwabukola Animashaun is not only a stylist, but a designer as well. You can see her designer collection during OFW2018's Day Three event showcasing collections from Emerging Designers. On the evening of Opening Night, Oluwabukola presented a mini-collection inspired by the recent Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) Exhibit, "Heavenly Bodies", which opened with the famous MET Gala, in which celebrities attended wearing designs and costumes to reflect the exhibit's theme. Check out the "Heavenly" looks Oluwabukola was inspired to create: Pharoah Brand has had many positions in the fashion industry besides that of a stylist, including creative director for photoshoots and magazines, as well as a runway trainer. Pharoah worked each day during OFW2018 back stage coordinating runway looks with designers. His inspiration for the styling competition was "Millennial Fashion". I loved how he put together looks that were classy, and elegant, with an element of futuristic. Check out his "Millennial" looks: After the stylist runway presentation, all those in attendance voted by cheer and applause for their favorite stylist! The winner... Oluwabukola Animashaun! Who was your favorite stylist? Runway Preview! Another feature of OFW2018's Opening Ceremony that was unique to this year, was a preview presentation of designs that would be shown on different days during the upcoming week! Several designers were invited to bring a garment from their current collection to showcase as a Runway Preview! Check out the beautiful designs by OFW's featured designers: Here are a few more event photos of designers and their models: Thank you for taking the time to read my first article of five in my Blog Series covering each night of Oakland Fashion Week 2018! To catch up on my OFW2017, and OFW2016 Blog Series, click the here for the Blog Category Oakland Fashion Week. Special thanks to photographer Marco Acevedo Garcia, for granting me permission to use his lovely photos for this article! I would love to hear your comments about my blog, or Oakland Fashion Week, in the section below! I sincerely hope that you have a Fantastic Day! Related Links:
Last night I had the privilege of participating in Oakdale Joint Unified School District's G.A.T.E. (Gifted And Talented Education) Event: "Dinner with a Brainiac", in Oakdale, California. This event allows professionals within the community the opportunity to share their profession, as well as college experiences, and tips for success, with high academic achieving 6th Grade Students, all while sharing a meal together. You can imagine my surprise when I was invited to participate in this event as a "Fashion Designer Brainiac"! How awesome to have an opportunity to inspire children to pursue careers in fashion! Other professionals in attendance included a retired school principal, and a genetics scientist, among many others! Several high school students also were in attendance, which gave the younger students insight into what to expect during middle school and high school years. Seating was pre-assigned by G.A.T.E. Teacher, Mrs. Combs. Each table included two Brainiacs, and three or four 6th Grade Students. We began the evening by enjoying a Dinner Theater! A play was presented by student performers based on the book, Fish in a Tree, written by author, Lynda Hunt. While watching the lovely play, we ate a satisfying meal comprised of pizza, chips, water, and cookies! After the play, we introduced ourselves to the others at our table, discussed our thoughts about the play, and then participated in several activities. The activities focused on time management, how to deal with failure, and how to make good friends. It was really nice to get insight into the children's way of thinking, and their perception of themselves. I was surprised to learn that some of the children felt pressure to succeed, and had a hard time dealing with failure. As a parent, I learned so much! My favorite part of the night was seeing the way Mrs. Combs interacts with the students. Mrs. Combs is a wise woman who inculcates the value of each individual, promoting self-worth, and balanced confidence in these youngsters. You can truly sense her genuine love for her students. It is undeniably refreshing to see educators, such as Mrs. Combs, who care so much! "Dinner with a Brainiac" was a fantastic event that I am privileged to have been a part of! I am now inspired to participate in many more career events held within my community! Perhaps you are too! Related Links: An Interview with My First Sewing Student!
