By Diana Cavagnaro
LOOKBOOK Live
Fashion Valley Mall — a Simon Mall — recently kicked off a two-day event celebrating fall fashions. The first night, Sept. 17, provided a preview of the LOOKBOOK Live event with local insiders, VIP guests, and media. The event began with a cocktail hour in front of Neiman Marcus where all the guests hobnobbed with each other. Then the fashionistas headed for the runway show located in the center of the mall at the bottom of the escalators. This VIP runway experience presented the latest trends from Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Hugo Boss, John Varvatos, MaxMara and Salvatore Ferragamo.
Some of the standout styles were culottes pants, fringe on clothes and purses, long earrings, and ponchos. The fall colors were in earthy wine reds especially the pantone color of the year masala. Topping off the fabulous runway show, the guests met in Tiffany & Co. for Champagne and dessert. Toasting to the event, everyone finished a perfect evening with shopping in his or her favorite store.
The second day presented the actual LOOKBOOK Live showcase on Sept. 19. This event brought together Fashion Valley and Glamour and GQ magazines, with style experts from the magazines to offer their take on the latest hot trends. The day finished with a chance to win a $2,500 Simon shopping spree. For more information on LOOKBOOK Live visit simon.com/fall-lookbook-live.
Gaslight Gathering 6
Gaslight Gathering 6 got underway from Sept. 18 – 20 at San Diego Town & Country Resort Hotel. The event is a Steampunk and Neo Victoriana Convention and participants came dressed in costumes where no two were the same. The limit to designing your Steampunk persona is your imagination; think Victorian era, Jules Verne, and Steampunk all rolled into one. Workshops and classes were given to inspire and help create the “look.”
This year’s theme was “Gaslight goes to the Cinema!” A short Steampunk Film Festival was shown along with a “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” tribute. Guest of honor, Scott Brodeen, was on hand to take guests on an exclusive journey through the famed Nautilus submarine.
The gathering had several fashion shows. First was the Tea and Fashion Show: Let’s Go to the Movies, offering afternoon tea and fashion along with everyone’s favorite movie stars.
Saturday saw the Steampunk Acme Catalog Fashion Show with models of all ages and an emphasis on accessories, which was full of “gadgets galore.” Emcees were Eve Riot and Nicolai De La Muerte, with a special appearance by “Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius.” The Acme Corporation — as in the “Road Runner” cartoons — was a fictional sponsor and this year’s “gaslighters” showed Monsieur Coyote crafty ways he could catch the Road Runner.
On Sunday attendees enjoyed the Lolita Fashion Show, a Victorian-based fashion movement started in Japan around 1970, which is now worldwide. Ariane Brandt was on hand to give a special presentation.
The Gaslight Gathering is a nonprofit organization that does business under the California Association for the Advancement of Speculative Media, Inc. This year their local charity partner is Just In Time Foster Youth, an organization that helps children and teens in foster care prepare for life after graduation.
The next Gaslight Gathering will be Oct. 7 – 9, 2016. For more info visit gaslightgathering.org.
Upcoming events
Oct. 22 | Enchanted Forest — Dame Zandra Rhodes presents her new collection at the Westgate Hotel, located at 10522 Second St., Downtown, starting at 11:30 a.m. For tickets visit tinyurl.com/o5tvby4.
—Diana Cavagnaro is an internationally renowned Couture Milliner based in the historic Gaslamp Quarter. Learn more about our hat designer, teacher and blogger at DianaCavagnaro.com.
