Saturday night’s finale was full of excitement and anticipation from the heidi elnora bridal runway show to the announcements of the Emerging and Rising Design Star winners–not to mention the headlining designer Tibi.

Birmingham Fashion Week 2013 concluded with a big, dazzling bang! The finale began with wedding gown designer and co-founder of BFW Heidi Elnora’s collection, which was inspired by the movie Snow White and the Huntsman. “Brides-to-be can find heidi elnora gowns across the world and in Nordstrom Bridal Salons as she has dressed hundreds of brides from L.A. to Dubai.” (www.bhamfashionweek.com)

Big round of applause to the 2013 Emerging Designers! All of their designs were incredibly creative and aspiring! I am so glad that I did not have to pick winners…It would have been pretty much impossible because each collection was truly breathtaking!

BFW 2013 Emerging Designer Winners:

• 1st Place: Elizabeth Singleton showcased an eye-catching collection that wowed everyone! She is this year’s Birmingham Fashion Week Emerging Designer Winner.

• 2nd Place: Sarah Winford exhibited a tremendous collection that crowned her runner up of BFW’s Emerging Designers competition. The VIP would love to wear her garments!

• 3rd Place: AnnaKay Winford (sister of Sarah Winford) and Allison Mills tied for third place in the competition. Both designers displayed marvelous garments–it would have been hard for me to choose just one!

Let’s give a grand congrats to the 2013 Rising Design Star competitors! These talented rising stars designed garments using nontraditional items (garbage bags, paper, can tops, bubble wrap…) and assembled these upcyled frocks with glue, tape, and staples. The eighteen finalists displayed their designs one last time on the Birmingham Fashion Week runway during the finale.  “Birmingham Fashion Week wants to help promote and inspire teenagers to follow their dreams….It makes me happy to involve these students in BFW.” exclaims Jeana Lee Fleming, co-founder of Birmingham Fashion Week.

To learn more about the Rising Design Star competition, click here.

Want to see more photos from the 2013 Rising Design Star Competition? Check out the VIP Facebook page here!

2013 Rising Design Star Winners:

• Annie Bloomston (age 16) of Mountain Brooke High School was named Birmingham Fashion Week’s Rising Design Star of the year. Annie was also the “People’s Choice” when the competitors garments were on display at the Birmingham Museum of Art.

• Preston Mills (age 17), runner up of the BFW Rising Design Star competition, created a garment that weighed a whopping 35 pounds!

• Bradford Billingsly (age 11) won the third place prize in the competition. He designed a fantastic hand painted piece!

Featured boutiques of the night were Laura Kathryn, Shaia’s (menswear), and Gus Mayer. Each store exhibited superb spring attire that had the whole crowd ready to shop!

“Laura Kathryn is an exclusive women’s boutique located in Crestline Village. Dressing the city’s women for the past twenty years, it carries one of a kind items and select designer labels,” www.bhamfashionweek.com

Shaia’s displayed sexy and sporty men’s attire on the BFW runway. “Shaia’s is a men’s wear retailer in the finest sense of tradition. More than a shop that sells suits, sportwear, shoes, accessories, and formal wear; it is a destination for camaraderie,” www.bhamfashionweek.com

Gus Mayer featured marvelous fashions that made every lady ready for a shopping trip! “Gus Mayer is one of the premiere shopping destinations of The Summit Lifestyle Center. It sells designer, contemporary, bridge clothing, accessories, shoes, and jewelry for women,” www.bhamfashionweek.com

Headlining designer of the night was Amy Smilovic (Tibi). “Tibi’s contemporary clothing line is sold at more than six hundred retailers worldwide, including Neiman Marcus, Harrods, and Saks Fifth Avenue.” (www.bhamfashionweek.com) ” I love it when I see an individual’s personal  style reflected in the way they dress. And I always think a woman should dress in contradictions – youthful and sophisticated, masculine and feminine, bold and muted colors,” http://www.tibi.com/about/inspiration/

Want to learn more about the Vintage Inspired Passionista? Check out the See Jane Write interview! Here is the link: http://www.seejanewritebham.com/2013/03/blog-like-girl-bfw-2013-edition-abby.html

If you cannot get enough of the VIP, check out my articles in The Real Story! The Adventures of the VIP in the Lifestyle section! www.realstorypublishing.com

The VIP is also on The Real Story YouTube page! Check out the first Adventures of the VIP video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Uhx3yMCDh4

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Stay Fabulous,

Abby Hathorn