Hello! This week on my Blog, I wanted to share with you a brief article on the topic of Alteration Services, Re-Design, and Clothing Repair! It came to my attention recently, that some of my clients were unaware that I offer these services at my in-home Design Studio! If you have a moment, I would like to share with you the importance of alterations on Off-the-Rack garments, as well as my experience, and the various services that I currently offer! Reasons to have Garments Altered by a Professional In modern times, much of the clothing that we purchase is Off-the-Rack, which is a term used to describe clothing that is mass-produced, in standard sizes. This term applies to almost all clothing found at retail establishments. Unfortunately, due to each person having a unique, one of a kind body, we rarely find Off-the-Rack garments that offer a perfect fit. One alternative to Off-the-Rack clothing, is Custom Made, or Made-to-Order Clothing, which is clothing created exclusively for one individual using their exact measurements. Because Off-the-Rack clothing is mass-produced, and often made in countries over-seas, where materials and labor costs are extremely low, clothing purchased through an apparel retailer can be considerably lower in cost to the customer than having a garment custom made within the United States. However, custom made clothing not only fits the costumer, or client, perfectly, but is usually a higher quality crafted garment. Another alternative to Custom Made clothing, is taking Off-the-Rack garments to a professional Alteration Specialist, Seamstress, or Tailor. These sewing professionals, can take any garment, and using the measurements of the client, create a custom fitted look. Common alterations on clothing include taking up, or lowering the hem of a pant, dress, or skirt, taking in, or letting out the waist of a garment, and shortening or lengthening sleeves. In some cases, a client may need a garment re-sized completely. All of this can be done, the cost will be calculated depending on the type of operations performed, and taking into consideration any unique garment details, that may take more time and skill to adjust accordingly. My Experience While studying Fashion Design at The International Academy of Design and Technology in Sacramento, California, I worked with the retailer, Nordstrom, within their Alteration/Tailor Shop. Nordstrom offers Alteration and Tailoring Services on clothing purchased at any of their store locations, including Nordstrom Rack, and Online. Nordstrom has onsite Alteration Specialists and Tailors at every retail location. I started my career with Nordstrom as a Customer Service Specialist in the Men's Wear Department, but then transferred to the Alteration/Tailor Shop, as an Administrative Assistant. I also completed my College Internship with Nordstrom as a Tailor Apprentice. During my years with Nordstrom, I was trained to complete fittings, and to perform a wide range of alterations. Due to my Fashion Design education, I began to specialize in Women's Wear Alterations, and Clothing Repair. After my time with Nordstrom, I began working as a Tailor Assistant to Master Tailor, Mr. Randy Rowden, at The Oxford Way Tailoring and Men's Clothing, located in Oakland. One of the things I appreciated about Mr. Rowden, was his commitment to excellence, and quality, often using hand-sewing techniques to complete tailoring tasks. Currently, I work for myself, at my in-home Design Studio, creating my own Ready-to-Wear designs, as well as creating Custom Clothing for my clients. Due to my past training and experience, I also offer Alteration Services, Re-Design Services, and Clothing Repair. Alteration Services, Re-Design, & Clothing Repair Alterations Services are available with me by appointment. Simply contact me for your alteration requests, and you can either come to my Design Studio in Oakdale, California, or I can come to you! At the time of our appointment, I will give you a total of the cost, based on the work to be done. Alterations may take up to one week to be completed. In addition to Alteration Services, I also offer Re-Design and Clothing Repair. To Re-Design an existing garment can mean many different things. In general, to Re-Design clothing, means using the material and findings (small articles or tools used in making garments), found in the original garment to create something completely different. Perhaps you have an article of clothing that is outdated in style, but you love the material. I can remake that garment into a modern article of clothing. I particularly enjoy this type of work for two reasons: it allows me to use my creativity and expertise to create something unexpected, and, by re-designing existing garments, we extend the garments life, limiting fabric waste that contributes to the pollution of our world. Many of my clients have clothing that needs to be repaired. Jeans commonly need patches at back pockets, or at the inner thigh. Sometimes, seams need to be re-sewn, or formal gowns may need beading replaced or mended. Snags and holes can also be fixed. Whatever the case, repairing clothing may be more cost effective then throwing the item out and replacing it completely. To see a few photos of some of my completed projects, click the links below:
