Diana Cavagnaro | Downtown News

Fashion Week San Diego

Fashion Week was packed with five days of fashion events at the Port Pavilion on the Broadway Pier in Downtown San Diego. Opening night was filled with The Art and Beauty Behind Fashion. The following three nights featured Runway Shows with 26 emerging designers.

On Thursday night designers Dexter Simmons, Cecilia Aragon and Andre Soriano showcased their collections from the new reality series “Styled to Rock” which will air on the Bravo Network on October 25. The final day finished with a fun trunk show. All the guests could see the collections up close, meet the designers, and purchase the articles. The audience voted for the winning designer, which went to RHCREATION. The runner up was Wishnow and second runner up went to Greenpacha. Founder and director of FWSD this year is Allison Andrews. For upcoming information on FWSD 2014, visit: fashionweeksd.com.

Fashion Forward

San Diego Film Festival added a special section this year with 10 short fashion films. These Fashion Forward films were shown on Saturday, Oct. 5 and are a must for all fashionistas.  Directors Miguel Gauthier and Viktorija Pashuta of the Lovers Game made a Red Carpet appearance. Lovers Game is a 4-minute fashion film with a chess game where the opponent’s move is interpreted through fashion and dance. The film featured creations by well-known fashion designers. Stay tuned for next year’s calendar at: sdfilmfest.com.

Starting up Innovations

Startup Weekend San Diego Fashion Innovations was a 3-day event to educate prospective entrepreneurs on how to launch a new business. Attendees were able to pitch an idea, form a team and turn it into a business. This event was organized by Carol Wafer and Ian Miller and began with several speakers. Shikhir Singh was there from Blackberry and said that the team with the best BlackBerry app would each receive a Limited Edition Red BlackBerry Z10 phone. Nikhil Jain, vice president of technology at Qualcomm Technologies was on hand to demonstrate the Qualcomm Toq Smart Watch. The smart watch has a wireless charging system. Jullan Bryant was moderator of this 54-hour event.

The keynote speaker was Jeanie Haddox who is in charge of the Specialty Leasing Program at The Headquarters at Seaport District. Haddox talked about all the new opportunities for entrepreneurs that will be opening up beginning with the property’s grand opening on Nov. 18.  Haddox spoke about trends in social media and businesses.  The next Startup Weekend will be for Veterans on Nov. 22. Visit: sandiego.startupweekend.org

Strut for Sobriety!

A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing) featured the 9th annual Strut For Sobriety! on Sept. 28 at the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina. Guest emcees were Rory Devine (NBC 7/39) & Geni Cavitt.

“PATH to Recovery Awards” were handed out to David Sheff (author of Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy), Dr. David Bergman (Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCSD and a Distinguished Life Fellow of APA), Marianne McDonald, PH.D, MRIA (Founder of McDonald Center which is now located at Sharp Hospital), Joy Strickland (Mother’s Against Teen Violence), and Leonard Lee Buschel (Writers In Treatment/W.I.T.).

Honorary chair was Linda Marteeny and the event co-chairs were Liz Crocker and Colleen Ruis Ince. Gretchen Productions produced the fashion show, which included an entertaining runway show with talented singers and dancers delighting the audience. The fashions were from Macy’s Westfield Horton Plaza & eveningwear by Macy’s Fashion Valley.

A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing) tries to reduce the stigma associated with addictive illness through education and compassionate support and to advocate for therapeutic rather than punitive drug policies.

Upcoming Events

Nov. 18 – Grand Opening: The Headquarters at Seaport District, located at the San Diego’s historic police station Downtown. This open-air lifestyle center will include specialty fashion shops as well as restaurants and other vendors at 789 West Harbor Drive. Visit: theheadquarters.com.

Nov. 21 – Leonard Simpson’s 10 Best Dressed Awards Gala: 5:30 p.m. at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines to benefit Miracle Babies. Dinner starts at 7 p.m. with aBroadway-style show, followed by dancing. Visit: leonardsimpson10bestdressed.com or call: 858-633-8540.

Nov. 26 – 34th annual Charger Blood Drive: Presented by the San Diego Blood Bank at the Town & Country Hotel. Gretchen Productions will present a fashion show at 6:30 p.m. featuring Charger players and their families on the runway, wearing fashions from several local boutiques. For info: 619-296-6393.

Diana Cavagnaro is a nationally recognized hat designer and milliner, and has been in the fashion business for 30 years. The last 20 of those years she’s operated her business from Downtown San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter, while moonlighting in the Fashion department at San Diego Mesa College. She can be reached at [email protected].