MONARCH BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--OC Fashion Week® (OCFW), a leading trade show for the who’s who of luxury fashion and design in California, will kick 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.
Kathryn Marino, CEO of OC Fashion Week, says, “OC Fashion Week is an international trade show for emerging fashion designers, retail entrepreneurs, small and large business owners as well as digital retail startups. OCFW’s mission is to dedicate its support for fashion designers and the retail business and its advocacy for fashion tourism in the luxury market of Orange County, California. Orange County’s luxury apparel sales are currently 37 billion dollars, and continue to supersede retail sales of neighboring markets and even some of the top five leading fashion capitals.”
OCFW will be hosted at a new event venue on March 23, with an all-new designer competition presented by Celebrity Cruises. AV Irvine, known as OC's hottest destination for events, 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. 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 from fashion capitols of New York to Orange County are 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.
“We’re excited to embrace some of the country’s emerging designers,” said Cynthia Rose Ponzi, Celebrity Cruises’ Regional Marketing Manager. “In the past, our fashion competitions have focused solely on student designers, but this is a first-time for us to take leading designers’ work to a whole new level commensurate with the launch of our latest Celebrity Edge ship. We are honored to kick off such a great catwalk event. It's an exciting time to be innovative.”
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.
For more information, visit ocfashionweek.com and click here for tickets.
About OC Fashion Week®
Orange County is the luxury market of California, leading the U.S. in consumer retail expenditures, apart from the Los Angeles market. Its retail destination is driven by international fashion shopping and tourism, coastal luxury lifestyle and a metropolis of leading retail businesses and entrepreneurs. This year, OC Fashion Week has partnered with Global Sources Fashion of Hong Kong, as well as Athens Xclusive Designer’s Week for a designer-exchange program that will feature a designer from Greece.
All hair and makeup is presented by the Toni and Guy Hairdressing Academy, Runway shoes provided by Badgley Mischka Jewel, and Runway lashes by Amazing Lash Studio: Rancho Santa Margarita, Brea, Tustin, Bella Terra, Los Olivos, Crossroads, Costa Mesa. Designers will be featured at Global Sources Fashion in Hong Kong at the first California delegate designation for Orange County Fashion Week.
About Celebrity Cruises:
Celebrity Cruises' iconic "X" is the mark of modern luxury, with its cool, contemporary design and warm spaces; dining experiences where the design of the venues is as important as the cuisine; and the amazing service that only Celebrity can provide, all created to provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers’ precious time. Celebrity Cruises' 13 ships offer modern luxury vacations visiting all seven continents. Celebrity also presents incredible Cruisetour experiences in Alaska and Canada. Celebrity is one of six cruise brands operated by global cruise vacation company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL). For more information, dial 1-800-437-3111, visit www.celebritycruises.com, or call your travel advisor.
