Austin Fashion Week 2011 & Austin Street Style: Matt.

Mr. Austin Fashion Week, Matt Swinney.

At school today, I had the joy of listening to Matt Swinney, founder of Launch787, talk about Austin Fashion Week. I learned about how much goes into the process of creating AFW, and how someone who looks like Mr. Swinney can have a hard time "herding people who don't want to be herded." I also discovered that AFW is not all about the sexy bits of the fashion industry--there's still trash that needs to be taken out, coffee that needs to be fetched.Also, there's a lot riding on Austin Fashion Week, as it is named after the city. "It takes balls to associate an event with the city. If I screw up, it screws it up for the whole city...If I think about that too hard, I need to go have a drink."

That's why it's such a relief that the community has taken a liking to AFW. Last year alone, over 12,000 people went to various events during Austin Fashion Week. Swinney would like to see that number grow this year to 20,000.This year, AFW will take place from the 20th through the 27th of August.

The breakdown is simple: Saturday is the Austin Fashion Week Kickoff at the Cowboy Harley Davidson Showroom.

From Sunday-Friday there will be showcases throughout different parts of Austin, and Monday-Friday will also have runway presentations.

Monday has accessories, jewelry will be shown on Tuesday, and Wednesday-Friday will be broken up by resort, "edgy/funky", and evening wear.

Saturday wraps it all up with the Austin Fashion Awards, followed by the official Austin Fashion Awards After-Party.

Sounds like a fab time, and I cannot wait!If you're interested in volunteering for Austin Fashion Week, e-mail them at volunteers@launch787.com. Visit the Austin Fashion Week website for more details.

Thanks to Austin Fashion Week for the posters.

Sweet Home Dream Pie Social, ATX Fashion Week 2010, & SXSW2010!

This Saturday is the 2nd Sweet Home Dream Pie Social. Part of the grassroots movement 'ServeADream', the event strives to achieve equality by bringing back the tradition of pie socials.

The event celebrates not only the community but also raises money to support other community projects, as all donations will be donated to the Sweet Home Restoration Fund.

The Sweet Home Dream Pie Social starts at 2PM and lasts until 4 at the Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church, located at 1725 West 11th Street. There will be a Dream Pie Contest, along with a Silent Pie Auction. If you are interested in finding out more information, along with pie donations, go to ServeADream.org.

Austin bloggers, let me know if you're planning on going! If I have my car by then (transmission is currently being replaced), I'll definitely be there.

Fashaustinistas (I dare you to say it ten times fast), Launch 787 has announced this year's Austin Fashion Week dates.

Moved to August, the week-long fashionable extravaganza will be kicked off on the 14th (making Austin Fashion Week a true Leo), with an "over-the-top" fashion show.

From the 15th-20th, there will be over 150 events, including runway shows, trunk shows and then to what I can finally attend as I will be 21--cocktail parties!

On the final day, August 21st, there will be the Austin Fashion Awards, celebrating the city's most unique and creative designers.

Of course, after the Fashion Awards there will be an after-party.

All the locations for the events have yet to be determined, but you can go to FashionWeekAustin.com to sign up for their e-mail list so you don't miss out on any of the events! At their website you can also find information about working at the events as a model, hair-stylist, makeup artist, or photographer. They are also accepting retailers, salons, and Texas-based designers to showcase. Follow them on Twitter @ATXFashionWeek .

I am very excited for Austin Fashion Week, and hopefully the promoters have worked all the kinks out from the issues that seemed to make last year's events less than lively.

P.S. 1/12: Found out my school is going to let me skip class if I volunteer at South By Southwest! Hopefully all the cards will fall into place for this!

Thanks to Google Images for the pie photo,
ATX Fashion Week for their logo, as well as SXSW2010 for theirs!

Austin's First Fashion Week.

Monday, July 13th, kicked off the first-ever Austin Fashion Week. Celebrating fashion-forward Austinites, events include trunk shows, how-tos, the Feathers Blog launch, a silent auction fundraiser, and many more gatherings throughout the week.

Participants include local boutiques, designers, hair stylists, makeup artists, models, photographers, and salons.

Austin Fashion Week leads up to the big finale--the Austin Fashion Awards at the Longs Center! Six UT Fashion Design School students will be showing their creations, along with Project Runway Season 3's Kayne. Octopus Project is also going to perform. You can check out the calendar here.

This week marks back-to-school for me, and also I am utterly broke from visiting my family in Montana. I hope to be able to catch an event or two this week between my busy school-and-work schedule!