The line formed early and grew long April 6 outside the Metroplex in west Little Rock. As it always does the first Saturday in April. Yep, it was time for the annual Designers Choice Fashion Preview. Twelfth annual, to be exact.
This year's event bore a blackout-party theme, which showed up via glow-stick-twirling dancers and a glow-in-the-dark aerial silks performance. Attendees were given glow sticks and glow tubes as party favors.
A VIP reception afforded its ticket holders the opportunity to enjoy drinks and heavy hors d'oeuvres as well as meet and take photos with actor and celebrity co-host Morris Chestnut.
Chestnut teamed up with KLRT's Donna Terrell to steer the evening, whose purpose is to display the talents of Arkansas designers. Drawing ooohs, ahhhs and cheers from the audience were the creations of Bruce Davis, Crystal Hamilton, Dalun Smith, Donna Brown, Markia Herron, Nichelle Terry, Oliver Michael Fitzpatrick and Tremaine Pollydore, along with fashionable treasures from Tonia Grant's Bag It Up Boutique. The show concluded with a bevy of flowing black gowns by the "DCFP All Stars": Korto Momolu, Ruby Moore, Shonda Ali Shamaa and Teiraney Ousley. DJ Nick Hud took turns with the Rodney Block Collective, and vocalist Bijoux, to provide a musical soundtrack for the show.
Fashion segments were interspersed with host banter, remarks by sponsors, a performance by the children involved with the Timmons Arts Foundation, the beneficiary of the event, and remarks by the foundation's -- and Designers Choice Fashion Preview's -- visionary, Theresa Timmons-Shamberger. The Timmons Foundation partners with school districts to provide musical instruments and art supplies to schools that are short on them.
High Profile on 04/14/2019