Alterations & Re-Design Services Custom Formal Wear Thank you for taking the time to visit my Blog! Please contact me for all your Alteration, Re-Design, or Clothing Repair needs! For all the ways you can contact me and connect, click the link below! Contact Information
According to Jake's website (www.mrjakeparker.com), "Anyone can do Inktober, just pick up a pen and start drawing." Check out this Inktober Video to get a more in depth viewing of "How To Do Inktober!": Last year, in 2016, my artistically gifted husband, Javier Rangel, participated in #Inktober, by challenging himself to create an ink drawing each of the 31 days. This past October, Javier began to hashtag his ink drawings with #Inktober again, and I too became inspired to try to challenge myself to draw more! I have been drawing ever since I was a kid. As the years past by, and my education of Art and Art Techniques advanced, my drawing skills advanced as well. After studying Fashion Illustration in Fashion Design College, I began to fine tune my drawing skills in body proportion, drawing clothing details, and rendering human faces. While participating in #Inktober 2017, I did not follow the given prompts by #Inktober's Official Website (shown above), but instead focused my illustrations primarily on Fashion! I mostly used recent issues of Vogue for inspiration, although there are a few sketches inspired elsewhere. You can find my illustrations posted on my Fashion Design Facebook page by clicking here. Or check out my Instagram. My husband, Javier's art work, can be found on his Instagram page by clicking here. Or simply scroll down to check out my 31 ink drawings! My #Inktober Illustrations! I truly loved participating in the #Inktober Challenge of drawing each and every day throughout the month of October. I found it most challenging to simply find the time during my day to draw. However, as the days passed by, I noticed my rusty inkmenship and shading techniques improve, as well as other areas I drastically need improvement on! I have always needed more practice drawing woman's faces! Nevertheless, I hope that you enjoyed viewing my #Inktober Illustrations! Please feel free to share with me your experiences if you too participated in #Inktober by writing a comment, and sharing with me your Instagram Page link! I would love to see your work! Or let me know which illustrations of mine you enjoyed the most! Thank you for reading my blog, and have an INKtastic day! Related Links:
Pregnancy can be one of the most exciting times in an expectant mother's life. However, with the growing excitement of soon welcoming a child into the world, can come many other anxieties, such as dealing with the numerous discomforts of a quickly changing body. Recently, I myself experienced such changes, shortly after I, and my husband, Javier, found out we would be expecting our first child together. The two of us had been planning this pregnancy for some time, and although this is my first pregnancy, we do have two other children, which are Javi's biological children that he had prior to our marriage in September 2015.
I began to think about my wardrobe... I day-drempt of a stylish pregnancy... I sifted through my crowded closet, and moved items around, placing items that still fit me near the front, for easy access on work days, which hopefully would help to eliminate the frustration of choosing "the perfect outfit", only to put it on and not be able to pull the zipper all the way up. A few times, dead set on the outfit I had chosen, I forced the zipper up, only to pop it off of its tracks, or to squish my stomach causing an unbearable tightness of clothing. Of course, these outcomes led, regrettably, to changing my outfit anyway. The first trimester of pregnancy can be challenging for most women, because a growing belly at this stage can feel like frumpy fat, not Baby. Existing clothes just don't fit right, but again, it is still to early for full on maternity garments. For myself, I tried to wear loose fitting, or stretchy clothing, that I already owned, that was as comfortable and as stylish as possible. Here I am at 13 weeks pregnant (three months) wearing comfortable, loose fitting clothing that I already owned, that is still fashionable and fun. The loose fitting silhouette of this particular dress, made by Neiman Marcus, allowed me to wear it through my first 6 months of pregnancy. I did not feel frumpy in this outfit! My Maternity Style! Once I began approaching month six of my pregnancy, I no longer fit many of the dresses and skirts that I wore regularly prior to becoming pregnant. My feet began to swell, and I was forced to wear wider flats when I needed to maintain a professional appearance, and flip-flops on casual days. I