On Saturday, July 20, I attended the first annual Local Fashion Advantage event by renowned fashion designer Hilton Hollis in Carthage, Mississippi. The proceeds from LFA [Local Fashion Advantage] were donated to The Leake County Foundation and The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. “My father passed away from complications due to diabetes, so I wanted to give to a group committed to bettering the lives of people with diabetes.  In addition, I wanted to give back to my community of Carthage by helping to save our old elementary school, which was almost in ruins before a group took the initiative to begin renovating it,” states fashion designer Hilton Hollis.

Hilton Hollis attended elementary school at “The Old School” and was devastated when he received word of its possible destruction. The school is such an important staple in Carthage, so Hilton took action. This event [The Local Fashion Advantage] was arranged in conjunction with The Leake County Foundation to help save the school, which is a basis for many of the fashion designer’s earliest childhood memories.

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Hilton Hollis brought New York City runway fashions to the small town of Carthage, Mississippi as he showcased his Fall 2013 collection on the LFA catwalk. “High energy runway fashion paired with local talent from around Mississippi. I had models from all over the South walking in the event,” says Hollis.

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In addition to the showing of Hilton Hollis’s Fall 2013 collection, local shops and boutiques styled fabulous outfits that were modeled on the LFA runway. Fantastic fashions for a great cause–it does not get much better than that!

To see the runway show of Hilton Hollis’s Fall 2013 collection, musical performances at LFA, and highlights of the entire event, please visit the Local Fashion Advantage YouTube video here.

Do not forget to like the Local Fashion Advantage on Facebook to keep up with press and the annual event! Click here.

For more pictures from this event, please visit the VIP Facebook page here.

Stay Fabulous,

Abby Hathorn