.Fashionable Finds

MichaelAngelo Gallery preps for its second annual fashion show

Santa Cruz isn’t exactly the fashion capital of the world. I mean, Birkenstocks? They’re way out of style, folks. Tevas? Ditto. That hippie look? Out. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have some fashionable finds among us; that someone could opt out of the really laid-back Santa Cruz style and maybe strike up a savvy, hip “look.” Enter The 2nd Annual MichaelAngelo Gallery Fashion Show and Trunk Sale, which hits the runway in the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 14.

Last year, the spectacular, eye-popping, fashion-infused event drew in about 700 spectators. Not too shabby for a town that doesn’t register a blip on Vogue magazine’s radar.

Local designer Amanda Lefebre started all the fuss last year, and this year she’s helping to produce an even bigger and better show. If you’ve ever been curious about what a fashion show, a la Paris-style looks like, here’s your $12 ticket to something similar. Sure, the models are regular folk, but the duds they’re decked out in are groovy enough to hit a catwalk in any of the big cities. And for the most part, almost every designer whose work is being showcased is either local, or from nearby. Likewise, accessories from local jewelers will be featured in the trunk show.

The evening begins with a reception at 6 p.m. in the cavernous venue, followed by the show kicking off at 7 p.m. An auction and the trunk show will follow suit at 8 p.m.

In addition, keeping with the artistic bent, and the Lefebre connection, the MichaelAngelo Gallery, where Lefebre has a work studio, will offer an art show throughout the month of September, featuring the work of various local photographers such as Shmuel Thaler, RR Jones, Annie Colbeck and others, whose pictures will depict their interpretations of fashion. The opening for the art show is at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7 at the gallery’s 1111 River St. location. People can stop by the gallery on Saturdays and Sundays through the month.

“I wanted a different mix,” says Michele Giulvezan-Tanner, gallery director. “Like John Goldberg. He usually shoots landscapes or nature photographs. I liked the idea of taking someone who doesn’t do normal fashion shots and allowing them to have their own interpretation.”

Likewise, the designers featured in the runway show each present their own interpretations and spin on fashion. Starring will be the designs of five companies: the locally-based Armour Sans Anguish with its one-of-a-kind romantic, vintage, found fabric styles; Amanda Archer with her couture pieces that are custom made for clients; I Kohl (from San Francisco) who produces a line of comfortable clothing; Donna Lou Clothing (by Lefebre) which offers a contemporary women’s collection and Dash Hemp, a Santa Cruz company that specializes in making hemp products that are comfortable and stylish. In addition, two downtown Santa Cruz boutique stores, Galla Cabana and Rouge, will have their clothes featured on the runway. Accessories from seven designers will also be on display.

“All of them (the designers) seemed to have a resounding opinion about how difficult it is to promote themselves in Santa Cruz,” Lefebre says. “The main purpose is to give people a better idea of what type of artists and designers are here locally. Santa Cruz is starting to embrace independent designers a little bit more.”