From Formal To Fun, Ebony Fashion Fair A Showcase For Styles

“The Great Fashion Mix,” sponsored by EBONY magazine, offered the unique opportunity for many people to experience first-hand the haute couture and ready-to-wear collections of famous designers.

Eunice Johnson, producer and director of the EBONY Fashion Fair, spends countless hours searching the top design houses worldwide to bring the newest, most sensational styles to the runways of 178 cities in the United States and Canada.

We are fortunate - Spokane was the only city in the Pacific Northwest chosen to experience this annual fashion extravaganza, which took place last Tuesday night.

More than 600 people took advantage of this special opportunity and gathered at the Spokane Ag Trade Center to view fashions that ran the spectrum from conservative business attire to outrageous street clothes.

By far the most popular styles with the audience were the Grand Finale outfits featuring stunning evening gowns by Sarli, Louis Feraud Couture, Christian Lacroix and Gattinoni Couture.

Sheer chiffon gowns decorated with strategically placed cut velvet leaves, body-hugging tiger prints, velour evening wear, and brilliant colors of magenta, purple and orange were greeted with enthusiasm.

The style show has been sponsored locally for 11 years by the Spokane chapter of The Links, Inc., which raised more than $15,000 to help fund its service projects.

Fannie Bush, president of the Spokane chapter, said the main service project of the Spokane chapter is “Project Lead - High Expectations!”

This project is designed to address the needs of at-risk youth in prevention of teenage pregnancy, alcohol and other drug abuses; promote positive academic choices, teach students to deal effectively with peer pressure, introduce social graces and present survival skills.

Additionally, The Links has been active internationally through the “School In a Box” program, supplying books and other supplies to help establish schools in Rwanda.

The group also supports other local programs including Blanket of Hope, Koats for Kids, and Warm-Up Spokane.

The Links is an organization of 9,600 women with 268 chapters in the United States and abroad. It was founded more than 50 years ago in Philadelphia with the purpose of improving and promoting the quality of life within our communities.

Membership to the organization is by invitation only, but the annual fashion show is open to the public.