Pink carpet + Top 40 hits + fashionable guests + beautiful art = the most wonderful of equations to sum up Gainesville Fashion Week’s opening night.
The exclusive event and art show made a grand impression Wednesday night in Gainesville as it marked the first night of the four-day extravaganza.
Guests were greeted by paparazzi, snapping shots of them walking the eye-catching carpet. Dressed to the nines, guests entered Sharab, an upscale bar, hookah lounge and dance club downtown.
Student relations director Kristi Desoiza and art event director Ching-Ya Ni coordinated the event.
“It’s a great turnout,” Desoiza said. “There’s such a beautiful ambiance.”
The DJ spun a creative house mix of the latest Top 40 hits as guests entered the club. The photo booth located on the first floor was a huge crowd-pleaser, as attendants eagerly entered the booth to take candid shots.
The second floor walls of the lounge were bursting with original art pieces by talented artists.
The art included captivating pieces by Ted Lincoln, Tony Feria and other skillful artists who used different media to make their elegant pieces. Lincoln’s “To The Wind,” made with sumi ink, acrylic and automotive, is GFW’s featured piece that will be sold along with about 40 other pieces from different designers Friday at the Gala for the Arts. A portion of the proceeds from the auction will go toward GFW’s Rocket for the Arts, a non-profit organization centered on creating quality youth programs in Alachua County.
Food provided by Rolls ‘N Bowls and The Truffle Cake Co. were perfectly placed on the bar counters, and attendees mingled and enjoyed themselves.
Entertainment included a special performance by John J. Jordan, who belted out songs that included acoustic covers of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” and Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours.”
The club’s patio allowed a stage for two artists to create live art. Evan Poirier, who has worked with GFW for the past three years, said he was being motivated by the music that blared from the speakers connected to his iPhone. He worked precisely with paint spray cans and permanent markers on his piece, which will also be sold at the auction.
Hector Galvez, who has also worked with GFW since 2009, worked on his piece, which consisted of a blank canvas covered with strips of tape, creating fun illusions as he sprayed paint.
As the end of the event approached, Desoiza remarked that she and the rest of the GFW crew were “absolutely ecstatic” with the outcome of the event.
As for the enthusiasm and spirit for the upcoming events, Desoiza added, “We don’t even need energy drinks. We’re already bouncing off the walls.”