How are you? I'm so excited for today and to share this post with you! Last Wednesday Charlotte Fashion Week 2022 kicked off! I was lucky enough to be able to attend! Presented by Charlotte Seen and held at South Park Mall, it was four nights of fabulous fashion and strong creative energy all around! I wrestled with how to make this post, because there were SO MANY designers and boutiques showing over the course of the four nights, we could be here all day! Which of course I'm okay with! xD I also want to be able to spotlight the designers, who worked so hard and created these stunning styles! So, I am breaking it into two parts! Here is part 1 of Charlotte Fashion Week! I hope you enjoy!
Ukrainian designer Elena Hakola kicked off the week on the first night. And I will be honest, this post really just skims the surface I feel. She had an astounding long line to show! At least 40 models walked for her -it was the longest I've ever seen! And yet, I found myself entranced by the entire line! Her line was a look into Ukrainian culture. Some of her looks were more casual and billowier in design while others were more structured. Most of her designs included a lot of prints and texture, and many played with draping and varying lengths. There were a few that were more somber in color and regal in design, I could go on and on, but instead I will let the designs speak for themselves. These were six of my favorite designs from the night. What do you think? Elena's creativity knows no bounds! I am hoping to do a future post on Instagram at: elena_hakola.
Styling with Linwood was the second designer of the week, but we were also treated to a second presentation on the final night as well! Styling by Linwood focuses mainly on menswear styles. He puts a modern spin on classic looks. From fitted blazers to tailored pants, to accessories like scarves, bags, shades, and -of course- hats! There is something for men and women alike! I really appreciated this line because as much as I love a playful style, I also really like a chic, sophisticated style. That is exactly how I would describe Styling with Linwood!
You can find him on Instagram at: stylingwithlinwood
Eeeek! I'm fangirling a little over here! Angel Blanco easily was one of my favorites! I love when fashion and art combine! It is a unique experience as a spectator so I can only imagine what it is like as a designer and artist. Angel Blanco is no exception! He is another designer I really want to be able write a whole post on in the future. I want to know all kinds of things about his creative process and the inspiration behind these designs! But back to the designs themselves! They were certainly eye catching! There was a lot of dramatic pieces, loads of texture, experimenting with crisp, clean lines like in the first picture, and intricate detailing like in the last picture. This is another line where I feel like I am just skimming the surface, there were plenty other designs that were equally as edgy and artistic as these. I hope to be able to share more of them with you in the future!
For now, if you want to see more from Angel Blanco, you can follow him on Instagram at: @angelblancoartist!
Dope Duffle is a store specializing in luxurious yet durable and functional bags as well as accessories and quality athleisure wear. I really enjoyed these designs because it seems to speak for itself. The athleisure apparel does look stylish as well comfortable. The bags were all unique in design and ranged from playful to business. There were back packs, handbags, and even travel bags. Most of the handbags had crisp/clean lines. I noticed that this brand has a love for the use of color-blocking. Most of the athleisure wear featured color-blocking as well as many of the bags. If you like this brand, you can follow them on Instagram at: @dopeduffle.
They also have a store at 5430 N. Tryon St. in Charlotte if you want to check them out in person! I think I may be heading that way soon! ;)
Last but definitely not least is designer, Juan Rivera! This was my first time seeing all of these designers that I mentioned in today's post, but it was also Juan Rivera's first time debuting his lines! Again, we were treated to two presentations from Juan. He closed the show on both Friday and Saturday nights. Friday night, he introduced his line and dedicated it to his late mother. It was a line full of beautiful evening gowns. They were elegant and ranged from dynamic to playful, to ethereal. During the final walk at the end of his line, instead of having his models do a complete walk of the runway, they stopped, and Juan walked out in front to a room full of applause! The look on his face was priceless! It was the look of pure happiness! It had me tearing up watching how excited he was -and rightfully so! Juan, your mother is probably so proud of you!
Saturday night, his line included pieces for both men and women. It also had a lot of texture and experimented a lot with lengths and draping. There was a fabulous feathered, statement collar that I couldn't get enough of! He paired it once with a dramatic black piece, which flowed very nicely (top right picture). And then again with a white ensemble, where it really popped. What I love about Juan's designs is that he is designing for everyone to wear what makes them feel fabulous. When he introduced his line the second night he even said so. "If someone tells you that you can't wear something? Ah, yes you can!" Ahh, what a great individual Juan Rivera is!
You can see more from Juan on Instagram at: @juanjosestyle!
I hope you enjoyed these designers and styles as much as I did! I really enjoyed creating this post for you and I hope you stay tuned for part 2 next Wednesday! Have a great rest of the week!