StyleWeek: Bigger, with broader appeal than before

StyleWeek Providence returns to the Creative Capital this week and, for the first time, offers seating for the general public at the seven-day series of fashion shows and related events.
“We’ve received emails and phone calls from people who want to be part of StyleWeek, who want access to this event,” said Shawn Simmons, director of public relations for StyleWeek, explaining why public seating was arranged. “We knew about the creativity of Providence, but we didn’t expect to see such a need [for seating] from the public.”
StyleWeek Providence returned Sunday, Aug. 28, for seven days of fashion shows and receptions showcasing local designers and featuring fashion celebrities, such as Derek “Fabulous” Warburton, a regular on the Bravo TV series “The Real Housewives of New York City,” all centered at the Providence Performing Arts Center. After-show parties and receptions will be held throughout the week at various venues in the city. The event runs through Saturday, Sept. 3.
This is the third presentation of StyleWeek Providence, founded by Rosanna Ortiz Sinel, who remains its president, to showcase the work of local designers. Previous StyleWeeks were held in Providence in June 2010 and January 2011. About 600 people – primarily other designers, students and fashion industry insiders – attended the previous shows, Simmons said, and he expects about 800 to be on hand this week. This is the first year StyleWeek has been held at PPAC, previously taking place at the Providence Biltmore Hotel.
“We’re expecting the economic impact to be substantial,” he said, offering a “rough estimate” of $500,000 to $800,000 in direct and indirect spending for the full week. Simmons noted that organizers are keeping closer track of the local economic benefits than previously.
“The fashion industry is a $380 billion industry worldwide, and if we could just bring a piece of that to New England – and really do it right – it would be beneficial, not just to the designers and buyers, but also to the city and the state,” Simmons said.
Expected to attend are 26 clothes designers – versus 12 in June 2010 and 19 in January – plus 12 accessory designers. Simmons estimated that about 35 percent of the attendees will be buyers.
Indications are that interest in StyleWeek Providence is growing, not only among the public, but also among media representatives and national fashion leaders. Three former “Project Runway” contestants – Jonathan Joseph Peters, Peach Carr and David Chum – are introducing debut collections this week. Known for his “international styling accomplishments,” Warburton usually shows his creations in places such as Milan, Paris and New York, Simmons said.
Media representatives have registered from France, Germany, Italy and Canada, according to Simmons. Past events have drawn mostly local and regional media. StyleWeek Providence claims to be the only regional fashion event in New England. Simmons said Boston fashion week is for “only Boston designers,” so he claimed it is not a regional event.
About 350 seats at PPAC are set aside for the general public, on the stage near the runway and at the mezzanine level, for $20 to $50 depending on the day of attendance and location of the seats. Friday and Saturday shows “are pretty much sold out,” Simmons said, but tickets for weekday shows are available on the Internet until the day of the show and then they will be sold at the door.
Karen Beebe, a local fashion designer who owns and operates the Queen of Hearts and Modern Love Shoes boutiques on Westminster Street, has regularly showed her latest designs at StyleWeek, but is taking a break this year. She explained that she has handmade the clothes she designs but is now working to have outside parties manufacture them. And she is putting final touches to her online store, launched last month, so she is quite busy.
“It’s really always great for press,” she said of StyleWeek. “It’s done very professionally and it has been great. I hope to participate again in the future.”
Andrea Valentini, a Rhode Island School of Design graduate who designs jewelry and lifestyle bags for men and women and has a showroom in Providence, said she believes StyleWeek “heightens curiosity about how fashion translates into business” and “inspires pride” for what Rhode Island has to offer. “Events like StyleWeek Providence show that Rhode Island is a player and can compete with cities like Boston, drawing interest from high-profile [designers] from New York City,” she said.
Valentini declined to provide a preview of what she’ll display at her runway show, Saturday at 5 p.m. “I will say that being a designer who is influenced by environment, the site of the show, the Providence Performing Arts Center, has made a direct impact and influenced what you will see,” she said. &#8226