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New design destination

Nova Fashion Week organizers hope to make D.C. a cutting edge hub 

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Washington has never been known as a fashion town but there’s a movement brewing that wants to change that perception.

This weekend top designers and their models will unveil eye-catching new looks for their spring/summer 2011 lines ranging from elegant high-end evening wear for men and women to urban skateboard punk-chic hoodies.

It’s all on the high fashion runway at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center (5000 Seminary Road, Alexandria —note the location change from what was originally announced) through Sunday in Old Town Alexandria — and well worth seeing it up close. More than 50 top area models will glide, turn, vamp and pose.

It’s the second annual charities benefit Nova Fashion Week. Last year it drew a crowd of about 4,000 onlookers — including store buyers and lifestyle fashionistas — to check out the next big things in wardrobe and accessories. Organizers say a last-minute change in locale was required by the city.

This weekend’s event follows on the heels of Georgetown’s mid-September Fashion Night Out and features the bold-colored newest look from gay designer Ra’mon Lawrence Coleman, the Minneapolis-based “Project Runway” alum. Ra’mon shows his new collection “Give Them Grace” — built around the iconic and androgynous look of actress and performer Grace Jones — at 8 p.m. Saturday.

“A lot of people say that the D.C. area is not a trendsetter, but I beg to differ,” says Fashion Week executive director Andrew Roby. “Because we do have talented designers here. And we are also drawing designers from California and the Caribbean, so there’s diversity.”

“There are simply no set boundaries in this industry,” says Roby, at 28 an experienced event planner but also for several years earlier in this decade a model himself.

He got his own start in fashion in 2003 planning shows for — yes, it’s hard to believe — the U.S. Army, where he staged fashion events for BOSS (Better Opportunities for Single Servicemembers), which offers recreation and leisure activities for  unmarried soldiers who make up more than a third of those in uniform. Roby says D.C. can rival the other fashion centers like New York or Milan in time.

The high-end fashion industry has long defined itself as an art form as well as a commercial enterprise. Much of its cachet was rooted in its perceived “haute couture” exclusivity. The sky-high prices could therefore be justified. After all, creativity must be cultivated. Artists cost money. And the field comes also with an overlay of snobby privilege that can easily shade over into the snotty.

But that’s not the flavor of Nova Fashion Week, which Roby intends to be accessible and wide-ranging in its tastes. The designers will show their latest lines for spring and summer — and don’t be surprised if you see such styles catch on, eventually anyway. For what starts at the top of the fashion pyramid usually shows up later, knocked-off and displayed on mass-market mannequins.

This weekend in Alexandria locals can see some of each — the high-end and the low-cost — and pick out what works starting tonight at 8 with the high-end of true haute-couture (French for high-sewing) of the KAS Collection, and ending at 5 p.m. Sunday with the street savvy of the urban skater-punk of DURKL 2047.

This weekend’s featured designers are:

KAS COLLECTION — 8 p.m. Friday

These are the highly exclusive, upscale urban designs of D.C.-based Kenneth E. Flanagan, proprietor of the House of KAS. He has incorporated the names of his two daughters, Alexis and Sydney, into his nameplate. Since 1996, his specialty is sophisticated eveningwear and high-style business suits for both men and women. Self-taught, he designs for political figures and entertainment and sports superstars including hip-hop musicians and music video models.

NATALIA SANZ — 2 p.m. Saturday

Chic, modern and sleek and inspired, she says, by “architecture and geometry,” this is the signature look of Natalia Sanz. A Maryland native trained in fashion design at Miami International University of Art and Design, she then returned to the D.C. area and now produces two collections each year from her studio in Silver Spring. Her spring 2011 collection, she says, will show “vivid colors and feminine silhouettes, inspired by ancient Greek draping.”

AIDAH COLLECTION — 5 p.m. Saturday

Since the launch of the Aidah Collection in spring 2008, the designer Aidah Fontenot has proclaimed her fashion philosophy this way: “Be unique. Be confident. Be sexy.” And she sees her hand-made designs of one-of-a-kind pieces as “inspired by the organic beauty of nature within urban existence.”

