Five weeks before Austin Fashion Week officially “kicked off” I got an acceptance letter that I was selected as a showcase designer for this years fashion week. My showcase pairing was with Ulta Beauty, which was the host of my event. Together we organized a fashion show along with a meet and greet with the stylists and myself. Ulta Beauty provided hair and makeup featuring the talented freelance makeup artist Shane Mikeska. Erin Shorts styled my mini collection with unique one-of-a-kind jewelry of Shalotlilly and accessories provided by Charming Charlie. Guests enjoyed tunes spun by DJ the “Mexican from Mars”, mocktails, and sweets at the candy bar.
I had a fantastic time working with my team of stylists and models. Throughout my entire show the only chaos that took place was a necklace broke. That being said, my show ran like a dream.
The day of my show my Mash Up Team model Dominique Bedford told me the exciting news that our team was nominated for the Timothy White Award for Best Mash Up Team Photograph. Timothy White is one of the most-respected portrait photographers in the world with credits for shooting Iggy Pop, Blondie, Keith Richards, and many more celebrities. He handpicked three nominees and the winner, which he personally announced at the Austin Fashion Awards.
Since I was on the nominees list, I received one ticket for the Austin Fashion Week Awards and After Party. Unfortunately my team did not win the Timothy White Award but it is an honor to be nominated in the Best Mash Up Team category two years in a row. Even though we didn’t win I feel like a winner, it’s such an honor to be nominated for an Industry Award and have an industry professional like Timothy White recognize our efforts.
My models and I sporting my latest collection
