Signature Styles

Over the past few years, Sacramento has grown into what I lovingly refer to as “A City of Weeks.” We’re always eager to support local businesses and artisans by attending hour-long, day-long or even week-long extravaganzas based around some of our favorite things: cocktails, beer, coffee and food (I’m lookin’ at you, Bacon Week). And as it celebrated its 10th year, Sacramento Fashion Week was no exception.
Launched in 2006 as a way to highlight and bridge gaps between the fashion industry and emerging designers, models and stylists, SACFW has provided an opportunity for newcomers to work alongside seasoned professionals, gain exposure and stimulate the economic growth of Sacramento fashion. Similar to New York Fashion Week, SACFW was a seven-day event with daily forums, boutique shows, model boot camps and beauty workshops all in the spirit of high fashion. The end of the week was the culmination of these events, with showcases featuring looks from each season.

I was honored to attend the weekend Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter showcases, which were located in a warehouse across from a strip club on Richards Boulevard (yeah, I thought that was weird, too, but it worked out), feeling slightly silly in my vintage blouse with a discreet coffee stain and a blazer that was Target circa 2010—nonetheless I was eager to see what the designers had in store for me. After I snagged a few delicious mini cupcakes and macarons generously provided by Ettore’s, I soaked in the weekend’s festivities and came up with a list of the top 10 looks. Sorry I ate all the sweets, guys. Kind of…

It did not take long to realize why Ettore’s had a delicious set-up of free cupcakes and macarons in the lounge area. Not only were they sponsors for SACFW, they also collaborated with the first designer of the Spring/Summer showcase, Yennie Zhou, to create a dress and headpiece made of layers of sugar flowers and macarons. Modeled by none other than the wife of Ettore himself, Meggan Rush-Ravazzolo, this elaborate and corseted dress was an architectural masterpiece and perhaps the star of the entire weekend. And let me just say: it takes a bold woman to balance a massive cake on her head. While not a functional piece, the dress resonated with what the MC, Bethany Crouch, said during the intermission on Friday, “If you’re wearing it, own it.”

Nina Brown’s “Brownskin” line of stretchy retro-inspired sportswear wowed me with the way she played up the Pantone Colors of the Year for 2016—pink (“rose quartz”) and blue (“serenity”). I absolutely loved this pink jumpsuit with a halter strap and white and blue sashes tied to the waist. It brought to mind a ‘70s roller rink on a Friday night. Her other pieces were made of similar color tones and open necklines, making me eager
for summer.

As they energetically sashayed down the runway, GoldMark had an array of fun pieces that somehow managed to make burlap look comfortable enough to dance the night away while wearing. While the piece I chose here is not a dress, I can see dancing the night away in these cream silk trousers with the colorful wrap blouse. The long train accentuated the model’s movements and created a vision of the carefree spirit and the designer’s mission: to find inspiration in the parts of life least expected.

Daniel Laukat’s line made me gasp. And I’m not the type to get all bleary eyed over a dress, but his stunning wedding frocks drummed up some serious nostalgia for me; they reminded me of … my grandma. Each piece was delicately upcycled from heirloom laces and fabrics—it was as though every model was wearing their grandmother’s gown from the ‘20s. With a modern fit and whimsical flower pattern, this gown is highlighted by a fringed and perfectly draped shawl. I said I would never get married, but if it means getting to wear one of Laukat’s dresses, I don’t know … any takers?

Francis Wright, aka “The Queen’s Chair,” delighted me with these high-waisted pants made from heavy and ornate fabric that reminded me of the decorator fabrics in San Francisco’s garment district that I could never afford, but drooled over anyway. The deep hues were accentuated with a gauzy, sheer top that creates a unique silhouette, and perhaps the best feature of this outfit was the accessory: an oversized red bag that begs to be taken on a weekend adventure on the railways.