RA’MON LAWRENCE COLEMAN — 8 p.m. Saturday

Ra’mon Coleman, a gay, 32 year-old Chicago-born designer, vaulted to fame from his 2009 appearance on the reality TV “Project Runway” design competition. Ra’mon calls himself “the thinking man’s designer” and shows his work through the Mudd label for the giant mid-priced Kohl’s department store chain. But for Fashion Week, he will showing his newest designs for both men and women. His colors will be bold, he says, some inspired by the style of Grace Jones, and also featuring a futuristic spin, forecasting a look for then year 2033.

ELIZABETH ST JOHN — 1 p.m. Sunday

The daughter of a master tailor and a fourth-generation designer, Elizabeth St John apprenticed as a designer at age 5 in her mother’s workshop. But then at the University of Maryland, she turned to a degree in environmental studies and for more than a decade worked in rainforest preservation.

This led, last spring, to her Eco-Couture line of bridal and eveningwear, combining flirtation and femininity with classic elegance. By 2012 she hopes her Silver Spring studio with be completely solar- and wind-powered.

ANDREW HARRIS — 3 p.m. Sunday

Guyana-born and educated and now Barbadian-based, Andrew Harris Jr. has been labeled “the Prince of Caribbean men’s designs.” He established his men’s wear label in 2007, showing vintage cuts tempered with modern styling in cottons and linens. In 2008, he won the Carifesta X design competition in Guyana as “designer of the year,” beating out six competitors.

DURKL 2047 — 5 p.m. Sunday

Thirty-year-old Will Sharp is cutting edge urban punk. His label name “DURKL” is intentionally absurd and 2047 is simply another way to say 24/7, in other words, the designs are for around the clock, for “whenever.” The label is deliberately “flashy” and “inspired,” says Sharp, “by formerly hilarious trends and seventh grade dances,” with its mission proclaimed with a touch of irony as “high quality, low standards.” DURKL’s warehouse store is at 443 Eye St., N.W. and its distinctive look in street wear – hats, graphic T-shirts and sweats – can also be found at Palace 5ive, D.C.’s skater shop, also with a big collection of sneakers and a hip-hop funkadelic beat.

All the Nova Fashion Week events are at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. Ticket prices for each show mostly range from $50 for front rows to $10 farther back. Proceeds will go to various charities, including the Lupus Foundation of America, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Baby Haven.

To purchase tickets and for more information on the event and designers, go here.

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Bars & Parties

MAL kicks off Jan. 11 with Bootcamp

Mid-Atlantic Leather begins with party at Bunker

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MAL Weekend kicks off next week. (Image courtesy of Bunker)

Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend arrives next week with a kickoff event Thursday, Jan. 11 from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. at Bunker. Organizers at Kinetic promise a surprise drill sergeant who will whip you into shape. Joshua Ruiz DJs the event. This event is for VIP pass holders only; visit kineticpresents.com for details.

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Bars & Parties

A roundup of New Year’s Eve parties in D.C.

Celebrate the start of 2024 in style

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Xavier Entertainment LLC will host the seventh annual Times Square NYE Celebration at 10 p.m. at Ivy City Smokehouse. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

New Year’s Eve 2024 at Lost Society will be at 7 p.m. at Lost Society. There will be unique entertainment all night along with a journey of the senses through captivating light shows and LED displays, music, and bottle service presentations throughout the evening. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Busboys and Poets will host New Year’s Eve Open Mic and Party at 10 p.m. at 2021 14th St., N.W. This will be an evening of poetry, live DJ, dancing, food, and good company in a vibrant atmosphere where local artists take the stage, showcasing their talents in various genres. The night will be hosted by the talented Charity Blackwell and will feature award-winning poet Black Chakra. Dyanna Monet will deejay. Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

QueerTalk DC will host Sapphic New Year’s Celebration at 8 p.m. at FigLeaf Bar & Lounge. The event will celebrate Sapphic, trans, and non-binary communities and feature complimentary hors D’oeuvres, a Champagne toast and DJ sets by DJ Clamazon and DJ Q. For more details, visit Eventbrite

