Michael Costello and Project Runway Alumni at Palm Springs El Paseo Fashion Week

The television show, Project Runway, continues to impress me mightily. I love the design process from initial sketch to runway finale. But is it real? Every year at Fashion Week El Paseo, Michael Costello, a Project Runway star in 2010, dresses actors for the red carpet and for the movies, and has, since then, brought teams of talent directly from the show to El Paseo, to meet and greet adoring fans, to present at a grand fashion show at night and to delight trunk show attendees with the opportunity to purchase one of a kind real pieces. Michael brought two collections, couture and leisure wear as well as introducing seven Project Runway Alumni: Candice Cuoco, Mah-Jing Wong, Laura Kathleen Baker, Kentaro Kameyama, Viktor Luna, Justin LeBlanc and Margarita Alvarez.

Introduced and interviewed by Susan Stein, Producer and Director of Fashion Week El Paseo and Fashion Editor at Palm Springs Life Magazine, all eight Designers Extraordinaire are dynamic and passionate about their work. In addition to designing, all teach, run businesses and mentor others. Each takes time to say hello, to answer questions from very young designers and to radiate energy and enthusiasm during all of their appearances during the week. Are they real? Very! And the designs? Unquestionably spectacular. My friend, Sharon, who was at the tents for the first time, bought the most gorgeous black top, with intricate tucks and a nod to kimono. This will be perfect for her many piano recitals. Kentaro Kameyama, Project Runway Winner, Season 15, and himself a composer and pianist, not only modelled his own creation but had Sharon try it on and then, with his magic needle and thread, made the tiniest of adjustments, right there. Where in the world does this happen? Only in El Paseo. I bought a little red hat with a sequinned peacock on it, for a little someone special in my life, and a flattering, very colorful tank top that exactly matched my coral skirt. These were designed by the effervescent Margarita Alvarez, whose love of tropical colors and nature, is just dazzling. When I wore the top, it spoke to people and they wanted one right away. I directed them back to the white tents, palm trees and to the best designers, ever!

On location

Susan Stein and Michael Costello

All cameras on Michael

Justin LeBlanc, Laura Kathleen Baker, 

Kentaro Kameyama, Viktor Luna

 Viktor, Neil and pup, Micky. 

Yes Micky has a wardrobe, too.

More color and pattern for the shows

Mah-Jing Wong - so excited to show his Spring Collection and to be here!

My orange skirt and landscape top for the trunk show

With Margarita Alvarez

Kentaro Kameyama custom fitting a look for Sharon West

Sharon West shopping Kentaro Kameyama

Han Couture, Traditional Chinese Culture and Ivan Sayers: Fashions Reflecting China's Contributions to Dress and Fashion

February 25th found us at the Vancouver Public Library for another fabulous SMOC event: Han Couture, a history of traditional Chinese Culture and Ivan Sayers presenting dresses and accessories from his collection and showing China's huge contribution to dress and fashion. Ivan always focuses on historical and cultural influences that shape fashion. His dresses for this presentation, were examples of how traditional forms were purchased, made, copied, recycled, upcycled and adapted so that they become a meld as well as a reflection of the influence of world travel and culture brought to Canada and becoming the multicultural mix we know today.

The Han Couture presentation was beautiful, displaying traditional dress for women and men. There is a resurgence of this, today, around the world. Silk, a Chinese invention, for years a closely guarded secret, is still in high demand for its luminescence, color, fit, light weight and luxurious feel. Silk, was a status symbol, especially embroidered with symbols of power, nature, visual records of tradition. The tea ceremony was performed in exquisite detail, with table setting, and the sequence of preparation and pouring, and we could see the steam and smell a faint aroma of Oolong. Magic! China's history was presented with accompanying visuals: maps, dynasties, dragons, chrysanthemums and traditional dress. Transported to China and then seeing it in what the audience wore: jade, cheongsams, hair accessories, embroidered jackets; people dress up to come to SMOC events!

Big thanks to Sue Zhang who proposed this event in collaboration with SMOC. To Cora Yu who has studied ancient musical instruments and played beautifully the Gu Qin for the tea ceremony.

To Tracey Wang who performed the Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony, as she does daily, in her tea shop in China and to Cathy Tan who described each step of the ceremony for our event.

Finally to Brett Featherstone-Price who researched extensively, the history of Han Fu and presented it so thoroughly!