EBONY - What's Hip, What's Hot, What's Now! By: Luz Vargas Photos: Nathan Beckner Commentator Jada Collins Ebony is the largest traveling Fashion Show Fair, produced by fashion authority Eunice W.Johnson since 1960.The show has been presented in 170 cities during it's annual tour around the United States for over 50 years, it has raised more than $55 million to benefit charitable organizations and scholarship funds.The show is directed to the African American trend setters and to the fashionistas all around the country. This year, on March 29, Ebony presented the 51 Annual Fashion Fair in a successfully crowded Carver Cultural Center, hosted by St. Philip's Episcopal Church in benefit of the St. Phiilip's Outreach Ministeries. The show was a big production fully equipped with special effects, hip-hop and R&B music and was commentated by the gorgeous Jada Collins. One of the biggest trends making fashion headlines this season, are the posh reinvention of the past styles known as Grunge or Boho look,which were very popular in the 1980’s. The trend is to wear layers of grungy mix–atched colors, patterns and textures reemerging in hip, new mixed versions,from layer of plush luxurious fabrics worn with a sensationally-styled footwear and street-cool head gear.This year designers paid more attention to update the wardrobe of the professional working woman with aman-tailored looks executed with chic feminine flair and stylized variety of shaped pants, jackets and skirts.  Ruben Singer — New York designer Ruben Singer elevates what’s hip and what’s hot with an orange metallic leather vest adorned with an opulent dyedto- match fox collar worn with fingerless gloves and black leather pants.
Christian Lacroix (boots); GlesMontezin (jacket); Lavin (jewelry)French designer ChristianLacroix’s bejeweled patent shoes with spats, studded leather sleeves and a gemen crusted cummerbund give high-fashion flair to a casual jean look worn with Giles Montezin's tulip sleeve duchess satin jacket and Lavin’s silver and black velvet ribbon necklace. 
Missoni — A bi-color linen mini dress from the Italian design house of Missoni reflects a young and frolicsome sense of style with a mirror sphere embellished bodice and head scarf worn with peep toe platform ankle boots from French shoe designer LaRare. The trend in dresses and tops, is to wear prints from botanical gardens to abstract graphics in vivid colors, accessorized with bigand brightly –colored jewelry, stunning stiletto shoes, colored handbags and the always chic accessory, a fantastic hat. 
Christian Lacroix — Wearable art is exemplified by French designer Christian Lacroix’s wrap waist silk organza gown brush-stroked with a color-rich abstract print. This gown graces the cover of the Spring 2009 issue of Ebony Fashion Fair magazine Gowns were in big multicolor flowers. Yellow continues to be bright this season, shown in this silk and chiffon gown cover with a short sleeves bolero jacket. 
Marc Bouwer — Multi-layers of transparent lemon-yellow chiffon add glamour and a contrasting matte overlay to the sheen of a strapless stretch satin column gown with an empire waistline. This astonishing kimono short dress in a mix of pink and red is one of my picks from this season. Neutral colors were also part of the traveling collection. 
Gianni Calignano — Pink and red are a haute couture color mix in Italian designer Gianni Calignano’s metallic brocade and silk satin swing coat worn atop a matching dress adorned with a beaded tulle ruffled bodice.
 Jean Louis Scherrer - Class and elegance radiates from French designer. Asymmetrically draped toga column gown accented with a single shoulder strap and a bandeu bodice, embellished with brass paillette and convex nail heads. The cutting-edge trends and rare collections of apparel where presented by 13 models who’s made the catwalk an energetic and fun experience of rhythm, entertaining and style. MZ |