Friday: Fashion Rocks

By:  Melanie Caduhada

Friday night was the night to be under the tents, but not only because of the slight scare of rainy weather. The evening’s collaborators pulled out every stylish trick in the (hand) bag for last night’s show to make one simple statement: fashion is timeless.

Model Cameran Eubanks began the show wearing a flirty teal colored sundress down the runway for Teal boutique. The ensuing theme modernized classic Hollywood vintage circa 1940. Fierce colors (yellow, purple and coral) mixed with soft tones (coquettish pinks, beige, and taupe). Teal’s models wore voluminous pinned bobs, tuxedo mary jane heels and chic, round sunglasses. Feather coiffures, lace gloves and layered necklaces made occasional appearances. As the girls pranced the final lap to a contemporary mix of Etta James’ classic “At Last,” you were on the edge of your plastic chair sipping champagne cocktails wondering where the fashion time capsule would take you next.

V2V, a.k.a. “Vintage to Vogue” boutique resurfaced the best and reinvented the worst of flower child fashion. The models wore natural, lazy locks and were stamped with stars and sprinkled in glitter. Long silk gowns draped to the floor in colorful patterns transformed psychedelia into pure elegance. Don’t be surprised if platform sandals and white denim jeans are the grooviest trends of the summer.

West Ashley boutique I Heart wowed the crowd with a daring 1970’s Bond Girl theme. Doubling as runway models and secret agents, the girls carried and shook martini’s down the runway. Fake guns in hand, they playfully shot at the photographers. The DJ mixed sounds of movie espionage with none other than the guitar riffs of Jack White. The models wore Full Farrah Faucet curls, soft pastel silhouettes and bold, colorful prints. I Heart’s most audacious move was a swimwear model sporting a bullet belt, her entire body coated in gold paint.
The evening took a sassy turn when Biton brought out Glam Rock fashion. The eye liner was heavy, heels were as high as the hair, the jeans ripped, the midriffs exposed. One memorable street look paired a scull-printed scarf worn as a blouse with zip-up cowgirl boots. The models oozed with attitude, shoving one another as they strutted down the runway and shooting the photographers unruly signs of the horns. The Biton show summed up my take on the evening. Charleston Fashion Week is so Rock And Roll.