Fashion Focus 2011: The Art of Fashion

Chicagoans were dressed to the nines for The Art of Fashion 2011 at Millennium Park this Friday. Among the crowds, I spotted a fully embroidered and sequined blue vintage coat worn with a fur collar, Fendi, Chanel and Louis Vuitton monograms and plenty of high- and low-brow mixing and matching.

The real show, though, took place on the runway. Aside from presenting collections, each designer was invited to create a noncommerical look. Each of the looks were to be auctioned off for charity at the end of the show, meaning the stakes were raised.

Swaby opened the show with an architecturally inspired line of clothing with edgy draping and immaculate pleats; the line screamed avant-garde and wearable at the same time. Businesswoman-turned-fashion-designer Ruchika Singh delivered a line of business-friendly silhouettes with a burst of freshness through its use of bright colors, unexpected details and luxurious fabrics. Giving us a youthful play on geek chic, Zamrie went for the gold. Each shoe and accessory that accompanied her sexy-librarian dresses was completely crave-worthy. Eva Pazola channeled colors from one strong, lasting memory: a sunset in Greece. Her dresses breathed of airy freshness with a tough Nikita undertone. Project Runway, you'll be clamoring for finalist Nora del Busto delivered classic elegance with a twist. Fit for Coco Chanel herself, the black-and-white looks were amazing, but her auction piece made everybody’s jaw drop: a black dress featuring a simple bustier and layers of ruffles that remained open in the front to expose the model’s legs, paired with an equally insane hat.

Props to the designers. Felt like a breath of fresh air in Chicago's fashion scene.