Daily Loaf

The 2010 collections of 15 local and regional  designers were featured in this years Fashion Week Tampa Bay 2009. The event, held at the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk, was packed full of  fabulous fashion, VIP soirees, after parties, vendor and exhibitor boutiques, and two nights of runway couture. The organizers have a two-fold mission: to bring together emerging and established fashion and accessory designers for the bay area to enjoy, and to raise funds for non-profit organizations. This year’s beneficiary was Best Buddies, an organization dedicated to enhancing lives of those with intellectual disabilities.

Hit the jump for more drool-worthy designs from local haute heroes like Ben Chmura, Ivanka Ska, Sana Hassan and more. Read the rest of this entry »

Couture and craft collided in the fifth Wearable Art Fashion Show at the Dunedin Fine Art Center Saturday night. Nine design houses created dozens of different wearable art ensembles to the thrill of the packed house. See all the fashion festivities (and a few faux pas?) after the break…

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The great American wordsmith, Nelly, once said, “It’s gettin’ hot in here, so take off all your clothes.” The Dunedin Fine Arts Center folks took that literally for the fifth annual Wearable Art Fashion Show. They’ve shed their duds, opting instead for couture art in a runway show that promises to be “hotter than ever.” That’s a lot to live up to, since past shows enjoyed sold-out performances and rave reviews from fashionistas and party people alike. This year’s line-up includes fresh designs from Sana Hassan, Ungala and more, along with returning champs of the catwalk Ivanka Ska, who turns paper chains into high fashion (though I wouldn’t want to get caught in the rain) and Frank Strunk III, whose metal-worked ensembles are part bondage, part garment, and all art. This year’s show also includes live music by Aimee Trachtenberg, Dave Helm, and Ramblegrass – and the fun don’t stop there: there’s an after-glow after-party where you can show off your own sense of style. (Pictured: Frank Strunk III, with a model wearing one of his creations) Aug. 15, Sat., 7:30 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. fashion show, Dunedin Fine Arts Center, 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin, $15 general admission, $50-$75 reserved seating, 727-298-3322, dfac.org. - Franki Weddington

Skate fiends Chad Cardoza and the grinders at SPoT promise a “ripping bowl session” (yes, we’re talking about skating, here) and present the collected works of more than 30 local artists who use skate decks as their canvases at Art Deck Yo! DJ Blenda churns out the jams and folks from Red Bull are on hand giving away free wake-up juice to amp up those ollies all night long — and free drinks of a somewhat stronger nature to those of age. Visit skateparkoftampa.com for more info. Sat., Aug. 15, 7-11 p.m., Skate Park of Tampa, 4215 E. Columbus Dr., Tampa, free.

Hear all the music without all the mud at the Woodstock 40th Anniversary Tribute in honor of the most famous music fest of all time. Celebrate with a screening of the director’s cut of the concert film, with performances by Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Santana, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, The Grateful Dead and more. Proceeds benefit our local radio heroes at WMNF. Visit beachtheatre.com for more info. Fri., Aug. 14, 7 p.m., Beach Theatre, 315 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach, $8.
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Welcome to Radar, where we run down the up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Today’s edition is a sizzlin’ haute couture runway show.

The great American wordsmith, Nelly, once said, “It’s gettin’ hot in here, so take off all your clothes.” The Dunedin Fine Arts Center folks took that literally for the fifth annual Wearable Art Fashion Show, scheduled for next Saturday. They’ve shed their duds, opting instead for couture art in a runway show that promises to be “hotter than ever.” That’s a lot to live up to, since past shows enjoyed sold-out performances and rave reviews from fashionistas and party people alike. This year’s line-up includes fresh designs from Sana Hassan, Ungala and more, along with returning champs of the catwalk Ivanka Ska, who turns paper chains into high fashion (though I wouldn’t want to get caught in the rain) and Frank Strunk III, whose metal-worked ensembles are part bondage, part garment, and all art. This year’s show also includes live music by Aimee Trachtenberg, Dave Helm, and Ramblegrass – and the fun don’t stop there: there’s an after-glow after-party where you can show off your own sense of style. (Pictured: an ensemble made of paper rings by Ivanka Ska) Aug. 15, Sat., 7:30 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. fashion show, Dunedin Fine Arts Center, 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin, $15 general admission, $50-$75 reserved seating, 727-298-3322, dfac.org. — Franki Weddington