also wanted to create a few new Maternity Dresses for myself, as opposed to purchasing already made garments online or at a clothing store. Often times, when browsing for new clothing, I find myself thinking, "I can make something like that!". I had hoped that I could arrange my time between unpacking, and redecorating our new home, and working, to sew a new dress or two for myself! Now, here are a few examples of my Maternity Style! My Maternity Creations! In all honesty, I had dreams of creating several Maternity outfits. However, as I began to prepare for the arrival of our new baby, and as my body began to grow, I found I did not have as much energy to create numerous garments as I was hoping to! I ended up making only one dress! The Maternity Dress that I made, is this Lace and Jersey Knit Maternity Dress, that I wore to my second Baby Shower. I loved the ease and comfort of the design! Check out a few pictures from that lovely day! After my Baby Showers, it wasn't long after that it was time for labor and delivery! Nine months goes by fast in hind-sight! After a few weeks of our baby being born, I began to fit into many of my prior- to-pregnancy clothing. But then came another dilemma: Nursing! I found myself only able to wear dresses that have center front buttons or closures, blouses that easily pull up, or neck lines that easily pull down! But the best thing was, after one month the swelling of my feet disappeared, and I can wear my heels again! Our baby, SkyLynne Ellie Noir, and I! Here she is 5 weeks old! Thank you for reading my Blog Article about my pregnancy experience! Feel free to contact me if you would like me to create custom clothing for any of your special occasions in life! Related Links:
Welcome to Oakland Fashion Week 2017, Day 4: The Final Night!
Marise Olivera From Brazil, Marise Olivera was the first designer to present her collection on Oakland Fashion Week 2017's Final Night. Marise Olivera's designs are colorful, exotic, lacy, and alluringly bold. When viewing her delightful collection, I felt a real sense of her Brazilian roots and aesthetic. Luis Mazariegos The next collection on the runway, were designs by Luis Mazariegos. Sensual and seductive was the theme of this collection! Here are just a few of my favorite gowns by designer, Luis Mazariegos. I loved the unique combination of textiles, such as the Lace dress paired with sleeves made out of feathers. These designs were both striking and dramatic! James Head
Armando Cruz One of my favorite collections of the night were the voluminous gowns, and evening wear presented by Armando Cruz! I love the refined elegance of a full floral skirt, and I am head-over-heels for the first look showcased in his collection! I am certain that you will agree, the dresses by Armando Cruz are sensational! Oxford Way Now, let us take a quick break from Women's Wear, and bring out the Men! Randy Rowden, is the owner of Oxford Way Tailoring and Men's Wear, located at 6219 Shattuck Avenue, in Oakland, near Berkeley. Randy Rowden is a pillar in the Oakland Community. He and his family owned and operated shop, host The Annual Gentlemen's Brunch, which is a community outreach event that brings professional men, and young men together to encourage each other to success. But that is not all that they do! Oxford Way participates in many youth programs, and events, as well as offering Tailoring and Alteration Services, and a wide variety of fashionable Men's Suits and Apparel for purchase. The Oxford Way is known as a one-stop-shop for Gentlemen Fashion! Here are a few pictures of Randy, his assistant Ingrid, and I, at the fashion show! Now check out the sophisticated and stylish Men's Wear that you can buy at Oxford Way! Ella Bing After viewing dapper suits, lets check out one of the most unique accessories that can be used to style them! Wooden Bow Ties, by Ella Bing! Ella Bing hand-crafts extraordinary one-of-a-kind Wooden Bow Ties, Cloth Bow Ties, Wooden Tie Clips, and Wooden Sunglasses. Check out the looks below, as well as their website: www.ellabing.com Raul Rosales Raul Rosales is a Sacramento Fashion Designer, who's graceful gowns were next to walk the runway. Raul Rosales creates whimsical dresses with unique silhouettes. Check out a few of his newest designs: Henry Delton Williams "Renowned Fashion Designer and Fashion Icon, Henry Delton Williams first started designing clothes 30 years ago, his designs are influenced by jazz and African culture. Henry Delton Williams has created fashions for some of Motown's biggest stars: Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, Sherrie Payne of the Supremes, her sister, Freda Payne, Actor Fred Williamson, Kanoe Bradford, and Lenny Williams of Oakland's Tower of Power." -Oakland Fashion Week Bio I hope that you found Oakland Fashion Week 2017's Final Night as compelling as I have! Thank you for joining me, through my event highlights! Special thanks to photographer, Marco Acevedo Garcia, for allowing me access to his beautiful photos!
