Still reeling over the collections presented at Sunday night’s “Runway for the Ballet,” I am
convinced that fashion is alive and well in the Qcity.
Hosted by Ramona Holloway (radio personality, 107.9 the LINK) and Jimmy Penman, this was truly an evening of elegance, an event that featured dance and fashion at its finest.
The audience was dazzled by four dance excerpts by the North Carolina Dance Theatre between each runway showing. Choreographed by Mark Diamond and Dwight Rhoden, the excerpts were simply breathtaking, creating an eclectic combination of fashion and dance.
As for the fashion, featured designs from local boutiques Black & Blue, Scout & Molly’s, chezElle, E Martini and Capitol were both classic and contemporary.
My favorite were selections from chezElle that included a beautiful Foley & Corrina, vanilla, one-shoulder dress. This style is very popular this season and is without a doubt the perfect blend of sexy and chic.
chezElle also featured trendy designs by Cynthia Steffe, Tseng, Daughters of the Revolution and Dolce Vita. Another stunning look was the Gemma neon splash print blouse, Dolce Vita zipper pant, topped with the Paul & Joe Sister military jacket.
Scout & Molly’s showing included styles from Tracey Reece, Susana Monaco and an amazing dress by Ali Roe. The Party Girl dress by Rebecca Taylor presented an easy transition from day to night when worn with the appropriate accessories.
Black & Blue answered the call of the all-too-familiar “denim fix,” giving the audience a look at luxury designer jean labels like Hibitual, Rich & Skinny, Diesel and Kasil.
Other showings by E Martini and Capitol continued to keep attendees intrigued. E Martini’s showing of simple-yet-elegant lingerie gave the appearance of seemingly effortless beauty and refined taste. Opening with a Natori Japanese Oriental garden print Kimono in satin charmeuse and a Fleur’t black knit modal cami and boyshort underneath, the colorful ensemble set the tone for the beautiful collection of designs by Mary Green, Arlotta, GIGI of San Francisco and more, which can be found in the store.
Capitol closed the show with elaborate designs, some of which were brought in from New York specifically for this event. Capitol’s local shop offers various pieces from Rag and Bone, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, Chloe and Oscar De La Renta.
This evening of style, sponsored by Morrison (South Park) was a wonderful reminder of why the Qcity is such a great place to live and shop. As a matter of fact, the shoes featured in the show, provided by Off Broadway Shoes and Seventy-Two Shoe Boutique, both in Blakeney, have inspired me to get out there and stimulate the economy while feeding my ever-present shoe obsession!
“All proceeds from Runway for the Ballet will help fund educational programs and allow Dance Theatre to invest in new choreography to elevate Charlotte’s arts scene. To learn more, visit www.ncdance.org.
