“Living Waters” Charity Benefit and Fashion Show

One of my dear blogger friends- Stephanie Green- who is also designer extraordinaire, showcased her line “La Belle Fleur” at a charity fashion show recently in one of my favorite cities- Palm Springs. The show “Living Waters” was put on by the Young Designer’s Program of the Palm Springs Fashion Council and took place in the outdoor courtyard of Star View Restaurant. The event was hosted and produced by Jasmin Aleman, along with Aubrey Ward- who also directed it. Jasmin, who is still in high school, produced the entire event to help raise money for Charity Water- a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries. There were four brands that showcased pieces from their collections: Stephanie Green, Paul Lopez, Steven Lopez and Rachel’s Secret. Costume designer Steven Lopez showed us some amazing gowns from his “Disney Princess” collection. We saw a couple looks from Rachel’s Secret- a boutique located in the exclusive El Paseo area of Palm Springs. I was so impressed from look one when Stephanie’s “La Belle Fleur” collection went down the runway. This ambitious girl is a senior in high school and is very talented! Her passion for fashion began when she was a junior. She didn’t have much time for herself, let alone finding a dress for prom, with all her extra-curriculars; so she made her prom dress entirely out of newspaper and packing tape. After the dance, she received numerous press and since then, she has established herself as the Young Designer’s Program youth advisor and of couse- designer. Her Fall/Winter collection is inspired by the feminine woman with an edge. According to Stephanie, “Each design plays the two roles of beauty and elegance, but also a wild temptress. I use a lot of color contrast to exemplify this inspirational idea…As a designer, and a woman, comfortability and confidence is everything. I design clothes to make those standards easy…” My favorite looks from her collection was a silk maxi dress with floral chiffon overlay. It’s perfect for Spring and the floral is on-trend. I also enjoyed the bridal collection, very romantic and whimsical. Check out Stephanie’s website and blog for more information! Mr. Aubrey Ward showcased a few dresses from his 2010 couture collection. LOVED the fitted black lace gowns…simple yet dramatic! The last designer we saw was Paul Lopez and his bridal collection. Every piece was stunning and truly exceptional, since he is a one-man show…doing all the sewing and styling himself. He draws his inspiration from everyday women and from his Grandmother’s taste in dressing, along with Spanish flare. Because his gowns are so exclusive and his does everything himself, his work doesn’t go less than $1,300. Paul is definitely one to watch when it comes to designing your gown for your perfect day. More information can be found on his facebook. The show was such a huge success and I’m looking forward to seeing more from Stephanie, Aubrey, Steven, Paul and the Palm Springs Fashion Council!