Fashion Careers College presented the 23rd Annual Golden Hanger Fashion Awards Gala on Nov. 9. Pat O’Connor chaired this event along with Honorary Chair Zandra Rhodes. Sandra Maas, KUSI Channel 9 News morning anchor was mistress of ceremonies for the evening. Awards for contributions to the community were given to Pat Launer (theater critic and arts writer), Fred Sweet (founder San Diego Model Management), Sally B. Thornton (volunteer extraordinaire), and Phyllis Van Doren (senior editor San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine). The evening culminated with the students’ debut collection. Each segment was a collection created by one of the FCC students. The catwalk was an endless stream of creativity. One of my favorite sections was an innovative collection by Jeffrey Parish. The finale was a line-up of costumes inspired by the art at the Timken Museum’s “Second Annual Art of Fashion Event.” These gorgeous creations made a climactic finale. The show was coordinated by Tanya McAnear, and produced and choreographed by Jim Crawford. This event benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation of San Diego and Variety Children’s Lifeline. FIDM Debut 2009 Runway Show Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising hosted its Fall Open House on Nov. 7. Prospective students toured the state of the art campus. After the inside look, everyone was bused to the Horton Westin Hotel for the Debut 2009 Runway Show. Nick Verreos, a Project Runway star, FIDM alum and instructor, greeted the audience. Nick thrilled the students with his success story and said that he had been exactly where they were once. This top-notch show got underway and highlighted the collections of the FIDM students with superb music and lighting. Each segment started with a short video of each designer with his or her inspiration for the collection. One of the standouts was an elegant section created by Clay Sadler. Clay’s aquatic themed collection charmed the audience with beautiful flowing eveningwear. Passion for Fashion and Frills The Westgate Hotel was the scene of a fashion show featuring Zandra Rhodes’ latest collection hot from London. The theme was “Passion for Fashion and Frills.” The models came down the runway in a swirl of vibrant colors and gorgeous silk chiffons. Zandra is especially known for her vintage textile prints. This season’s collections included an abundance of frills including many delightful ruffles. The audience was mesmerized. Handbags were provided by Zandra, showing off her incredible artwork. Additional contributions were exotic hats by Designer Millinery, jewelry by Andrew Logan, and stylish hair by Vicky Lavanty Salon. diana cavagnaro is a nationally recognized hat designer and milliner. She has operated a fashion business for 27 years, the last 17 years in the Gaslamp Quarter. Diana has taught in the Fashion Department at San Diego Mesa College for 17 years. Diana is an active member of the Gaslamp Quarter Association, The American Sewing Guild, the San Diego Costume Council and the Fashion Group International. www.aheadproductions.com