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| Piece from Beckett & Robb's Menswear Collection |
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| Design by Sophie St. Claire |
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| Fashion Floral Art Pieces designs made by Shelly Huynh |
This year’s Art Meet's Fashion annual event, held recently on September 8 at Red Butte Gardens, featured local Utah's artists and fashion designers and was a gathering worth going to. The setting was perfect with a cool breeze drifting through the beautiful gardens and the models sporting the artful designs, floating down an aggregate path in rhythm with the music.
People sat alongside the path allowing everyone an exceptional, closeup view of the garments. I found myself eating the delicious hors d' oeuvres of bruschetta and seasoned meatballs, allowing me to not only feast my eyes on the extraordinary designs but treat my tastebuds to mouthwatering food. Two women dressed in nature inspired gowns and head wear stood atop the podium, serving as centerpieces for the occasion, while the designs for the main event passed along the trail. The show lasted about two hours and featured the designs of four local fashion designers; Sophie St. Claire, Beckett & Robb, Heggy Gonzalez, and Nephi Garcia. Sophie St. Claire's line with modern but edgy dresses, suits, and gowns was my favorite. St. Claire's line used a mixture of sheer and woven material, and nicely contrasted feminine and rough.
After all the lines were displayed in the fashion show, we went down to the stage and dance floor area. The group CB jazz played music from the 1930's on the stage and was a surprisingly good touch after the electric pop played during the fashion show by bands Custom Model and Alistair Nee. Set aside from the retro music, the area was decorated in a modern style with boxy tables, bright LED lighting, and an equally well lit dance floor. Throughout the dancing and music, I looked through a few curated paintings of local artists Blake Palmer, Alexander Ferguson, Chase Mccleary, and Cody Chamberlain. I found many interesting and unique photographs and paintings within the display, some striking me as surreal, and others quite realistic.
On the whole, the event was a five star experience, exploring many different mediums of clothing design, painting, photography, music, with food an added plus. The beautiful shrubbery, flower beds, and trees at the setting made for a visually stunning presentation. I am already looking forward to next year’s event!
