The Fashion D’Lux show, Modern Masculinity: The New Male Warrior, on Friday July 27th was the place to be!
The fabulous doors of the Le Meridien Hotel Uptown Charlotte NC opened 6 pm to wonderful displays mixing fashion and art.
There were several sculptures on display by the amazing Regine Bechtler!
The night’s event was to raise money for the Lily Pad Haven charity which supports survivors of human trafficking and helps to provide housing for victims and their families. Not only is it a great charity for those who have been through horrific ordeals and are now trying to regain normalcy, but it also raises awareness about human trafficking. It is on the rise and this is something we all need to be aware of.
With only five designers showcasing their collections, it was one of the shorter fashion shows I have been to, but it held up to its’ reputation of being one of the hottest fashion events of the year! The show was jam packed with styles ranging from athletic wear, to breezy laid back pieces. Sexy, dynamic pieces, and even men’s swim wear. The event was kicked off with a high energy dance routine that had everyone cheering and dancing along as well.
The first collection up was from Nordstrom. This is the perfect time for a showcase from Nordstrom seeing as their wildly popular anniversary sale is currently going on. The collection featured mostly athletic wear pieces. Sweat suits, leggings, hoodies, cropped jackets, sneakers, and shorts made up this collection. This was probably the most casual, down-to-earth collection to step onto the runway that night. There were two unique pieces that really caught my eye. The first being an off the shoulder sweat shirt paired with white, mesh leggings. It looks so effortlessly chic. While yes, maybe not practical for working out although who knows!? It could easily be worn to run errands, day dates, hikes, and family dinners. I think it is certainly something to start looking for trend wise. The other piece was a fresh take on a wind breaker jacket. This looked to be the same fabric of a traditional windbreaker but it was big and billowy. Almost cape-like.
Next up was the “Eyegasmic” Brand. A male swimwear line. Appropriately named if you were one of the ladies in the audience on Friday! This was by far the most fun I have ever seen models have on the runway. The collection itself was compiled of the traditional swim trunks and briefs. Each pair was designed similarly; solid color and a flower located somewhere on the piece. The crowd went wild for this collection -I’m sure the models didn’t hurt anything either! The models were clearly having fun strutting down the runway, sometimes stopping to engage the crowd or to flex or dance to the music. The models engaging with the audience is not something you see often on the runway, but it certainly paid off for this particular showcase.
Joel Baang’s designs for his brand “Ecru” Fashions, was arguably one of my favorite collections of the whole night! Almost every piece was an airy piece that could be worn casually, BUT paired with say.. a dramatic fringe necklace. It instantly takes it to a glamorous new level (which was the first look to hit the runway.) You were also surprised with pops of dynamic color like a bold green! The final piece was what really set it apart. A political clap back jacket that read: “WE DO CARE, WE ARE HUMAN”! No one was expecting it and the crowd went wild once it was revealed! Politics aside, this was a very appropriate piece given the charity the show was supporting.
SZBT was the fourth designer of the night. This collection was very easy to wear. It consisted of mostly black and white pieces. There were several fur vests, leather pants, tanks and tees with logos and some serious attitude! It is how you wear things that makes a difference. (I say this a lot to friends and family.) This was a relatively simple collection at least style wise. But the way they were worn on the runway was incredible! I saw several looks I would love to replicate for my blog or for day to day errands. Also, I think there is something to be said for designs that are accessible for everyone. These looks were just that!
The final collection of the night was from the great Stevie Boi! I have heard so much about him and was so excited to see his designs! They did not disappoint! He showcased his current line “Pink” which took runways by storm NYFW beyond! Stevie Boi unloaded high fashion eye wear as he is known to provide “ to die for” modern shades of all sorts! He also displayed new men/women pieces from the new line which were scorching! There were pink jumpsuits and mesh tops. Stevie Boi himself walked the runway at the end like a champ with a glass of wine in hand!
Written by Reagan Vanderhill | Photography by Curtis of Insight Photography
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