Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to go to Styleweek Northeast in Providence, R.I. My supervisor was going there to showcase her jewelry line at the event for the entire week, and I went there to help her set up.
Styleweek, established in 2009, features emerging local designers from the New England region. This year it is featuring a total of 15 designers. It is held at the Biltmore in Providence, and the top two floors of the hotel are dedicated to Styleweek. The fashion shows took place in the ballroom on the 17th floor, and accessories vendors were set up in the waiting area. One of the more famous accessories vendors was Stella & Dot, a San Francisco jewelry company that engages in direct selling, like Avon or Mary Kay Cosmetics.
The cocktail hour and accessory showcase started at 5:30 p.m. Patrons sipped champagne and cocktails as they browsed different booths.
Since everyone was attending the fashion shows, there weren’t that many people at the booths, so I went to see the Jessica Abernethy show and the Maria Del Carmen Mercado show. Jessica Abernethy is a Providence-based designer who got her fashion education from ESMOD University in Munich. Her clothes are straightforward and timeless. Maria Del Carmen Mercado is a Dominican designer who graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is skilled in hand-dying fabrics and recycles leftover fabric.
The Jessica Abernethy show was supposed to start at 7 p.m. but got delayed by half an hour. Those watching the show were definitely of an older crowd. Finally at 7:30 p.m. models came out in platinum blonde wigs and bright pink eyeshadow. The makeup and wigs gave a modern, futuristic look. The clothes were practical and ready to wear on the most part except for a yellow tartan dress that clashed with the rest of the line.
The Maria Del Carmen Mercado show had a distinctly exotic feel. The show opened with the sound of Caribbean drums. Models sauntered down the runway in rich silk dresses with hues of emerald and violet, every movement in sync with the rhythm of the drums. Though I couldn’t stay for the entire show since I had a train to catch lest I be stranded in Providence, I enjoyed this show much more than the first show.
A look from Maria Del Carmen Mercado Fall/Winter 2012
Maria Del Carmen Mercado Spring 2013 Collection
Styleweek macarons. Too bad it didn’t taste as good as it looked
I am in love with this necklace from Stella & Dot