111 West
CULTURE
Fashion Week El Paseo 2018 marked a couple of firsts — and one significant last.
For the first time, the weeklong annual event in Palm Desert featured a runway show by a couturier certified by France’s Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture: American designer Ralph Rucci, who closed the week with a stunning presentation of gowns, tunics, and suits crafted from silk, wood, leather, and fur.
This year also marked the first time the most recent winner of Project Runway has shown a collection: Kentaro Kameyama, who took the title last year and appeared as part of Michael Costello Presents His Friends From Project Runway.
And then there were the final collections of a design legend, Carolina Herrera, who announced her retirement shortly before Fashion Week. Her 37-year career culminated in pre-fall and fall collections that exuded confidence, optimism, and an air of youth while exhibiting timeless wearability and impeccable tailoring.
In all, Fashion Week El Paseo hosted eight shows featuring the work of 40 designers and 235 models. All categories of fashion were represented; in addition to couture, there were contemporary (such as Alice + Olivia) and red-carpet designers (such as Ali Rahimi for Mon Atelier). There was a special evening devoted to California designers, a celebration of fashions sold at El Paseo, a show that went to the dogs, and trunk shows, pop-up shops, and meet-and-greets.
All these events came together to create one of the largest consumer fashion events in the country. And we’ll do it again next year: Fashion Week El Paseo returns to the desert March 25–31, 2019.
Michael Costello’s models wait backstage for their walk in the Project Runway fashion show.
PHOTOGRAPH BY YASIN CHAUDHRY
As Audrey Hepburn said, "There is a shade or red for every woman." Carolina Herrera's taffeta ball gown made an elegant swish on the runway in a dramatic show presented by Saks Fifth Avenue.
PHOTOGRAPH BY TIFFANY L. CLARK
A model gets a touch-up from Mai Salon’s beauty team.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GARY BINDMAN
A creation by Jasmine “Yasi” Sakak at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) show.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ROGER MORALES
A parade of classic Carolina Herrera.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ROGER MORALES
Alice + Olivia’s hip and chic pop-up store.
PHOTOGRAPH BY YASIN CHAUDHRY
Michael Costello makes a joyous walk down the runway.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GARY BINDMAN
A Johnny Was look at the Scenes from El Paseo show.
PHOTOGRAPH BY TIFFANY L. CLARK
Couturier Ralph Rucci primps a model moments before his show.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GARY BINDMAN
FIDM’s Mahkam Khaki showed her men’s collection, “Chaos.”
PHOTOGRAPH BY TIFFANY L. CLARK
Trina Turk looks, ready for the runway.
Fashion Week El Paseo Sponsors
TITLE
El Paseo Jewelers
WELCOMING
City of Palm Desert
PRESENTING
Franklin Loan Center
OFFICIAL AUTOMOTIVE SPONSOR
IndiGO Auto Group
Aston Martin
OFFICIAL AIRLINE SPONSOR
JetBlue
PHOTOGRAPH BY YASIN CHAUDHRY
Who wore it better? An Emil Gampe design at the Le Chien show, which benefited the Humane Society of the Desert.
COUTURE
John and Victoria Hill
Fashion Island Hotel
The Resort at Pelican Hill
The Agency
111 Town Center
El Paseo
Patti and Jack Grundhofer
Donna MacMillan
Bobbi Lampros
The Gardens on El Paseo
Effen Vodka
Hornitos
MEDIA
KMIR
KPSE
Desert Pet Companion
DESIGNER
RBC Wealth Management
Oceania Cruises
Ruffino
UNO de 50
Johnny Was
Desert Jet
Boisset Collection
Evian
Badoit
Caliente Tropics
Il Corso
Leon’s Landscaping &
Tree Service
Itex
LE CHIEN SPONSORS PRESENTING
Fashion Island Hotel