Latiya Gholar’s line featured stunning pieces that combined Islamic cultural dress with American cultural dress. The women were covered from head to toe in fabulously movable fabrics ranging from peaches and creams to bold reds and blacks, each accented with gathered silk gloves. As they drifted and danced around each other like graceful swans, I couldn’t help but be drawn to the mesmerizing piece here in airy layers of creamy fabrics, accentuated by a golden belt and shimmery accents; the traditional hijab was modernized with pearl beads that made the wearer seem like a beautifully mysterious princess.

Just when I thought I couldn’t be more surprised by the theatrical nature of a dress made of confections, Lena Trotsko’s line took the runway by storm—all of her pieces were inspired by Malificent. Models were transformed into the mistress of evil, with long black hair perfectly twisted upward toward the sky to form those iconic horns. The hair and makeup may have been whimsical, but the pieces themselves were elegant and functional; flowing black evening gowns, fitted silk cocktail dresses and feathered bustiers in deep purples and blues were complemented by dramatic capes. While I would wear any of these pieces, the one I loved the most was this gorgeous floor-length purple dress where dark meets light: the deep purple contrast of the dramatic neckline contrasted with the soft purple pleated skirt striped down the middle. While the feather headdress isn’t necessarily great for every day, this ensemble would be a showstopper at any cocktail party. Cape optional.

Mai Vang’s line was one of the most ready-to-wear of the Fall/Winter showcase, with sporty asymmetrical frocks that could easily be taken from the office to a night on the town. In intense primary blues, each piece had delicate appliqué flowers playfully accentuating the necklines and hems. The dress I chose featured one of the details that I noticed throughout the weekend’s showcases: playful necklines and peephole shoulders. I loved the way the flowers added an extra feminine touch to this springy dress.

Jumpsuits aren’t going anywhere. They’re versatile, easy to wear and can be worn year-round when paired with the right accents. So I loved the way Karisa Gold put her own elegant spin on the pant jumpsuit with wide legs and a high neckline. This piece was all business in the front and a party in the back with a deep V-cut and side cut that lent a nice feminine balance to the tailored masculine silhouette and long leg.

While most of the designers stuck to primary colors and textures, Eshonna Trice offered a breath of fresh air with her line of pixelated color block prints and fearlessly hip-hugging dresses that made me swoon. The color block dress I chose had unique mesh panel arms that truly accentuate and celebrate curves. Black leather gloves added a little extra sass to the splashes of color this look brought to the showcase.

Tiana Vega proves giving never goes out of style

Since its opening in February 1921, a wealth of artists has performed within the grandiose bowels of Sacramento’s Memorial Auditorium, including the Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Duran Duran and Melissa Etheridge. It was the auditorium’s grandeur and antiquity that convinced the semi-local women’s clothing designer Tiana Vega that the annual Designing Dreams fashion show should also take place there.

“For some reason, walking in there feels like you’re walking into New York,” Vega told Submerge over the phone from her hometown in Jackson, Calif. “I’ve never been to New York, but that’s what it would look like if you were walking into an old, established building in New York.”

Not to mention that last year’s premiere event was the first fashion show at the auditorium since the showcase of Coco Chanel’s collection in the ‘50s, according to Vega.

This marks the second year of Designing Dreams, an event dreamt up collaboratively by Vega and Jennifer Richards, CEO of the Sweet Dreams Foundation. The show will feature the work of 11 designers from both Sacramento and San Francisco, including Vega’s, complete with 120 models walking the 90-foot runway.

Beyond a fashion show, Designing Dreams is a charity event. The proceeds from the evening will go toward one of the foundation’s bedroom-designing projects. The foundation’s mission is to design “dream” bedrooms for children who suffer from life-threatening diseases in order to aid their healing processes. Thirteen-year-old Cassidy, a Folsom resident who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in January last year, will be granted her dream bedroom using this year’s proceeds.

Last year the event raised enough money to successfully create a dream bedroom for 8-year-old Aimee, who suffers from severe sensitivity to ultra-violet radiation. The project’s goal was to essentially bring the outdoors to her playroom.

In the past Vega has been hesitant to organize fashion shows, especially because so many designers hold them regularly here in Sacramento. Building awareness for a line is understandable, she said, but in Los Angeles designers are focused more on selling their clothing in boutiques.

