Pittsburgh gains style ‘cred’ with Style Week

VINTAGE

In 2011, Pittsburgh was ranked the third worst dressed city in the country, and the local fashion community never quite got over it. But last week, Style Week Pittsburgh gave the city something to be proud of with five days of fashion-focused events showcasing local style stars.

“I’m so happy to be working at promoting and advancing style in Pittsburgh,” said Wadria Taylor, the visionary behind Style Week and owner of Style & Steel Event Planning. “It’s so important that we cultivate a space for local talent.”

WADRIA TAYLOR

Style Week kicked off on Aug. 7 at Perle in Market Square with mini fashion shows showcasing local boutiques. The event concluded with a special show featuring pieces by Lana Neumeyer, a Brazilian fashion designer who has lived in Pittsburgh for more than 20 years.

“What (the event’s organizer) Wadria Taylor has done, she’s put a lot of work and effort into and Pittsburgh is the better for it,” said Michael Evan, one of the models in Wednesday’s shows at the launch event.

One of the week’s main events was the Decades Fashion Show at CAVO in the Strip District where guests got a taste of Pittsburgh’s vintage retailers and high-end consignment stores. Part of the proceeds from the event also went to benefit Gwens Girls, a local nonprofit for young women and girls.

“I love the atmosphere here,” said Nicole Manns, owner of Nikki’s Magic Wand, Style Week’s CHIC sponsor. “The fashion shows have been really high energy.”

“I love the outfit pairings and the pieces at the end were outstanding,” said Anqwenique Wingfield, a Pittsburgh vocalist who attended the event.

The evening also featured an individual show by designer Sofiya Mozley, a student from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

“We’re just trying to bring fashion to Pittsburgh,” Mozley said. “Pittsburgh needs fashion and it needs it badly.”

Mozley’s show included a variety of designs that mixed prints, bold colors, and a variety of textures.

“Tonight I wanted to showcase single pieces as opposed to a line since I was the only designer being featured. I decided to showcase unique pieces,” Mozley said. “I like to use a lot of animal prints and color. I like to incorporate as many fabrics and textures as I can.”

DECADES FASHION SHOW—Designer Sofiya Mozley with models. (Photos by Erin Perry)

Earlier in the week on Tuesday, Style Week honored local icons at the Superwomen in Heels Style Awards at the Pittsburgh Winery. The events continued through the weekend with a boutique crawl and photo scavenger hunt on Saturday, which highlighted locations in Downtown and Squirrel Hill, as well as the Broke Little Rich Girl Inc. mobile boutique.

Sunday had something for both men and women. At the Beauty Bootcamp at LaLa’s Salon, guests received the star treatment with style makeovers, manicures, facials and more. That evening, Savoy Restaurant and Lounge hosted Pinstripes To Cuffs, which served as the closing Style Week event.