New York, Paris, Los Angeles. Fashion week has made it’s way to the West Coast! With a week of amazing shows, events and parties, the L.A. Scene is pumped up and ready to go.

Sunday, October 4th, opened up this year’s fashion week with the Art Hearts Opening Gala. Starting at 6pm, it was within the heart of Hollywood at the W Hollywood Hotel on Hollywood Blvd. Unlike your tradition “Gala” this event took on your typical LA night life style. It was held in the outside terrace of the hotel with dim evening lighting, fire pits, outdoor bar and many plush chairs and couches scattered throughout with matching tables. The Opening Gala was accompanied with a step and repeat as entering the outdoor terrace where you could get photos taken in between interviews being help of big names in the LA scene.

I got the chance to mingle and chat with a few amazing people including models, stylists, editors, backstage crew and a few of the amazing designers for the headpieces that will be shown later in the week. Flower Child, Ava Capra and the designer for What A Betty were just two of my favorites that I got the chance to network with.

One of the major attractions at the Gala was a chance to have a mini head shot photo-shoot with Irvin Rivera who has an ongoing project by the name of Portraits of Hope. Each donation goes to their selected beneficiaries. An amazing cause and exquisite photos, all for a suggested donation of $20!

After a few hours of socializing, a few drinks and enjoying one another’s company, everyone split ways to gear up for Monday’s showings being held right down the road at the Taglyan Complex.

Day one:
Sue Wong

Day one begins with such glamor and elegance. Walking into the Taglyan Complex, you feel as if you are walking into a castle. The outdoor stairs and garden was lined with red velvet ropes and red carpet leading to the Art Hearts Fashion Week step-and-repeat and on into the building. As you walk in, your led into a wide hallway/common area dripping in granite, marble and adorned with massive chandeliers and floral arrangements by Mosaic Floral Design. Here is where we, all the invited guests, snagged drinks, chatted, took photos and waited patiently for the doors to be let open to the first show.

The opening designer for this year’s LAFW was the extremely gorgeous and talented Sue Wong. The room was packed and flooded as hundreds filed in to claim their seats and watch the well awaited magic to hit the runway.

The show opened up with Sue being awarded an award from the LA government along with an Lifetime Achievement award from The Princely Awards and the Royal Family- Schaumburg-Lippe-Nachod. Such a warm, heartfelt moment as the leading members of the family stood alongside Wong to present her with this award. Wong’s closing words to open up the show, “Life is a Masquerade.”

A masquerade indeed. Sue Wong’s runway presentation was far from dull. Extravagance and beauty all wrapped into one with a side of alchemy. The title of her Spring 2016 line is Alchemy and Masquerade and viewers received just that at last night’s runway show. The show opens up with your traditional, delicate ball gowns. Amazing metallic embroidery, beading and splashes of crystals and rhinestones layered on top of layers of tulle, chiffon and silks. We begin the show in in a realm of soft pastels and neutrals but spiking you here and there with edgy fully sequined gowns and spiked headdresses. Sue plays with a few jeweled tone gowns as well leading up to a far more severe part of the show. Wong takes the crowd into a dark and spooky era playing off the vibe of Phantom of the Opera. All black lace, silk and tulle gowns swept onto the runway with black feathers, black roses and my all time favorite was a massive corset with horns resembling a ram leading to the back of the gown. There was a head piece that had black candle lights with black birds. A masterpiece.

Closing the show, nothing but extreme works of arts. Going into an all white crystal wonderland, Sue created full gowns resembling wedding dresses, adorned with all white feathers, pearls and crystals. The headdresses were like chandeliers on the heads of the models with hanging crystals and feathers and jewels. This part of the show came near to a close with an extremely edgy red, structured leotard with a light weight tulle train. Such a strong piece in itself but worn with a 2ft tall spiked mo-hawk headdress! This, I have to say, was my favorite piece of them all! It gave the crowd sexy, severity, elegance and surprise!

Sue Wong definitely lived up to her name and her awards with these stunning garments and she left the crowd wanting nothing more. Everything was delivered to us last night on golden platter.