Bringing Fashion Week home
Though with some of the trappings of the Big Apple event, this style extravaganza was very much Philly's own.

With an elevated runway nearly identical to Bryant Park's Salon tent, Northern Liberties' Crane Arts building was flush with goodie bags, paparazzi, and high energy at FBH Philadelphia Fashion Week, held Thursday through Saturday - one of two competing "fashion weeks" that showcase local designers.

The runway resembled the New York style scene, yet the vibe was wholly Philadelphia: WURD 900 talk-radio host Al Butler mused over the future of Philadelphia fashion on the red carpet. Local fashion fixture Cheryl Ann Wadlington, founder of the nonprofit Evoluer House, sat front row, entourage in tow. Menswear designer Ron Wilch, Fashion Frenzey TV host Veniece Newton, and Will Ball, a talent scout for the soon-to-be-opened Wilhelmina Philadelphia modeling agency, were also front and center.

"I was very impressed," said homegrown celebrity fashion stylist Anthony Henderson, who flew in from Los Angeles for the three-day event. "This was an excellent show that was very professional and surprisingly well done."

The same was true for the Philadelphia-based fashion designers, including Melanie Brandon's Melani von Alexandria collection.

On Friday, it was all about ready to wear. Doris Jones opened with a sampling of clingy yet chunky knits she called Unstoppable. Joy Monique Lee's Ayo Lee Couture and Charquetta N. Hudson's ChaCha N'kole collections were playful and flirty. Lee took a chance showing a backless and clearly unfinished lemon-yellow shirt - the model had to walk down the runway with hands on her hips to hold it up - paired with black skinny pants.

Joseph Michael's House of Juiseppe grouping closed the show with its electrifying gold metallic pieces and standard yet glitzy red and black formal wear. But Kirk Johnson's B-Vain Couture II pieces were the showstoppers: sharp, herringbone suits and floor-length gowns he wrapped around his models, mummylike. Someone is inspired by Lady Gaga.

The weekend's fashion event was the second of its kind within six months. Normally that makes sense, as spring collections are held in September in New York, London, Milan and Paris, and fall shows are held in February.

Yet in Philadelphia, these events are produced separately by two organizations, both trying to brand the name Philadelphia Fashion Week (never mind that both events are just three days). It's starting to get confusing.

For the record, FBH was first. The event's organizing duo - Kevin Parker, 24, and Kerry Scott, 26 - held the first Fashion Week event in September 2007 at the City Hall courtyard, followed by a second in 2008. The concept - to hold an event with the city as a backdrop - was cool, but attendance was weak due to lackluster promotion.

Then FBH failed to produce a show last year. But another group was ready, willing, and eager to pick up the slack.

In October 2009, Kristie Bergey, owner of the KB Experience marketing firm, joined forces with Michael Anderer, buyer for Matthew Izzo boutique, and Charlie Smith, a local fashion show producer, and held their first fashion event at the 23d Street Armory. Their Philadelphia Fashion Week, featuring more than 20 designers, had an added retail component and was heavily promoted on social media. More than 2,500 came, and even though only a few buyers attended, it was largely considered a success.

At the same time, FBH began promoting last week's event. It got Banana Republic to sponsor the venue, and the Hotel Palomar - the city's latest see-and-be-seen spot - hosted the after-parties. Parker reported that more than 400 people attended the runway shows at the Crane.

Now, in an effort to squash the couture confusion - and capitalize on Philadelphia's bubbling underground fashion scene - the city is getting involved.

Last week, city representative Melanie Johnson met with both fashion camps as well as Phashion Phest coordinator Sharon Phillips Waxman to see if all three organizations could host one cohesive week. Each entity would keep its own identity - FBH has attracted more African American designers, Waxman's event is largely retail-based, and Bergey's version blends both designer and retail components. But, Johnson said, she wants to involve local universities and pique the interest of Philadelphia-area buyers.

That's key, after all. The purpose of a fashion week is to sell clothes.

One thing is certain, though: This event won't be called Philadelphia Fashion Week.

"That's just not cool," Johnson said. "Whatever we do, we want it to represent Philadelphia. We are not New York. We are not Chicago. We are Philadelphia. We are unique and we have our own fashion scene."  philly