NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK INDUSTRY PANEL

The stylishly smart side of fashion - industry panels - will be presented this coming Wednesday, April 3rd in our fair city as we all gear up for the lovable madness of Nashville Fashion Week. 

I'm excited that some of my favorite people will be speaking on my favorite 'business of blogging and fashion' topics including Amanda Valentine of Project Runway, the owner of the brilliant fashion-for-all website Thompson Fifteen, Chelsea Eager along with a panel moderated by Nashville fashion icon, Libby Callaway and many other big names in our fashion industry. 

Check out the full rundown in their press release provided below:

AND remember, panels are FREE but they do ask for a donation. If you want to be sure and reserve your spot, click HERE so they can send you your confirmation ticket. Space is limited, so get going ladies.  

- Katie 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 22, 2013) – Nashville Fashion Week is proud to announce the 2013 Fashion Industry Panels, which will take place Wednesday, April 3, 2013 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Emma's Bistro (9 Lea Avenue) at The Trolley Barns at Rolling Mill Hill.

 

Industry Panels are free for all Emerging Designer applicants, All Access Pass Holders and ticket holders, however reservations are required for admission and there is a $10 suggested donation at the door. Reserve your space at www.NowPlayingNashville.com.

INDUSTRY PANEL SCHEDULE: 

 

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

THE BUSINESS OF ATTIRE: HOW TO BUILD A FASHION BRAND 

Experts dish the nitty-gritty of growing a fashion company from the ground up. A must for all designers as well as anyone who wants “real world” insight into how the fashion industry works.

Moderator: Sophie Simmons, designer/owner of a small luxury fashion company 

Panel: Design, development and production specialist David Perry of The DSP Group; entertainment attorney Robert Darwell of Sheppard Mullin; designer and Nashville Fashion Fund 2012 winner Lauren Leonard of Leona; NFW 2013 designer Cally Rieman of Kal Rieman; retail recruiter for the Nashville Downtown Partnership Crissy Cassetty

 

1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

MUSIC CITY RETAIL ROCKS! SELLING FASHION IN NASHVILLE

Leading local retailers tell what it takes to run and buy for a fashion boutique. A variety of different business models will be explored, including online, direct sales, and traditional designer-driven stores.

Moderator: Elizabeth Broyhill, veteran Nashville retailer and brand and media consultant 

Panel: Nashville-based designer and boutique owner Kayce Hughes; Thompson Fifteen owner Chelsea Eager; Sevier Skirts founder Suzanne Sevier Rowland; Kathy Hadley of POSH Boutique; Whitney Dunn, co-owner of The Perfect Pair

 

3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

LOOK SHARP! SELLING THE IMAGE

Pros weigh in on how strong visuals, good press assets and a solid social media plan sell a brand. It’s a boon for anyone who’s curious about the world of marketing and image. 

Moderator: Libby Callaway, fashion writer/media consultant 

Panel: 2013 Project Runway contestant and fashion designer Amanda Valentine of Valentine Valentine; Bismarck Phillips Communications (BPCM) owner Carrie Phillips; Nashville Pinterest superstar and social media expert Lauren Zwanziger; Next Model Management agency director Alexis Borges; fashion/celebrity stylist and former contributor to Vogue andLove, Sally Lyndley 

 

Tickets, the full Nashville Fashion Week schedule and additional details on each industry panel moderator and speaker can be found at www.NashvilleFashionWeek.com.

NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK 2013 EVENT INFORMATION AND UPDATED FEATURED DESIGNER LIST

Image - NFW 2012 / Red Doll 

It's that time of year again.

NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK!

If you haven't already seen the line-up of designers (More to be announced soon!) and marvelous event spaces, here's your chance to get caught up! 

I've included the NFW2013 press release below and hope you'll all try to make it out to at least one night of fashion forward fun. It really is an unforgettable week and I look forward to it every year. I hope to see you all out looking stylish, and you better have your game faces on, because I'll have my camera. Watch out. 

Who are your favorites? Why? If you could choose any designer in the world to be featured here in Nashville - who would you pick and why? 

Just some food for thought - and I'd love to hear your responses! 

- Katie

NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK IS PROUD

TO ANNOUNCE 2013 LOCATIONS &

INITIAL LIST OF DESIGNERS

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 14, 2013) – Nashville Fashion Week is proud to announce the initial list of designers that will be showing collections during the series of events, which take place April 2-6, 2013 in locations across the city. In addition, the 2013 schedule is now live and tickets are on sale at www.NashvilleFashionWeek.com.

This year's festivities will kick off on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 with runway shows at The Pinnacle at Symphony Place featuring womenswear collections from Kal Rieman and Red Doll, two lines based in NYC. The Official Nashville Fashion Week Kick-Off Party sponsored by Opry Mills and Williams Edge Salon will take place at The Southern immediately following those runway shows.

