Charleston fashion fanatics had reason to celebrate Thursday night, with two beloved local designers making their debuts on national TV with the premiere of the sixth season of Project Runway. The monumental event of course called for a stylish celebration, and Charleston magazine’s fashion editor, Ayoka Lucas, along with the Caviar & Bananas team were happy to step in and provide a party worthy of the hype.
Margaret and Kris Furniss, owners of the gourmet market and café, rolled out the red carpet for guests, who arrived early for a cocktail and hor d’oeuvres hour before the screening. While sipping Korbel Champagne and Little Black Dress Chardonnay, the impeccably dressed crowd included Wilmington-based style girl Jess James (host of the upcoming Style Swap, pictured left) and 2009 emerging designers Amanda DeLeon (pictured right) and Emily Bargeron. Feeling like favorites from our Alma Mater were selected in the first round of the draft, everyone knows the implications of the upcoming episodes — which have nothing to do with the inevitable cat fights and melodrama of a reality TV show. Fans know that it’s not only a big break for Gordana Gehlhausen and Carol Hannah Whitfield, but also Charleston’s fashion scene as a whole.
Ayoka (who was sporting an ensemble created by Gordana) summed it up well before announcing the winners of the raffle, telling the crowd that the show has consistently contacted her for potential applicants and reiterating the city’s new title as the fashion capital of the South (confirmed by a recent article in AccessAtlanta). As the show began, the devoted crowd couldn’t help cheering every time the two Charlestonians stepped in front of the camera. The women produced beautiful dresses for the red carpet challenge, appeasing the judges and securing their positions in next week’s competition. Based on their performance on the first episode, we’ll be able to root for our girls for several weeks to come.
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