Scottsdale Fashion Week kicked off Thursday night at Scottsdale Fashion Square with a local ode. In an evening deemed "Community Night," local designers showcased their best work that ranged from sparkly accessories to fashionable clothing made from everything BUT fabric.
Many of the small tents were vacant and tables empty (the hyped SFW events are on Friday and Saturday), but curious attendees crowded around the outdoor runway in the parking lot outside of Barneys New York.
Some socialized and sucked down cocktails inside of the mall where Nordstrom hosted a book signing for fashion insider Tom Julian, designer David Yurman made a personal appearance to celebrate his new boutique, and AZ Foothills Magazine crowned their "Face of the Foothills" winners (really).
Overall, the night provided a laid-back vibe to the tunes of Yolanda Be Cool and Arcade Fire, and of course, Scottsdale's hottest fashion.
Get the scoop on opening night of the fifth-annual fashion event, after the jump...
The event began promptly at 6:30 p.m. with the local accessory designer show. They say confidence may be the best accessory, but many of the accessories from last night's show came pretty close. Accessories included leather clutches, handbags, belt, headbands, hats and lots of jewelry. The jewelry, mostly bracelets and necklaces, consisted of beautiful beading, gems and chains. All of the jewelry was "blinging" under the runway lights.
Following the accessory runway was the high school student and college student shows. Students from five valley high schools shared their designs, which were made from materials other than fabric. College students from six campuses, including FIDM stuck with the theme of "wearable" designs. Both groups used everyday materials such as duct tape, trash bags, newspapers and coffee filters. The result was a collection of filthy flirty and colorful dresses.
The crowd seemed receptive to all of the runway shows, but showed the most interest (and fascination) in the "wearable" designs created by the students.
The night ended with the local fashion designer show, which included more than a dozen local designers. Bri Bridge, Phoenix Fashion Week's 2009 Emerging Designer Winner shared her collection, as well as this year's Scottsdale Fashion Week Designer of the Year, Rebecca Turley. Turley's clothing line, Nostalgic Boutique, takes elements from vintage design and combines them with contemporary fashion.
Though some viewers didn't get up-close look at the designs as they hit the runway (there was no live footage displayed on the monitors), many of the designers and their models walked around the area afterward, showing off the fashions -- a definite plus.
If you missed Thursday night, don't fret. Friday and Saturday night will include ten runway shows and more in-store events. For a detailed schedule of events, visit Scottsdale Fashion Week's official website.
Check back with us for more photo coverage later today and a full fashion rundown on Scottsdale Week(end) event on Monday.
