Kansas City fashion designers celebrated the start of summer at the 2014 Rock the Block fashion show. (Logo property of Rock the Block)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Hundreds of Kansas Citians gathered at the Power and Light District on an unusual chilly Friday night to celebrate the best in fashion in Kansas City.
Co-hosts Jenny Matthews (Mix 93.3) and Nikki Vivas (Mix 93.3/KCWE-TV) kicked off the fifth annual event by presenting an honorary runway walk by the pups of Wayside Waifs (A portion of the 2014 Rock the Block’s proceeds went to the shelter).
The fashionable pups were prepared with colorful leashes that were inspired by fashion bloggers (and local residents) Fashion Column Twins, kimberlyloc and Pretty, Polished, Perfect. While each of the dogs were nicely trimmed, some of them were shy for their big runway moment and needed encouragement from the audience to enter or exit the runway.
One of the biggest scene-stealers of the night was Envolve Boutique. This downtown boutique’s goal is to have customers be elegant and fearless with their clothes, plus look fabulous with their fun and flirty fashion selections. As the Patrick Lentz Band rocked the house with a medley that included “I Want You Back,” “Royals” and “My Name Is,” the Envolve models debuted outfits that brought a taste of Coachella to Kansas City.
Up next, the fashionistas at Zafar Salon, Spa & Boutique shared the latest trends in summer sophistication with the crowd. Accompanied by DJ Ashton Martin, one of the Midwest’s premier DJs, Zafar’s star quality models strutted across the runway and received the loudest cheers of the night.
Following a short intermission, the program continued with its Third Annual Impression Award. This award recognizes local achievement in fashion, art and design. This year’s recipient was Kansas City Fashion Week President Teisha Barber, who has helped successfully increase Kansas City’s presence in the fashion world. The Kansas City Fashion Week Board accepted the award on Ms. Barber’s behalf.
The final presentation of the night represented six designers that were featured in the Garment District. Each brand showcased their points-of-view particularly well. While Fitness Culture had outfits that would be popular in any CrossFit or yoga gym, Eye Candy Boutique delivered bold and solid colors that would make any girl feel like a modern-day Disney princess.
