January 17, 2015 the charity fashion show and auction, Strut To End Alz, was held at Hotel Monaco in Seattle. The event, which was organized by Monica Razniewski and David M. Bailey, delivered class and style to the runway all while giving to a great cause.
The majority of the ticket proceeds were donated to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Alzheimer’s disease effects 36 million people worldwide and is the third leading cause of death in Washington State, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
A silent auction was also held at the event to raise additional funds. The auction items consisted of donated art pieces, and handcrafted accessories, as well as two beautiful Karen Ashley dresses from the show.
Hotel Monaco’s Paris Ballroom was a small and cozy setting. The room buzzed with high energy conversations against the lovely musical backdrop put forth by Dj Martini.
The show consisted of looks by three designers, each one with their own unique style.
The models were edgy, some adorned with elegant tattoos. They were classy, polished, and very professional with hair and makeup that was gorgeously matched to the designs they wore.
Designer Karen Ashley presented quite a few very wearable looks. These were fitted dresses with floral and black patterns. The line also had some very stunning pieces. A gold and black floral print dress-coat with black fur trim around the collar and a silver dress that floated down the runway like liquid, were two of her most attention grabbing looks. The two gorgeous soft-blue dresses, which she donated to the show, were a combination of wearable and stunning.
Couture Papillon, was the second line to hit the runway. It was an absolute pleasure to watch. Quite fittingly, a bit of Lana Del Rey was played as the models strutted down the runway in sultry, vintage-looking designs. Mostly these were mid length dresses with tight fitted bodices and flatteringly flowing skirts. Silky gloves added the perfect touch of old-fashioned class to many of the pieces. Though the looks were elegantly old-fashioned, many of them were paired with a rockstar-pinup edge through the choice in accompanying makeup and hairstyle. One elegant dress even came with a very edgy black crop jacket that screamed Lana!
The final designer, Juleano, brought a more modern twist to the show. The line was darker, more dramatic, and at times shocking (but in a good way). One of these moments struck the audience when a tall blonde model slunk down the runway in a shimmering, tight-fitted black gown with a loose fitting skirt. At the end of the runway, she tore away the skirt piece to reveal a gorgeous one piece. Leaving many in the audience with pleasantly surprised looks as their jaws dropped.
Overall the designs were consistently impressive. There were only one or two pieces that were not as polished as the rest. However, as you can see from the pictures, the show did nothing short of whisking the audience away to a land of high fashion perfection.
For those who haven’t heard, Seattle actually has a booming fashion scene with numerous events throughout the year. The shows are usually very fun and won’t disappoint anyone who is a lover of art and style.
For those interested, a big future event to stay tuned into will be Seattle Fashion Week March 4-8, 2015.
Design: Karen Ashley, Photo credit: Anastasia Mikhanoshina
