Fashion Week San Diego® (FWSD), California’s largest traditional fashion week, announced its first in-person New York City event, “The Art and Beauty Behind Fashion,” in partnership with Sotheby’s and the Art Renewal Center (ARC). As part of a budding tradition of collaboration between FWSD and ARC, the signature event will feature each designer presenting their exclusive garment inspired by an art piece from the Art Renewal Center.
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Featuring all female designers!
For the first time in the event’s history, all nine of the designers featured are female, including NALAA, My Generation, Bea Cruz PH, J2911, Moondust Concepts, L Label Loves Emvee Bikini, Outsiders Clothing, Eiona, and Sierra Mitchell. The bi-coastal event will be held on Saturday, July 24 from 3–6PM PST at Sotheby’s New York, while viewers at home can watch the show via YouTube and IGTV. Attendees may vote for their top fashion designer from July 24 – July 31 on FWSD’s voting page, and the winner of the show will be announced at FWSD’s signature runway event this October in San Diego.
Fashion paired with art
As part of its third partnership with the ARC, FWSD’s “The Art and Beauty Behind Fashion,” designers will debut their original couture outfits paired with and inspired by premier pieces from the 15th ARC Salon Competition. The distinguished ARC Salon Competition is the largest in the world for representational art, receiving over 4,941 entries from 83 countries during the last cycle.
These nine winning paintings, paired with FWSD designers’ original looks, allows the artists to promote contemporary realism to a wider audience and expose the Representational Art Movement to top fashion designers around the world. In addition, this will allow FWSD designers to gain exposure to top art collectors and influencers around the world, creating an ideal partnership.
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FWSD team making fashion week history
“Last year, the FWSD team made fashion week history around the world and will forever have a virtual exhibition on the Sotheby’s website with the ARC, which was a major win during the pandemic and an incredible way to shift gears to make impeccable events still happen,” said Gwen Bates, Director of FWSD. “This year is no different and offers even more of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all of our designers. As the longest and largest standing fashion week on the West Coast, we are truly enthusiastic that this signature event known exclusively to FWSD will see growth experientially in coming years, in addition to inspiring art and fashion enthusiast globally. We are thrilled to get out and safely conduct this gallery experience in New York.”
“The Art and Beauty Behind Fashion,” exhibition will showcase editorial shots and videography opportunities, as well as live models to display the work of art throughout Sotheby’s creating a full presentation and immersive experience for guests who are in-person and watching virtually.
“So much work goes into creating an exhibition like this, not only on the part of the Art Renewal Center, but the work done by all of the artists who spent months or years creating their masterpieces,” said Kara Lysandra Ross, co-chair and COO of ARC. “To be able to combine a fine art exhibition with a fashion event like this, where an entirely separate group of artists working in a different artform can come together in cooperation, brings the experience to a whole different level. I feel very grateful to be able to be a part of this timeless expression of our shared humanity.”
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“The Art and Beauty Behind Fashion” will be available for San Diego viewers on YouTube and IGTV. To learn more about FWSD, visit their site here or connect on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Stay healthy, San Diego!