“So that’s why when I decided to do Designing Dreams I wanted to make sure it was a first-class event and have the buyers there and basically do it right,” Vega said.

This includes making sure the event gains widespread attention.

“You spend a lot of money and a lot of time doing all these outfits, and what’s the point of doing them if you’re not getting the right people to look at your stuff?” Vega said.

Still, she has participated in many events, and her work has been showcased the past two years in Sacramento’s Fashion Week. But Vega makes it a point to participate in charity events, like the Giveback Gala Fashion Show she was a part of this past April.

“I’d rather do shows where basically I’m all for the cause,” Vega said.

While in pursuit of a charity to collaborate with for a trunk show several years ago, Vega discovered Richards at one of the Sweet Dreams events and felt an immediate connection to her cause.

“Working with someone who loves absolutely what they’re doing and every minute of it and not making any money off of it, that’s very inspiring,” Vega said.

The two young designers decided to collaborate and quickly realized that their vision was bigger than a trunk show, so they decided to put on a fashion show instead.

As Vega sees it, she and Richards share a passion for designing the dreams of others, one through fashion and the other through interior design; hence the name Designing Dreams.

Vega’s own fascination with design began at an early age, starting with her childhood days tinkering with dolls and sewing their clothes. Her intrigue with fashion grew throughout her days at Argonaut High School in Jackson, peaking when she was a sophomore interning at a law firm.

“I was finding myself sketching more than anything and having more fun dressing up to go to work than actually being there and taking care of the stuff I had to do,” Vega said.

After high school she relocated to Los Angeles to attend the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, where she learned draping techniques, how to make patterns and how to sew.

Shortly before graduating with her degree in fashion design in 2008 she met Dave Icarangal, who would eventually become the cofounder of her contemporary clothing design venture. The two reconnected when she moved back to Northern California.

For the past two years she has been living back home in Jackson, selling her custom pieces online. However, the designer plans to return to Los Angeles in the near future, where she anticipates a better market to sell her collections.

Though she expresses admiration for the extravagant, over-the-top creations of designers Betsey Johnson and Monique Lhuillier, Vega does not look to others for inspiration. Rather, her inspiration stems from timeless, elegant looks of eras long past, especially those of the ‘30s and ‘40s.

“Honestly, I try to break out of my shell and do something crazy, like Lady Gaga-ish, but I can’t do it,” Vega said. “I always end up going back to something classic and tailored.”

Vega’s work is feminine and chic, intricate collections that usually take the artist two to three months to produce. Her fall/winter 2012 collection, the Margaret Mary collection she fashioned in remembrance of her grandmother, includes fitted, tight-fitting dresses with flattering necklines, or boxy cropped jackets consisting primarily of solid colors. Her collections have included bridal pieces, formal gowns and custom wear.

“I’m old school, so I always go back, like ‘30s, ‘40s, I love those looks,” Vega said. “It’s so sophisticated and sexy and I love it.”

A scene in a video for which she was a stylist inspired the 2012 spring/summer collection that will be featured in this year’s show. The scene was of a croquet match, so the clothing has a sort of Hamptons feel with a preppy vibe, she said.

Designing Dreams will feature six other Sacramento designers, including Maisha Bahati, Janelle Cardenas and Samuel Parkinson, in addition to returning designers Melissa Kay, Yennie Zhou and Nelli Rosh. Four San Francisco designers will also feature their work: pair Aya Yoruha and Diane O, Shirali Singh, Vasily Vein and Violetta Vieux.

The collections featured will cross a spectrum of looks for both men and women, ranging from ‘50s-inspired, classic pieces by Cardenas, to the surprising and chic looks of Aya Yoruha, Vega said.
Even over the phone, the designer’s excitement was apparent.

“We have a great lineup,” Vega said. “I am so excited, I am trying to slow down.”

And, as if the show of massive proportions wasn’t enough, organizers have confirmed that the runway show will open and close with performances by the Sacramento Opera. A grand night for a great cause.