Elevation Magazine honors Southwest designers
Elevate - to empower, to encourage, to enhance. This was the goal six years ago when Jimmy Vaughn, publisher of Elevation Magazine, decided to provide an opportunity to showcase the talents of fashion designers in the Southwest.
“After attending NY Fashion Week for years, I knew that the same talent being presented in NYC was right here in Oklahoma City,” Vaughn said.
So Elevation — The Fashion Show was born.
Talent is not lacking in this part of the country. From showing the personality and personal style for children, by Liz Garfield, to ready-to-wear by UpScales Fashions 43 from Dallas and street wear by SUUDDS, a brand by designer Mathew Bonura, folks will be ready for summer.
Local designer Terri Owens from Made to Order Designs presented an evening wear collection that any woman attending the prestigious New York City MET Ball recently would have had been honored to wear. The creativity of the designers showed the same level of sophistication presented on any runway in New York City, proving that designers from this part of the country can hold their own in the industry.
“Our primary desire is to present the collections of talented designers, as well as show our commitment to supporting organizations that are working to make the quality of life better for Oklahomans,” Vaughn said.
Last month, models walked the runway in a fundraiser for Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease.
“Sickle Cell is the No. 1 blood disorder in the world,” said Velvet Brown Watts, founder of Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell. “Many people do not know that there are 200,000 cases, and 1,500 families are dealing with this medical issue in Oklahoma and 40,000 are carrying the gene. One out of 13 African American babies is born with the sickle cell trait. Our job is to help improve the quality of life for those patients impacted by sickle cell.”
Designer Owens said: “Adding value to Oklahoma is part of my core values. I am committed to sharing my talent to help others.”
At the end of the evening, the audience left the show feeling a high level of self confidence and a sense of responsibility to use their own talent to make Oklahoma a place to be proud of, understanding that everyone has something they can contribute to their community.
To learn more about sickel cell and how you can help in Oklahoma, go towww. sick le oklahoma. org.