Erica Sagon, The Arizona Republic
Up-and-coming designers behind eight clothing and accessories labels – and one furniture line – staged runway shows on Wednesday night, the third day of Phoenix Fashion Week. The two-hour show got an unconventional start: male models pushed chairs and ottomans from Scottsdale furniture-maker D. Frank Designs down the runway. Women were perched on the chairs for the furniture-meets-fashion show.

Everything from swimsuits and workout gear to couture gowns and flirty party dresses followed.

Here’s a look at the eight other designers and brands featured at the show in Scottsdale’s SouthBridge District:


-Boston swimsuit designer Lindsay Condron showed off her likable Hamptons-inspired bikinis, adorned with argyle, sailboat and watermelon prints.

– T-shirts-and-jeans were the bread-and-butter for Muze Apparel of Scottsdale. Onlookers in the front row got a better glimpse: They could see that the men’s and women’s T’s feature famous movie quotes.

– Clean-lined, pebbled-leather handbags from Argentinean brand Peter Kent were shown in bright colors, plus black and white. The shapes ranged from totes and hobos to cone-shaped backpacks and men’s satchels.

– Femme Athletic, a line of workout gear from Phoenix Fashion Week organizer Brian Hill, featured sports bras, tanks, hot shorts and capris that have special iPod pockets.

– One model in the Vicomte Arthur show appeared shirtless, wearing just five ties wrapped around his neck and arms. The rest of the guys sporting this preppy French line dressed in colorful polos, blazers with embroidered emblems and collegiate-striped ties.

– Crowd favorite V Marie, the line by Phoenix designer Rickie Gonzales, showcased mostly mini dresses with feminine detailing. A standout: a pink, floral-embroidered flowing dress with a ruffled double-v neck.

– Aiming to capture the Las Vegas pool-party lifestyle, super-skimpy bikinis from Syrup Swimwear got the crowd buzzing (and calculating how much time they’d need to spend at the gym to wear one). The styles ranged from a sleek snakeskin-print bandeau to an islandy string bikini trimmed with shells.

– Phoenix couture designer Debra Davenport ended the night with feminine flair. Her collection spanned from swimsuits to floor-length gowns. Her tricks: criss-crossing and tiered strips of fabric, trails of buttons down the backs of dresses, and sheer, flowing fabrics used in unexpected ways.

Seven more designers will put on runway shows on Thursday night.

Louise Lee, who splits her time between Scottsdale and Canada, said she came to the show because was curious about what’s happening in fashion beyond the mall and chain stores. “Being an absolute shopper, I wanted to see what the local market is doing,” said Lee, 56. Her favorite runway show was by Davenport.

“I liked her use of fabric,” said Lee, who admired a black one-piece bathing suit with a mesh cut-out on the stomach.

Michael Sims, the co-owner of Scottsdale-based Muze Apparel, said Phoenix Fashion Week has not only been a venue for him to promote his line but a way to develop camaraderie with other up-and-coming designers.

“It’s a tight-knit group of people who want to see each other succeed,” he said. “I didn’t recognize that until tonight.”