Okay, so I admit that I laughed when I read about Rochester Fashion Week last year. I think it was a reaction influenced by confusion and disbelief. Needless to say, filled with doubt, I did not attend. I never thought Rochester and fashion could go together like a white baby tee and skinny jeans. I think I have been convinced otherwise because of ROC the Runway. The show was held on April 17th at the Memorial Art Gallery and was definitely the ultimate experience.
I arrived promptly at 5:30 p.m. as was required of the “press”. The staff was sleekly dressed in all black and the mood was serene with anticipation. The setup was typical of most high-fashion shows, with seating areas on either side of the "runway". VIP seats were adorned with gift bags. The crowd was eclectic and their fashion varied as is expected in Rochester. The usual culprits were present in the audience including too tight, too short, too revealing, and what were you thinking.
The creators, Marquita D. Smith and Rayna L. Brooks, put on this event to showcase some local designers. All proceeds benefited The Women's Foundation of Genesee Valley. The emcees of the show were Toshman “T Dash” Powell and Jennifer Williams from the VH1 show, Basketball Wives. T Dash brought comedy to lighten up the mood and utilized the time during transitions well. Jennifer looked Chic and sexy in a long sleeved gold and black mini dress with netting down both sides. I was not a fan of her choice of shoes, blue high-heeled pumps. Before the show she talked about the importance of being versatile in your fashion. She mentioned that the day before she had purchased a few dresses at H&M.
The show was organized into seven segments each themed by a music genre. The first was alternative rock with designs by Nereida Vasquez and music by Cruelty Free (awesome band). This collection by Vasquez comprised of three models painted in body art. Second, was rock & roll with designs by Dream Kandy. This collection was a combination of leather pieces, hanging chains, jean shorts, black and white stripes, and some metallic pieces.
Next up was rhythm & blues with designs by Reckless Necklace. This segment was delightful for me, as I am a big fan of accessories. I was blown away by some of the pieces. The models wore black dresses, which did not divert attention away from the pieces. The necklaces were exquisite and made use of pearls, beads, brooches, vibrant colors, gold tones, flowers, and lots of feminine touches.
The hip-hop segment featured clothing from FIERCE Boutique and Mogul Movement. The most prominent piece was a t-shirt that read “Action No Talk”. It was matched with jeans, sequined skirts, and tights. The design was cute and I would wear the t-shirt, but that’s all. The next segment was pop culture with designs by Noir Bella. I loved some of these pieces because they were vibrant and wearable – from the multicolored, striped, strapless dress to the lime green, animal print jacket. The sixth segment jazz, was by Siro Designs. I was least impressed with this collection because there was a lack of continuity. The pieces were disconnected and sometimes childlike in design.
The most impressive and appropriately the final segment was opera with designs by Nathaniel’s Originals. I actually did one of those sighs you do when you find a to-die-for piece when the presentation began. I loved the pieces because they were ultra feminine but fashionable. The majority of the collection included a flowered print. They reminded me of the work of Michael Knight from Project Runway. The pieces included long and short skirts, jackets, and tops.
The fashion show was fun because we had the opportunity to look at different pieces of clothing and what’s not to love about that. Some pieces were impressive while others, not so much. The creators had a vision to showcase some of Rochester’s talent and they did that. They did a great job at recognizing their sponsors. Areas of improvement could be crowd control, lighting, the casting of models should be more particular, and a real runway would enhance the experience. Nevertheless, this has piqued my interest and I want to find out what else Rochester has to offer to fashion.
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