Nashville Fashion Week 2012: Day 1

Back from night one of Nashville Fashion Week! With a mixture of fabulous fashion, kickin’ music, and a few glasses of wine, tonight’s event ran seamlessly. I greatly enjoyed the open and relaxed ambiance of venue Marathon Music Works, and buzz of well-dressed patrons excited for the night. I took a seat front row aligned with models stepping through a thick black curtain and snapped some photos of designer collections. Here’s a visual synopsis of Night 1. (Click on photos for larger view. All photos by Nashville Fashion Blog.)

Five Knives

Collection 1: Valentine Valentine by Amanda Valentine

Amanda Valentine was born and raised in Nebraska, the youngest of five children. Her work includes remnants of her Midwest upbringing—clean shapes and color blocking—layered with darkness, humor, and nods to the richness of culture and history. She creates a hybrid of references, marrying international culture with pop culture. She earned her degree in clothing, textiles and design—and began in professional career in Los Angeles as a wardrobe designer for her brother’s first music video, “Harder to Breathe” by Maroon 5.

Humming House

Collection 2: By Smith presented by The Cotton Mill

Launched in Spring 2010, by SMITH is a collection of sophisticated, chic apparel for women recognizable for the use of Thai silk, vibrant colors and bold patterns. Smith Sinrod, a graduate of the University of Alabama’s Apparel Design program, is the designer of by SMITH. Honing her skill through stints with set designer Mary Howard, who produced photo shoot sets for iconic fashion magazines such as Vogue, W and Vanity Fair, Sinrod received valuable experience in the workings of the fashion world. The by SMITH collection will be shown Tuesday, March 20 at Marathon Music Works.

Shinobi Ninja

Collection 3: T. Rains by Traver Rains

Traver Rains returns with his T. Rains line after last year’s exuberant, eye-popping runway show at the inaugural Nashville Fashion Week. This year, T. Rains will be featured on Tuesday, March 20 at Marathon Music Works. Rains is the former co-creator of the fashion brand Heatherette. His own T. Rains brand features designs from silk-screened tank tops and t-shirts to custom couture dresses. This new line is influenced by Rains’s Western roots as a fifth generation horse rancher, combined with many years of living and designing in New York. T. Rains’s growing fan base includes Adam Lambert, Kaya Jones, Ashley Hinshaw, Alan Cumming, Thompson Square, Johnny Weir, Taryn Manning, Perez Hilton and Lydia Hearst.