Nashville Fashion Blog: Event Review and Photos: Vanderbilt's Scene & Heard Fashion Show

This past Saturday, October 1, 2011, I was invited to attend Scene & Heard, a charity fashion show produced by the Vanderbilt Public Relations Society. Held in a modern auditorium on Vanderbilt’s campus, around 250 guests packed the audience in anticipation of viewing local designer fashions. I grabbed my front row seat, pulled out my camera, and snapped a few shots of incoming models. Here are some of the photos from the event.

Designer 1: Amy Breen

I’ve featured designer Amy Breen on Nashville Fashion Blog before, hailing to her wearable and flattering clothes, and outta control fashion drawings. In fact, I’ve commissioned this friendly designer to do a few sketches for my house (I need to quit stalling and actually get them framed), and had her do a two-hour long guest drawing session in my Fashion Drawing course at the Art Institute of Tennessee-Nashville (and seriously, my students loved her). A staple at fashion events like Naked Without Us and RAW, you can find this designer’s clothing at Local Honey.

What I loved most about amy b.’s collection was the wearbility of the clothing. A color pallet of red, beige, gray, black, and a pop of purple adorned models, and the versatility of the clothing is undeniable. Here are some of the looks:

Designer 2: Ryan Ripley

I died. In the best way possible. I have to admit, I wasn’t familiar with Matthew Ryan by Ryan Ripley prior to this event, but I loved his designs and creative thought process behind his creation. And maybe its because I’ve been obsessed with his Fall/Winter inspiration of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster for the past decade, but I connected with this collection. The cohesive pieces were not without subtle details including signs of distress and weathering. Additionally, the whiteout of model faces and touches of thick white dust (fake snow, I’m guessing) covering the clothing made for a dynamic and thought-provoking experience.

Designer 3: Connie Elder

Designer Connie Elder is all about the modern shapewear industry. Featured on The Opry Winfrey Show, The View, Today, The Early Morning Show at CBS, and several magazines, Connie has several product lines for her shapewear. Here are some of the photos:

Designer 4: Elana Brynes- Kings of Cole Clothing Brand

The only non-Nashville collection shown, this New Yorker was perplexed with how to stay fashionable and warm in the cool northern weather, and thus Brynes began her fashion career. Inspired by the idea of creating the perfect hoodie for men and perfect boyfriend hoodie for women, Brynes created her line- a collection of hoodies and loungewear that feature soft fabrics, incredible fit, and gold zipper detailings. This collection didn’t speak to my personal style, but several of the pieces looked pretty cozy.

Designer 5: Nicole Cooley & Dylan Stephens- Eros Blaine

I’ve been familiar with these designers since I partnered with them a few years ago at one of their first fashion shows. I had a few students assist backstage and eventually one ended up interning with the duo for a few months. According to the Eros Blaine bio, “with a natural intuition for design, [Cooley and Stephens] bring raw emotion and a story into each garment. ErosBlaine empowers women of all ages to release a part of their personalities that they wouldn’t normally show or even knew they possessed.”

Designer 6: Rebecca Davis- Mimi and Dottie

It’s always nice to see a jewelry designer at a fashion show, and I did enjoy a few pieces from the Mimi and Dottie collection. Inspired by travel, fashion, antiques, and nature, Davis utilizes her collection of antique vintage jewelry, coins, and curiosities to create her collection. Her focus is on quality and craftsmanship and she mixes her antique baubles and trinkets with sterling silver, vermeil, and semi-precious gemstones. Every piece in the collection is one-of-a-kind.