Ten local designers competed on the catwalk last Friday night at Scottsdale’s Designer of the Year and People’s Choice Awards Fashion Show.
Each designer nominated featured three pieces from their latest collection with about four minutes of runway time.
The show took place at Scottsdale’s Museum of Contemporary Arts in Oldtown Scottsdale and was hosted by 3TV’s broadcaster Carey Pena.
“It was a killer show; I am really impressed with Arizona’s fashion industry. Being so close to Los Angles, Scottsdale’s really keeping up,” said Rio Danger, 24, a loyal fashion fan.
Arizonan Rebecca Turley was announced as Scottsdale’s designer of 2010 for her newest collection, Nostalgic Boutique.
Her line featured a mixture of bright colors, textures and feminine silhouettes.
Turley said several ideas just randomly pop in her head and most of her inspiration is drawn from old movies that were set in the 1940s and 1950s.
Winning this title, Turley will be featured as the opening show of Scottsdale’s Fashion Week Friday, Nov. 5. The event features an 80-foot runway and 500 V.I.P. seats. Turley will share the stage with Kevan Hall, Lloyd Klein, Katharine Kidd and Luca Luca.
“Rebecca’s looks were very different and more interesting than I thought; I really like her stuff and would definitely purchase some of it,” said Amanda Hatch, 28, a loyal fashion fan.
Fans of all ages filled both first and second floors of the museum cheering on their favorite designs.
“This is an awesome crowd; there’s a ton more people here than I expected,” said Nicole Olson, associate director of Scorplus Dance Theatre.
The judge’s panel consisted of four fashion critics and even included star of the popular TV sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle,” Frankie Muniz, as the fifth guest star judge.
From club wear to wedding couture, each designer showcased their specialty lines using a variety of prints and fabrics with every piece.
“I thought it was new, fresh and definitely fashion-forward work,” said Olson.
While some lines were subtle than others, each and every collection showed different styles and looks that could be worn multiple ways.
Designer Elizabeth Albert showcased her newest lingerie line called Siobhan, which included everything from lace and pearls to feathered high heels.
“All of the models were very appealing in each design; I feel like a lot of the work was over the top, but that’s how you get noticed in this industry,” said Olson.
Some of the designers drew inspiration from different eras and cultures creating new stories line with their pieces.
Others drew motivation for their newest pieces by recreating their own life experiences in their collections.
“I feel like some of the designers were a little bit more professional than others, but they all had a great amount of appeal to them,” said Hatch.
After the show many of the fans stuck around to meet their favorite designers and find out where they could purchase these pieces.
“I attended the event last year as well, and I feel like this show did a much better job in comparison,” said Olson. “It definitely had a great variety of work; I really enjoyed it.”
Reach the reporter at alicia.diaz@asu.edu