To read the previous articles in this series, just click the following links: OFW2017 Day 1: "Opening Night: Industry Threads" OFW2017 Day 2: "Sol Afrik: Ready-to-Wear" OFW2017 Day 3: "Splash: Resort-Swimwear" OFW2016 Day 1: "Opening Night: Industry Threads" OFW2016 Day 2 "Fashion Boulevard" OFW2016 Day 3: "Sol Afrik: Ready-to-Wear" OFW2016 Day 4: "Splash: Resort-Swimwear" OFW2016 Day 5: "VIP Exclusively Yours" Mark your calendar now for Oakland Fashion Week 2018, which will take place the week of May 14th, 2018- May 19th, 2018! I look forward to seeing you there! Welcome to Oakland Fashion Week, Day 3! Hello Readers! Welcome to my event highlights of Oakland Fashion Week 2017's Day 3: Splash- Resort Swimwear! On the Friday Evening of May 12th, 2017, patrons of fashion gathered together at Studio Fab, in Oakland, California, for a wonderful presentation of Designer Swimwear, created by Bay Area Fashion Designers! Myself, and my dear Husband, Javier Rangel, attended this fantastic event together, and were able to visit with the fabulous designers, models, event coordinators, photographers, and guests! This article, in my OFW2017 series, features event photos, including the entire Swimwear Collections presented! If you were not able to attend this event in person, you are truly in for an eye-candy treat! If you were one of the hundreds of attendees at the runway show, first, I thank you for supporting Bay Area Fashion events, such as Oakland Fashion Week! As a fellow designer, I know first hand of all the hard work that goes in to creating Fashion Collections, and Runway Shows! We appreciate Lovers of Fashion like yourself, for making events like this, not only possible, but better with each passing year! Here are a few pre-show photos: Now, check out the amazing swimsuits and beachwear presented by this years runway line-up: A Colored Me First to present their 2017 Swimwear Collection, was Layla C, Designer for A Colored Me. Layla made her runway debut last year, during OFW2016, with a beautiful swimwear collection, and this year was no different! Click here to view OFW2016's "Splash- Resort Swimwear". Now, check out the exquisite textiles and colors in this years sizzling collection! Valerie Cotton Second to walk the runway, were swimwear designs by Valerie Cotton! I was particularly excited about viewing this collection, because I had a taste of Valerie Cotton's designs on OFW2017 Opening Night, where she presented a dazzling and luxurious collection. I loved the one-piece suits featured in Valerie Cotton's Swimwear Line, they were scorching HOT! Mastahn Fanaka Mr. Mastahn Fanaka is not new to the swimwear game, he is a master! Designing swimwear for years, Mastahn pulled out all the intricate design details for this show! Here is a few pictures of myself, and Javier, with Mastahn Fanaka. He not only is an extremely talented designer, but he is also a very kind and friendly man! Check out these stunners he created: James Head James Head, a Fashion Icon in our East Bay Fashion Designer Community, is known for creating high -end, unique clothing, designed with an avant garde flair. During this evenings runway event, I saw for the first time his Resort/Swimwear Collection. Styled with headdresses, beach balls, hats, and Hawaiian Leis, this collection told a story of pure seashore fantasy! I hope that you enjoyed viewing the Resort/Swimwear Collections presented at Day 3 of Oakland Fashion Week 2017! If you missed my event highlights of OFW2017 Day 1, or OFW2017 Day 2, just click on the event day to read my article! The next, concluding article in this series, will cover the Oakland Fashion Week 2017 Final Night! Thank you for reading, and leave me a comment below, about your favorite runway looks! Have a Fashionable Day! Related Links:
Welcome to Oakland Fashion Week 2017, Day 2! Hello Readers! Welcome to my Oakland Fashion Week 2017, Day Two: "Sol Afrik: Ready-To-Wear" event highlights! Day Two, hosted by International Model, Fan-Pei Koung, was held at Studio Fab, formerly located at 2525 Telegraph Ave, in Oakland! (Studio Fab is now located at 120 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, in Oakland). I had the pleasure of meeting Fan-Pei for the first time, last year, during Oakland Fashion Week 2016, and have been following her modeling career ever since! Check out Fan-Pei's fantastic portfolio by visiting her web-site: www.modeltechie.com, or her Instagram at: www.instagram.com/modeltechie. I was very happy to see Fan-Pei again at this year's event! During Oakland Fashion Week's Day Two, I had the privilege of presenting my newest Women's Spring/Summer Collection, "Botanical Serpent", and arrived early to prepare my models for the runway! I, along with all the designers featured, had already pre-selected chosen models during the Model Casting Call/Auditions that had been held in various locations during the previous months. I was excited to work with new models, as well as models I have worked with previously. As I arrived, everyone working behind the scenes were completing tasks in preparation for the runway show soon to begin! Models were having their hair styled, and their make-up applied by professional artisans. Assistants were steaming designer clothing. Designers were organizing their models and the line-up order, while models were changing into the designer looks that they had been assigned. It is all very exciting, and fast paced, back stage before the show! Roxanne Rodriguez First up on the runway was my 2017 Spring/Summer "Botanical Serpent" Collection! This collection was inspired by the mysterious serpent, as well as floral motifs, geometric prints and the colors found within these textiles. I created a hand-painted serpent canvas textile, that I used to create skirts, crop-tops, and dresses. Paired with geometric or floral prints and colors, this collection was whimsical and charming, yet vibrant, and bold! Take a look at the runway photos! Here are photos of myself (6 months pregnant), along with my beautiful models! I hope that you enjoyed viewing my collection! If you haven't already, be sure to follow my work on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/roxannerodriguezfashiondesign, or check out, and "Like" my Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/roxannerodriguez.fashiondesign. Sergio Yomar Prior to the start of the runway show, I met fellow designer, Sergio Yomar, and what a pleasant young man he is! Sergio, was not only friendly and joyful, but is a very talented, self-taught designer. Sergio's designs were beautiful, unique, and flattering! I absolutely loved the stunning pant jumpsuits he created and presented! Here are just a few of my favorite looks: You can find more of Sergio Yomar's work on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/shades_company, or on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/shadescompanyfashion. Holihound Holihound, is a fashion brand created by Designer, Beer Siripaweennakorn, who is originally from Thailand, but now resides in San Francisco. Holihound's monochromatic designs, are "easy to wear", modern, and hip! Check them out: 7omboy Clothing Lastly, 7omboy Clothing, presented a fantastic assortment of beautiful designs. I loved the colorful textiles, and mix of silhouettes! Check out a few of my favorite looks from their collection: I had such a fantastic time not only attending Oakland Fashion Week's Day Two, but also participating in it! I am always so impressed by the craftsmanship of all the designs created by the featured local designers! A special "Thank You" to the creator of Oakland Fashion Week, Christal Carthon, and her assistant Taylor Morgan, as well as all of the amazing Hair, Make-Up Artists, Models, and photographers for making Oakland Fashion Week possible! If you've enjoyed reading this second article in my OFW 2017 Highlights Blog Series, you surely will not want to miss the next article, covering designs, and event highlights from Oakland Fashion Week, Day 3, "Splash: Resort Swimwear"! In the meantime, have a fashionably fantastic evening! Related Links:
