FWTB  

Ben Chmura is showcasing as a special showcase by Tampa Bay Fashion Week sponsor, Jay’s Fabric Center Presents Ben Chmura. After graduating in 2001, with a B.F.A. in Fashion Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design, Ben Chmura’s first independent fashion show Feral was a collection of menswear inspired by the cult classic Mad Max. Recognized as one-to-watch early in his career, Chmura was selected as one of four senior students to discuss his design work and career plans over dinner with Andre Leon Talley, Vogue magazine Editor-at-Large. After living in New York City and freelancing for companies such as TSE, Men’s Express, Ralph Lauren and American Eagle, Chmura returned to Tampa, Fla. and designed several collections including his menswear collection, Red Hood; Ozmapolitan for men and women; Welcome To The Jungle; Azteca; and Venom. A constant in Tampa Bay’s fashion design community, Chmura excels at delivering quality designs and his latest retro-futurism inspirations to his fashion fans locally and beyond. And 2009 sponsor, DeOcaPac Designs joins Fashion Week Tampa Bay for the second year in a row. With an extensive portfolio of marketing plans, Web design and branding, DeOcaPac caters to all of your advertising needs.DeOcaPac provides a unique approach to marketing, which they call: creativeering. Creativeering approaches media advertising using both cumulative and direct marketing, to craft desirable branding for any organization.

We'll be interviewing Michael Della Penna, who was involved passionately with World Hair Championships for over 25 years, showcasing his hair art, fashion and total looks. He has created excitement in many world venues such as Paris, Berlin, Milan, Moscow, Budapest, Amsterdam, Vienna, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Tokyo. He has also won over 20 US titles, the European Championships in Strasbourg, France and the World Championships in Moscow, Russia in 2006. With a life-long passion for design and inspiration from world travel, Michael enrolled in school for Fashion Design, recently graduated with honors and was named Valedictorian. Michael's recent design collection draws inspiration from fashion elements of recent and past decades. His use of captivating fabrics has excited and caught the eyes of beauty and fashion editors from the U.S. and Italy. We'll also speak with, Leslie Joy Ickowitz, Publisher/Editor of Vertical Tampa Bay ~ Tampa Bay’s first virtual magazine celebrating fashion, flavor, travel, culture and beauty is coming this fall.

Sana Hassan has developed a unique style incorporating ancient Indian craftsmanship into contemporary fashion. Sana was born in Bangladesh, Bengali where she studied fashion design and worked with leading fashion designers in Bangladesh. Sana’s goal is to bridge the gap between traditional Indian fashion and modern style and elegance, focusing on the color, pattern, design and feel of the garment which has a universal appeal aimed at today’s lifestyle. Sana will launch her new collection, known for its distinctive style, originality and tasteful fusion of Indian design and western trends, at the 2009 Fashion Week Tampa Bay event. Born and raised in South Florida, Nina Verklas is inspired by the diversity and culture around her, which strongly influences her designs. Nina is ready to strike the industry with a fresh and distinctive look into the future of fashion and her new company, Bambina by NV, Inc. Bambina by NV is a custom-designed clothing company featuring sexy and elegant styles for young women. Nina specializes in ready-to-wear, evening wear and costume design. Not afraid to design with an edge, Nina is known for being inspired by wild prints, upholstery and soft fabrics. Returning to Tampa Bay’s Fashion Week, but this time with her own showcase, Nina will feature her latest collection “Safari Chic” inspired by clippings from National Geographic Magazines.

FWTB Radio will talk with sponsor, FAVE (Female Audio Visual Executives) and 2009 featured fashion designer, Rhonda Shear. FAVE is an organization that aims to encourage young women to go into the AV field as a career, to offer them scholarships, and to provide networking opportunities and continuing education for more seasoned AV professionals. And you'll meet featured Fashion Week Tampa Bay designer and longtime TV personality, Rhonda Shear designs a line of lingerie, shapewear and intimates for women of all sizes. Her designs focus on comfort, support, and of course, allure.

The "B" List represents a brand of noveltees with social messages for today's individual. They advocate for those who wear their clothing to focus on individualism, versus being a distorted representation of pop culture's propaganda. They encourage individuals who identify with their brand to give thought to how they operate, react, respond, and live. Each of their noveltees bear The "B" List staple: a provocative message of being you in a world that dictates what's in or out; and, of course, representing the definition of cool...the definition of you. Their brand demands that you embody a spirit of revolution. Not just for the sake of self-serving rebellion, but by cutting against the grain when it comes to BEing you.