At the heart of Silicon Valley, it is no wonder Apple, Bloggers, Technology, and Fashion are coming together for one event, The San Francisco Fashion Week August 8th-14th, 2011. An off beat event making digital waves, the SFFAMA is serious about bringing the fashion week online and socializing. With it’s week long events in the Apple store showcasing local talent such as, Ben Raviv, Fashion Designer and CEO of Alphyn Industries, presenting how apparel technology enables the wearer to use a device on the go and how novel materials and old-world craftsmanship can bring comfort, style, and sophistication to the art of communication. It’s great to see Apple giving the floor to young designers such as Lawrence Valenti, Designer of SOLZ Shoes, which was founded on the belief that your shoes are an extension not only of your feet, but also of your personality. The cofounder and creative director, brings this belief to life on the Mac, including sketching product designs on a MacBook Pro and using iMovie to create videos for potential investors.
The FASHION FEUD was a live “Project Runway” like fashion design competition live on stage. Designers were given an hour to create a design to prepare for a runway show on stage. Then, a walk-off between fashion models donning each designers’ pieces to highlight the night with the audience’s cheers supporting their favorite designer of the evening. This was a great approach to bring an interactive style to the fashion week. It most definitely added a rush and a punch to designer’s creativity. Best use of prints, shape and style were judged. The winner was a short cocktail dress with accents on the side made by local San Francisco designer Gail B. Shrive.
The three runway events showcased local fashion talents and brought them into contact with customers in the business model of a fashion festival selling tickets to the public. Ken Chen with short bolero jacket bringing a London edge with brass buttons, Vayaro accessories were only fitting as everyone and their aunt most certainly has an iPhone or iPad, along with the futuristic San Francisco collection by Camelia Skikos who’s unusual use of color, layers, and shape is more for the Los Angeles crowd than worn downtown on Haight-Ashbury.
Alyssa Nicole surprises with a great fashion video and Jennifer Li catered to plus-sized models, finishing off was Prima Jiva with everyone’s easy to wear on a yacht ready-to-wear, versatile style.
Alyssa Nicole Fall 2011 Collection from Alyssa Casares on Vimeo.
The San Francisco fashion week is still young and growing, however as far as a platform for bringing fashion designers to the next level, it is a great venue that educates, connects, and is growing the local fashion industry. The SFFAMA is doing a great job by adopting new business models of fashion festivals, showcasing designers to potential customers and telling their stories at the Apple store, along with mashing up the local community through seminars and entrepreneurial talks. We expect with the fast expansion we have seen in social media and mobile that the San Francisco fashion week will soon be a destination in America for brands to connect with the wealthy tech community in no time. 360Fashion is a proud sponsor of this innovative event.