The Wednesday night runway shows on April 3, 2013 will take place in the courtyard space at the Trolley Barns of Rolling Mill Hills overlooking downtown Nashville. That evening will feature collections from T. Rains, who will headline that night of shows and Kat Seaton as well as Tuft, Pink Elephant Designs and Black by Maria Silver, all three of which were featured in 2012 in the Emerging Designers Showcase and have since gone on to create full collections that will walk the runway in 2013. Wednesday daytime events include industry panels from fashion professionals that will take place at Emma's Bistro, also located in the Trolley Barns at Rolling Mill Hills. (Look for a separate release with full details on the industry panels coming soon.)

The runway shows on Thursday, April 4, 2013 will take place at Nashville's historic Belmont Mansion with shows starting mid-morning at 11:30 a.m. Collections from Modern Trousseau and Memeka by Gustavo Cadille will be the highlight of the day with a luncheon to follow at nearby, brand new eatery - blvd., located at 2013 Belmont Blvd. The duration of Thursday will be dedicated to SHOP Nashville Day, a city-wide boutique crawl sponsored by The Gulch. That event will be capped by a cocktail party hosted by Pine Street Lofts in the Gulch later that evening. (Look for a separate release with full details on participating boutiques coming soon.)

On Friday, April 5, 2013, a collection from the 2012 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipient, Lauren Leonard, designer of Leona, will be shown as well as looks from Danish fashion house SAND, presented by Levy's.  Those shows will take place at Grand Avenue's new event space in downtown Nashville with a pop-up dinner to follow in the same location. 

Nashville Fashion Week will conclude on Saturday, April 6, 2013 with a grand finale event sponsored by Red Bull featuring soon-to-be-announced emerging designers. That event, along with the official Nashville Fashion Week Closing Night Party sponsored by William Edge Salon will take place at Anthem, a new, stylish nightclub and events space recently opened in the north gulch at 125 12th Ave. N. 

Additional designers and events will be announced in the coming weeks and all specific times and locations will be added to the official schedule on www.NashvilleFashionWeek.com.

STYLE STALKER: SANTIGOLD

Far Left / Santigold is wearing: Versace dress, Tom Ford Clutch & Alexander Wang shoes / Image via Harper's Bazaar

It's been four long years since Santigold first hit the music scene - helping us to expand our acceptance of  spandex pants worn in public and keeping our eardrums busy with fresh and incredibly catchy beats.  All these many years later I now own two fabulous pairs of spandex pants (Thanks, American Apparel!) and I still have every one of her songs on my iTunes and I'm in no rush to remove them.

Santi White, better known as Santigold, formerly Santogold (Are you confused yet?) is in no rush either. She's plotted and planned and spent the past few years putting together a new album that had exactly what she was after creatively - unwilling to just pump out another album just because it was what everyone else was doing. Say no to peer pressure, everyone! Quality over quantity.

That being said, her new album entitled Master of My Make-Believe was released this past May, a very welcome and very anticipated follow up to her last album. You can find her latest music video entitled "The Keepers" HERE.

Uncompromising on quality, Santigold's style choices also reflect the high standards she has for her music. She leans toward the avant-guard and has a particular fondness for spandex, prints and innovative styles. It's not surprising to see her in something loud and curious, a fact among many - that I absolutely love about her.  


Santigold:Trends to try
Sunglasses with funky frames, crop tops, ankle length boots, stripes, sequins and statement necklaces with flair.


Bust out those spandex pants too, you'll thank me later.

Peplum skirt / High heels / ASOS stud earrings / Vintage sunglasses

By Malene Birger cuffed pants / Savant / BCBG Max Azria chain jewelry / Marc by Marc Jacobs brass jewelry

Images: 1. Harper's Bazaar -  Alex Lubomirski  2&3. Foam Magazine

WHY I LOVE NASHVILLE: FROM GQ TO THE NEW YORK TIMES

Whatever you think you know about Nashville, unless you're a local - you're probably wrong. 

We're not all cowboy boot, overall wearing hillbillies.  Not all of us, anyway. In fact, according to GQ, The New York Times & most recently, Forbes - we may just be the next big thing. 

Sure, LA has its perks and everyone loves New York for its spectacular city scape, but New York and LA can't hold a candle to our well guarded secrets - ample boutique shopping with a huge focus on local fare, innovative eateries and a vivid and well documented night life that could rival any New York club without the pretension or discomfort of being crowded into an already overcrowded space. 

If you were to take every genre of creative kid and cram each one into a small city, Nashville would be the end result. Now doesn't that sound inviting? 

Model & Musician - KAREN ELSON

Keeping boys stylish, OTIS JAMES // Tie & Hat Crafter 

Parlour & Juke // Nikki Lane of High Class Hillbilly // Teresa Mason - Owner of Mas Tacos

All Images Via GQ MAGAZINE & Can be found HERE.