Chatting with 18-year-old Julia Chew, a designer at Christian Fashion Week
Our tbt* colleague Robbyn Mitchell brings us news of Christian Fashion Week, a first-of-its-kind show coming to Tampa this weekend.
The concept: Fashion can be edgy and chic without showing too much skin.
Robbyn interviewed Julia Chew, an 18-year-old Christian designer who learned how to sew her own clothes while being homeschooled in Tampa. Here's a tidbit from their Q&A:
Does being a Christian affect your designs? "It affects my designs very much. As a Christian, I like to present women and girls with clothes that are feminine that also honors their bodies. I like to make clothing that I think looks beautiful but I try to stay away from things that are obviously revealing."
So, no short skirts or plunging necklines in your latest collection? "People have different levels of modesty. So, I try to stay away from saying my clothes are being modest. … Christian Fashion Week had given guidelines and rules, such as they didn't want skirts to be shorter than 4 inches above the knee. That really helped. And that's a decent amount. I want women and girls to know it's not just what they wear, it's how they present themselves that matters."
Read the whole thing here. You can find Chew's nature-inspired, hand-sewn garments at her Etsy shop.
She's the youngest of 13 designers who will be featured at the runway show. Doors open at 5 p.m. Saturday at the LSA Hall at 4810 N Howard Ave., Tampa.
There's also a swimsuit show, which is not open to men. It starts at 6 p.m. The main show is at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $45 in advance and $50 at the door.
Go to christianfashionweek.com for more information.
What do you think of this alternative to New York Fashion Week, divas? Anyone planning to check out the show this weekend? We expect a full report.
Deal Diva Katie
(Photo: A Julia Chew design provided by AP)
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