SLCene Meets Art Meets Fashion

Saturday night’s Art Meets Fashion event at Red Butte Garden was, if memory serves, the first time I’ve ever watched a runway show.

You’re shocked, I know.

The event run by Heidi Gress and Anne Cummings of SLC firm (a)perture marketing is an effort to showcase local artists and fashion designers while raising money for a good local cause at the same time. This year’s version was a fundraiser for Red Butte Garden’s new water conservation garden, and included grub from local restaurants, one garden holding an art show called Metamorphosis, which featured several artists delving into the concept of creation and destruction, live music on the Red Butte amphitheater stage, and the aforementioned runway show.

Even though the temperature dropped dramatically once it got dark, as Red Butte is wont to do, the event was remarkably smooth, and an excellent place to see SLC’s fashion-forward community come together and show off their duds. And I’m not just talking about the designers showing their work; the attendees used the night to sport everything from tuxedos to t-shirts, and dresses both ornate and minimalist–as in minimal coverage, and I’m sure some of the women had to run for the car as it got cold a couple hours into the night.

A few observations from the perspective of a fashion neophyte (I was one of the guys in a t-shirt):

– The skinny jeans some of the male models were wearing wouldn’t cover ONE of my legs, even if you combined the material of the entire garment. Talk about painting on your pants.

-Grass makes for a tough walk in high heels. The runway show was actually done on the grass, over a trail of rose petals, and it made for a sweet space. But I was watching the women in high heels, and I saw some ankle twists that made me sore just by seeing them. Hope they had ice packs backstage.

– Bulleit bourbon=delicious. I already knew that, but somehow it tastes better outside, in a garden, watching hotties strut around.

-Chris Vanocur, local news dude, looks good in a suit. Again, already knew that. But he had some CRAZY shoes going–I should have taken a picture.

-The designers involved–Sophie St. Claire, Beckett & Robb, Heggy Gonzalez, Shelly Huynh and Nephi Garcia–gave me a new appreciation for their form of art. I’m not going to suddenly start popping my collar or trying to stuff myself into those skinny jeans, but kudos to all of them, along with the organizers. I’ve been to a lot of benefits in this town, for all manner of causes, and this one certainly stands out as one of the more unique nights out in Salt Lake City.

Now, a few photos of the affair:

The runway for Art Meets Fashion, during Nephi Garcia’s line.

Two of Shelly Huynh’s dresses, using real flowers and foliage.

Cocktail time!

Who knew SLC had a fashion media posse?