“Encore!” is a command that designer Katerina Bocci is becoming more and more accustomed to hearing. But when she heard it from the producer of New York’s 2008 Couture Fashion Week, it was music to her ears.
The flattering invitation to return to NYC this year prompted the metro Detroit dress designer to reprise her appearance, along with the help of a Michigan entourage. “We have beautiful models, great fashions, terrific hair stylists, makeup artists, and outstanding media,” says Bocci, who paid her own way to participate in the event last year after a three-year struggle to make the cut. “That’s why I wanted to have the spotlight on everything made in Michigan.”
First to sign on was Figo Salon of Birmingham. Owners Rino and Christina Marra are bringing several members of their staff to the event this month. Brian Heath, founder and CEO of Detroit Fashion Week, helped screen models for the runway team. He’s traveling to New York with the talent he trains to ensure a smooth stage show. John Roe, fashion photographer and frequent Hour Detroit contributor, will capture the event in still shots.
Among the 13 Michigan models attending the production are Miss Michigan, Elizabeth Crawford, and Miss Italia 2008, Jordan Monaghan, who also lives in Michigan. Their stage presentation, highlighting Bocci’s latest collection of silk suits, cocktail dresses, and evening gowns, will be styled by Mia Morgan, a New York celebrity stylist with an outstanding portfolio — who also is Michigan-born.
Couture Fashion Week is a small show devoted to custom-made garments. It runs concurrently with the biannual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. The Couture event is Sept. 5-7 at the Westin Times Square, where Bocci’s collection will be shown during the premier time slot: 8:30 on Saturday night.
Bocci’s motive is to show more than beautiful clothing. As she puts it, “I want to tell people, ‘Enough with the recession; it’s time for us to start a new story when it comes to fashion and all the great groups and people we have around us.’ ”
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