Fashion Week 2013 is Underway

Fashion Week El Paseo is finally here, and Sunday’s kickoff runway show [I consider Saturday night’s doggie fashion show too surreal to count] featured the colorful designs of San Francisco artist and couture designer Victor Tung. This is a man who hand-paints or hand-dyes most of his fabrics with amazing results, and his designs are mostly youthful, colorful, slightly asymmetrical pieces that are fresh and alluring.

Of course you can’t enjoy a fashion show on an empty stomach, and Jensen’s Event Catering provided delicious hors d’oeuvres hand-passed by gracious servers. My favorite was the chilled polenta round topped with spiced steak topped with Boursin cheese, but the smoked salmon version was terrific, too. Wine was provided by Monte De Oro Winery & Vineyards in Temecula, a brand we enjoy at a lot of special events in the Coachella Valley thanks to their charitable spirit. The Big White Tent has a junior tent partner alongside which is being used for the pre-show receptions and will house the wine classes at the Food & Wine festival next weekend.

Monday brings the opportunity to meet “Sunnylands Chic” from 10 – 3 (free), and FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising) will present “A Salute to Three Decades of Debut Graduates” at 8 pm, following the 7 pm cocktail reception.  

If you don’t have your tickets yet, check out fashionweekelpaseo.com or call 800-775-7256 for details – or visit the ticket booth onsite.  It all happens just off of El Paseo on Larkspur, across from the parking garage at The Gardens.