OC Fashion Week (OCFW), a leading trade show for luxury fashion and design in California, kicks off its 14th season on Saturday, March 23, 2019 with an Opening Day runway fashion design competition featuring seven top-emerging fashion designers from New York to OC. As the official Red Carpet sponsor, Celebrity Cruises® rolls out the Red Carpet for an A-list crowd as Front-Row guests await a line-up of 5-star collections. AV Irvine will host the Opening Day runway catwalk, which will feature a lineup of emerging fashion designers for a one-of-a-kind Cruise Collection competition. AV Irvine will be transformed into one of the show’s longest catwalk events with a capacity of up to 800. The runway show will open with a special performance by Dark Rabbit Dance wear by Rowan Burke.
The cruise wear theme for the designers is based on Celebrity Cruises’ new luxury Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Flora ships and is titled “Celebrity Cruises Luxury Collection,” using this design inspiration video. The emerging designers hailing from national fashion capitols of New York to Orange County will be tasked with creating unique takes on cruise wear that capture the travel brand’s inspirational lifestyle and adventurous spirit as part of the design competition. Following is a list of emerging designers competing and their respective style inspiration assignments:
- Ugochi Iwuaba’s design inspiration from Celebrity Edge in its entirety, Celebrity Cruises’ revolutionary new ship that is poised to change the way that travelers experience the world
- Jamielle Rankine’s design inspiration from Eden, the tri-level food and beverage destination that offers sensory experiences completely wrapped in glass and including outdoor and indoor areas for enjoying experiential meals and cocktails onboard Celebrity Edge
- Jonathan Jimenez’s design inspiration from The Magic Carpet, the world’s first cantilevered venue at sea that travels 13 stories that transforms into a new and exciting venue depending on which deck it’s positioned on Celebrity Edge
- Dawn Sunflower’s design inspiration from Celebrity Edge’s Iconic Suite, new Edge-exclusive Suite Class category featuring more than 2,500 square feet of space and serving as the highest level of suites available on Celebrity Edge
- Egypt Ufele’s design inspiration from the Edge Villa, a new category of two-level suites aboard Celebrity Edge that offer stunning, outward-facing views, private plunge pools and direct walk-out access to The Retreat Sundeck
- Melissa Pellone’s design inspiration from The Retreat, a spacious outdoor lounge area featuring The Retreat Pool Bar, stylish furniture, a full-sized pool, and a hot tub onboard Celebrity Edge
- Vanessa Lozada’s design inspiration from the all-new Celebrity Flora, a ship built specifically for its destination of the Galapagos Islands with an outward-facing design and offerings to give travelers a unique, immersive experience
The winning designer of the “Celebrity Cruises Luxury Collection” will receive a Celebrity Cruises trophy, an Alaskan cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises, and receive an opportunity to showcase in the Athens Xclusive Designer’s Week showcase in Greece this Fall.
Celebrity Cruises is the Red Carpet sponsor for all of this season’s OCFW events, with a focus on its fashionably responsible programs for Sustainability, Wellness, Arts and Music. Each day features a tribute donation to a different charity for Daily Fast Pass holders. OCFW Fast Passes are daily tickets valued at $150.00 that allow for daily access to coveted front-row seats from March 23-27.
OPENING DAY EMERGING DESIGNER COMPETITION AWARDS (SPONSORED & INSPIRED BY CELEBRITY CRUISES)
- BEST IN INNOVATION: Jamille Rankine- Kirlew – Inspired by EDEN
- FASHIONABLY RESPONSIBLE: Dawn Sunflower – Inspired by the ICONIC SUITE
- SUSTAINABLE FASHION DESIGNER: Jonathan Jimenez – Inspired by THE MAGIC CARPET
- BEST OF SHOW: Ugochi Iwuaba – Inspired by EDGE
OPENING DAY EMERGING DESIGNERS (IN ORDER OF RUNWAY DESIGNS PRESENTATION)
- Melissa Pellon/The Retreat
- Jamielle Rankine-Kirlew/Eden
- Vanessa Lozada/Celebrity Flora
- Ugochi Iwuaba/Celebrity Edge
- Egypt Ufele/Edge Villa
- Jonathan Jimenez/The Magic Carpet
- Dawn Sunflower/Iconic Suite
This is the first year a different charity ticket is available with 50 percent of the Daily Fast Pass proceeds being donated to a charity highlighted each day of OCFW. General Admission is available to the public for $35.00 for a One-Day Ticket.
OCFW will spotlight charities with a themed event each day beginning with The Moveable Feast, a tribute to Working Wardrobes – the nonprofit charity that recycles with a clothing drive Runway on Sunday March 24 aboard the Destiny Yacht in Newport harbor; Ocean’s 8 tribute for Susan G. Komen at Pelican Hill on March 25; Tribute to the Arts on March 26 with House of Style and the week finishes with a Casino Gala aboard Electra Cruises on March 27.
For more information, visit ocfashionweek.com and click here for tickets.