The ninth annual Fashion Week El Paseo will be strutting its stuff next week on the white-tented runway at Palm Desert’s luxurious El Paseo shopping strand from March 16-21. Featuring day and evening wear collections, and attracting celebrity designers and retail superstars, the seven-day tent event is expected to bring in a record crowd of more than 13,000 people.
Proving that the well-heeled Palm Desert fashionista can’t just live in bathing suits and golf clothes alone, the event will include couture collections from an A-to-Z array of designers from Alexander McQueen to “Designer of the Week” honoree Zang Toi.
Produced by Palm Springs Life magazine, Fashion Week El Paseo cocktail and runway events begin on Sunday, March 16 with a silent auction and haute dog fashion show to benefit the Humane Society of the Desert. Monday, March 17 celebrates the work of nine FIDM graduates including Christine Ko, Katie Chick, Benny Dam, and Project Runway contestant Bradon McDonald.
“The Little Black Dress” cocktail reception precedes the “Street Seen on El Paseo” retail runway show on Tuesday, March 18. On Wednesday, March 19 designer Michael Costello hosts The Superstars of Project Runway show and shares the runway with his contestant colleagues Uli Herzner, Viktor Luna, Ari for Andy South, Irena Shabayeva, and Helen Castillo.
El Paseo spotlights its newest designer, Jim Mullin, on Thursday, March 20, followed on Friday, March 21 by “The Best of Saks Fifth Avenue,” showing Spring 2014 looks by Stella McCartney, Etro, Roberto Cavalli, Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana, Pucci, and Ralph Lauren. Following the Saks event, The Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert hosts an After Party featuring DJ jams and late-night bites. On Saturday, March 22, the week’s grand finale applauds Designer of the Week, Zang Toi who will be making his Palm Desert debut with his elegant gown collection. “Spring 2014 was inspired by my love for ballet,” said Toi, revealing that his muse for the collection was “my great friend, Cory Stearns, the principal dancer of American Ballet Theater.”
For daytime fun, in-store events will be held throughout the week at 63 local retailers including special trunk shows, discounts, raffles, gifts with purchase, and complimentary services. Personal favorites include the in-store cocktails-and-cupcake party at Nina McLemore; complimentary hair styling at Aveda El Paseo Experience Center and the J. Russell Salon; Bare Mineral make-unders by Bare Escentuals; epicure classes at Savory Spice Shop, the desert’s first specialty shop for quality herbs; and a full week of fashion events at BB One Apparel, Cactus Flower Shoe Salon, Penny Lane and El Paseo’s beautiful Saks Fifth Avenue. Tsk, tsk to Palm Spring’s designer Trina Turk for sitting out on this year’s fashion events.
Several beautiful desert resorts are offering special Fashion Week El Paseo rates, including The Westin Mission Hills Resort and Villas, Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, and the bougainvillea-laced villas of the Miramonte Resort & Spa. The Well, Miramonte's destination spa, was voted “The Best of the Best” by Palm Springs Life for its distinctive indoor/outdoor treatment rooms and signature services like the blissful Diamante facial and Equilibrio massage.