Welcome to Oakland Fashion Week 2017! This past May, the Bay Area Community was in for a real fashion treat, as the 3rd Annual Oakland Fashion Week kicked off a full week of runway events, starting with The Opening Night, "Industry Threads!" at Agave Uptown, located at 2135 Franklin Street, in Downtown Oakland. Happily, I attended all four nights, and was privileged to showcase my own new original designs during the "Sol Afrik: Ready-To-Wear" night of this amazing event! Oakland Fashion Week is the only Fashion Week focused on showcasing East Bay Talent. Up and coming designers, established designers, stylists, Make Up Artists, models, photographers, and event coordinators all came together to present an exciting fashion experience, covering a wide range of fashion designs and styles! On Wednesday, May 10th, 2017, I entered Agave Uptown for the first time. It is a sophisticated restaurant and bar serving appetizers, salads, tacos, mole, burritos, and artistically plated desserts. Agave Uptown specializes in serving a long list of Tequilas and Mezcal, featuring over 65 different varieties! The full bar also serves specialty cocktails, beer by the bottle or on draft, and Sonoma County Wines. I would loved to have tried one of the specialty alcoholic beverages, but due to being pregnant at the time of the event, I ordered a delicious chicken salad, and gourmet Flan! It was quite enjoyable indulging in caramel drizzled, berry garnished Flan as the fashion show comenced! The building was full of patrons of fashion when I arrived! Everyone was mingling, enjoying cocktails and food, while awaiting the fashion show to begin. It was very nice to see so many of the men and women who participated in Oakland Fashion Week 2016. As I said my "Hellos", I made my way towards the back of the restaurant to find a seat with a view of the runway isle! Soon, the host of the night, Elise "Hollywood" Evans, began to introduce the designers who would be featured during the evenings runway lineup. I was very excited to see that Elise was the host! I had met Elise last year during the filming of pilot episode for a local fashion television show, and she is absolutely fantastic! Elise's dynamic energy, and humor were sure to get the party going! Combs Designs Combs Designs was first to present their collection, which offered a wide array of tees, crop tops, skirts, and dresses. These looks offered a flattering, fashion forward look with ease and comfort. Take a look at a few pieces from their collection: Check out the Combs Designs website at www.combsdesigns.com, or contact them directly at combsdesignsforyou@gmail.com. Meileena Bautista Lovely floral printed skirts graced the runway as Meileena Bautista Designs presented their collection. Here are a few looks: Valerie Cotton The next collection , by Valarie Cotton of Adorna Couture, was fantastically bright and majestic. Asian and Samurai inspired silhouettes were the theme for her collection. Upon viewing these stunning pieces, the audience was left feeling as if they had entered a luxuriant dream land! Anthelma Arellanes I adore and cherish embroidery immensely, so you can imagine my excitement when seeing the exquisite embroidered floral motifs upon Anthelma Arallanes' designs! Lovely dresses, gowns, and blouses graced the runway as her collection was presented: You can visit Anthelma Arellanes' web-site at www.anthelmasgaleria.com. When the runway event ended, many of those in attendance stayed for photos and socialization. The models came out, still dressed in many of the marvelous designs we had all just seen on the runway! I left feeling very energized and excited for the following days to come, as this was a great start to the fashion filled week! If you were in attendance you most likely felt the same! I hope that you enjoyed taking the time to read my re-cap of Oakland Fashion Week 2017's Day One! Stay tuned for the rest of my articles in this series, which will cover designs featured in OFW 2017's Day Two, "Sol Afrik: Ready-To-Wear", OFW 2017's Day Three, "Splash: Resort and Swimwear", and OFW 2017's Final Night, "Exclusively Yours"! Also, check out this wonderful video, made by Elise "Hollywood" Evans, showing highlights and interviews from all four days of Oakland Fashion Week 2017! Thank you again for reading! Related Links:
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AuthorHello Readers! Welcome to my Blog! I am Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel, a Fashion Designer from Northern California. I love all things Fashion, particularly historical fashion! Join me, as I take you around Northern California, covering fashion events and related topics! Categories
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