austin fashion week
Savannahred's curvy couture: AFW opens its doors to plus-size fashion
Austin Fashion Week took one step in the right direction last night by accepting its first designer that caters specifically to plus-sized women.
The only plus-sized designer in Austin, Anslee Connell—owner, creator and producer of Savannahred—was ecstatic to be featured for the first time at AFW. She was, as a result, the highlight of the show.
Lovely Austin on South 1st Street hosted Destination Curvy Couture at 6 p.m. The event was flight-themed, as Connell is admittedly obsessed with aviation (she comes from a family of pilots).
Walking up to the boutique’s front lawn, guests were greeted with travel-themed snacks, drinks and décor. Brass trees were adorned with brightly colored, origami paper airplanes; the women working the event sported bright red lipstick, fifties clothing and retro flight-attendant hair-dos.
The fashion show's take-off was a tad delayed, not starting until about 7:30 p.m. But by then the flight deck was packed, leaving anxious on-lookers to stand on the lawn or find make-shift seats on the curb.
Once Connell took the stage, though, the audience saw the designer’s exuberance, stamina and determination as she gave a quick introduction, thanking the companies that made her show a reality (including delicious snacks by Beanitos The Bean Chips, A Salubrious Sauces & Catering Co., The Hot Dang, The Pie Society, hosting by Lovely Austin, and the surprisingly addicting First Class Jetsetter Cocktail by 360 Vodka).
And then the show was off. Savannahred had twenty models, all size 12 and up and sporting Connell's Spring 2012 Jetsetter Collection. The clothes were unmistakably retro and paid homage to Betsy Johnson. The fabrics were lightweight and casual. Her designs boasted a-line dresses, high waists, tailored skirts and an overall classic vintage aesthetic, with really fun patterns and playful Spring colors.
The jewelry was designed by Milli Starr and Simmang Design jewelry. And both hair and makeup were straight out of a fifties pilots’ manual, with Kendall Koehler of Mayhem Beauty directing classic up-dos and dramatic hair flips and Kandy Glass of facekandy painting the bright lips and bold eyes.
Aside from the few technical difficulties of a slightly disorganized show (the models being a bit amateur, the snack table being without plates, the venue being without enough seats and the weather being so damn hot), the flight was a success.
Despite the show’s flaws, the mere fact that Austin has a plus-sized designer to cater to a growing population in need of attention speaks to the increasingly inclusive character of our Austin fashion community.
Connell says that she wants plus-sized women to be empowered by their bodies, to know that they are fabulous and to know that “there is a plus sized designer in Austin” who will cater to their individual needs.
Both Connell and her designs are rambunctious, energetic and full of potential. She thinks that, with this community’s help, her brand—and her designs—will continue to grow “in a big way…(no pun intended).”