The Queers Upstairs will host Heels & Ties: A Queer New Years Eve Surprise at 9 p.m. at Aliceanna Social Club. This evening will be an unforgettable LGBTQ New Year’s Eve party where you can sip your favorite cocktails and enjoy small bites while dancing the night away with music from DJ Rosie & DJ Missy. Tickets start at $30 and can purchased on Eventbrite

BuffBoyzz Gay-Friendly Male Strip Clubs will host a male revue that caters to men and women at 8 p.m. at Buffboyzz Male Strippers. The event will be an exciting, entertaining and sexy show of exotic male dancers in that will entertain your pants off. Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

International Events Washington DC will host the 2024 Black Tie New Year’s Eve Gala at 7:30 p.m. at the Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. There will be free-flowing Champagne, an open bar, a spectacular balloon drop in the Euro Discotheque Ballroom and live bands and DJs. For dinner, guests can choose from an elegant sit-down, three-course dinner with Champagne or a dinner buffet of international cuisine. Tickets start at $189 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Social Architects will host the 12th Annual New Year’s Eve Casino Night at 8 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Arlington, Va. There will be six rooms of entertainment spread across three floors. The DJs will spin hip hop, R&B, salsa, Afrobeats and old school music. Tickets start at $60 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

Pitchers and A League of Her Own will host a NYE party with complimentary Champagne toast at midnight, party favors, and a DJ all night long.

Shaker’s plans a drag extravaganza with Tatianna and Crystal Edge among others starting at 10:30 p.m.; the $10 cover includes a glass of Champagne. 

Bunker hosts a 12-hour masquerade ball with several DJs, including Joe Gauthreaux. The party starts at 9 p.m. and goes until 9 a.m. on Jan. 1. Tickets start at $45 and are available at bunkerdc.com.

DJ Alex Love spins NYE at Dirty Goose with drink specials at midnight.

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Bars & Parties

Labor Day sees return of SunFestival to Rehoboth Beach

DJs, live auction, comedy and more planned for end-of-summer bash

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A scene from previous SunFestival celebrations. (Blade file photo by Daniel Truitt)

Labor Day Weekend in Rehoboth Beach brings more than the end of summer — it brings the annual SunFestival celebration benefitting CAMP Rehoboth.

The weekend promises two nights of revelry with entertainers and nationally known DJs creating the “ultimate party to close out summer” Sept. 2-3.

Saturday’s $45 general admission tickets are sold out but you can join a waitlist at the event’s website. That ticket grants you access to a comedy show and an auction where you can bid on six experiences like an eight-day boat tour through Belgium and the Netherlands or a week’s stay in Lisbon, Portugal. Organizations have donated these experiences to CAMP to auction off, with all proceeds going to the organization.

The $95 pass to both nights is also sold out. But general admission tickets for the Sept. 3 dance party starting at 7 p.m. with DJs Robbie Leslie and Joe Gauthreaux remain available. CAMP Rehoboth promises a “state-of-the-art club-like atmosphere,” with new design elements and video imaging.

Visit camprehoboth.com for tickets and more information. The weekend’s schedule is below:

Saturday, Sept. 2: A Night of Comedy, Drag, and Song, plus a LIVE Auction! (Doors Open at 6:30 p.m. Auction and show promptly start at 7:30 p.m.) Featuring Dixie Longate and Randy Roberts.

Serving up Tupperware lady realness, join in Dixie’s living room party and all its hilarity. Randy Roberts brings thrills with uncanny impersonations of iconic female vocalists and cabaret.

Experience a night filled with laughter and song as these talented performers will lift your spirits and tickle your funny bone. And not to be missed: the live auction. Check out the live auction items camprehoboth.com/sunfest2023live.

Sunday Sept. 3: A Night of Dance. (Doors open at 7 p.m. Dance ends at 1 a.m.) Featuring DJ Robbie Leslie and DJ Joe Gauthreaux.

Both DJs will offer an unforgettable musical journey starting with classic mirror ball memories, dance floor anthems, and the latest club beats, according to a CAMP Rehoboth statement. Events are held at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, which CAMP promises will be transformed “into the ultimate dance party to close out the summer.”

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