ION Fashion Event 2019
9 Min. Read | Runway | A.M.
Models and fashion designers wait outside the main stage before ION Fashion Event 2019 finale.
Seattle, Washington | 4.30.19
The evening was cool and the air thick and humid from a light rainfall only moments prior. With only an hour before showtime, I entered the venue with a sense of urgency expecting the typical bustle of pre-show activity. Frenetic production managers providing guidance to their teams. Models rushing from chair to chair for hair and makeup styling between fittings. Designers decked with threaded needles issuing instructions to dressers between alterations.
What I found instead as I entered the Nordic Museum was the calm associated with a team on task and energized by a common mission that surpassed the sum of their individual parts. And the night's mission was critical indeed.
F-Factor is a Seattle based non-profit dedicated to empowering youth through fashion. Its board of directors and volunteers are outspoken advocates for at-risk minors in foster care and homelessness whose lives are met with difficulties most can't or won't imagine.
ION Fashion Event is F-Factor's annual fundraiser supporting ongoing workshops and styling sessions as well as their recently acquired The Ruby Room boutique. These sessions teach young people life skills including health and fitness, back-to-school success strategies, and even provide wardrobe for major life events including proms, quinceañeras and job interviews.
“At F-Factor, we believe that clothes can truly impact the way we feel about ourselves,” Executive Director Ellen Young asserts in the event’s promo video. “What we are able to do and accomplish for the youth in our community is so important to their self-worth.”
Five of Seattle’s established fashion designers prepared a mélange of previous collections as well as new commissions to appear before a panel of judges for the chance to be awarded a cash prize. Their newest work would be auctioned in support of F-Factor’s ongoing operations. What represented weeks of work in their spare time was ready for a proper runway debut.
Amanda Lufkin—Men’s Manager and Premier Men’s Designer at Gene Juarez Men in Bellevue, Washington—served on the planning team for ION Fashion Event and worked closely with the fashion designers to ensure their vision for each look was achieved.
“We’re able to push ourselves and each other to grow as artists,” Lufkin reflects. But it’s evident that a passion for something greater fuels their creativity. “One of our real tenants as a company—and really, a part of our culture—is that we’re out in our communities. We’re super passionate about [our] area.”
Gene Juarez Salons and Spas have a long history of outreach in the Puget Sound region. Recent collaborations include 425 Magazine’s Spring Fashion cover story, complimentary services for those in recovery, Fashion is ART and Couture & Cars fashion shows with Fashion District NW and numerous projects with Luly Yang including campaigns for her reimagined Alaska Airlines uniforms. They’ve made it their mission to leave every opportunity more fabulous than they found it, and this evening was no exception.
F-Factor Founder and Executive Director Ellen Young presents opening remarks to a sold-out venue.
Many volunteers replied with equal enthusiasm. If the event’s pressure bore heavily at times, you would never know it. Their camaraderie was evident and created a lively and inviting ambience that passed like an effortless energy from dressing room to coat check. And with less than ten minutes until showtime, their calm would be put to test.
The festivities began with a silent auction and guests were treated to light hors d'oeuvres and apéritifs. Seats were quickly occupied as the sold-out venue filled to capacity. Young gave an impassioned speech celebrating a decade of service to the community and weaving a tapestry that illustrates both the lives of the youth they serve and the opportunities they have for future growth.
Members of the award-winning and renowned Seattle dance studio Massive Monkees took to the stage with a joie de vivre and impressive skill that charmed and captivated the audience. After an eruption of applause, the fashion portion was ready to begin with selections from each of the designer’s previous collections.
Devonation was first down the runway showcasing designer Devon Yan's signature vision of refined elegance and detail that juxtaposes structured minimalism with effortless beauty.
Belle Ampleur featured designer Hannah Schnabel’s inclusive fashion with a vision of modern vintage that affirms the beauty of every woman.
Mac Fashion House displayed designer Carlisia Minnis’ vision of understated and unapologetically feminine resort wear with separates that suit a variety of occasions and weather conditions.
Lisa Marie Couture exemplified designer Lisa Marie’s incredible talent with delicate textiles and intricate details and showcased her passion for romanticism and cinematic sensibilities.
Deyonte' Weather Collection featured designer Deyonte Weather’s blend of structured asymmetry paired with tertiary tones, holographic shapes and striking silhouettes.
After a brief video introduction, models walked each designer’s final looks down the runway. These designs represented the epitome of each artist’s creative direction and were constructed using only recycled garments courtesy of The Ruby Room boutique.
View every look from ION Fashion Event 2019.
Slideshow images © Mandy Krause.
FOSTER CARE | A Recent HISTORY
Washington State, like many others, has a complicated history regarding the health and well-being of its citizens. Reasons for this are deeply nuanced and often reflect the sentiments of the times of our preceding generations.
In response to an overburdened Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), the Department of Health was established in 1989 to ensure local services remained decentralized and accessible to communities.
During this time, investigations began to reveal deeply disturbing cases that largely resulted from the lack of independent oversight and legislative agreement on the urgency of these nuanced and often divisive issues.
The Office of the Family and Children’s Ombuds (OFCO) is an independent oversight office in Washington State that, among other duties, analyzes and disseminates information regarding an impartial review of the recently established Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) decisions regarding the abuse and neglect of minors.
OFCO was established in 1996 by the Washington State Legislature in response to the death of three-year-old Lauria Grace and the years-long physical and sexual abuses occurring at the Olympia Kiwanis Boys Ranch.
The two high-profile cases made public other instances of the abuse and neglect of young people in the direct care or supervision of DSHS representatives and assigns.
Since then, OFCO and other agencies have reported that Washington State has undergone a turbulent yet promising process in their mission to ensure no harm comes to young people entrusted to its care. While the State has missed key benchmarks, signs of steady improvement are clear and a strong commitment to transparency assists in rebuilding the public’s trust.
In a November 2018 article by Scott Greenstone for The Seattle Times, Greenstone reported that an estimated 9,000 children and youth are in our foster care system and that there are more young people in need than there are qualified families to care for them.
At the time of this writing, no improvement has been reported.
Thank you letters appear onscreen during the gala video presentation.
Children and youth in foster care and homelessness face circumstances including physical and sexual abuse, drug dependence, death of friends and family members, and most commonly, neglect and feeling entirely unwanted.
Some are responsible for the welfare of their siblings. Some have children themselves. And others face many of these challenges in addition to gaining acceptance for their gender identity and pursuing a general education.
Legal restraints imposed by state laws and enforced by state agencies are intended to protect the vulnerable among us. But often they unintentionally make it difficult to provide adequate levels of care that address important needs.
In their gala video presentation, F-Factor describes how they’ve chosen a unique and encouragingly simple response to these pressing circumstances. They listen to the specific wants and needs of those seeking their assistance and do what they can to respond in kind.
This approach has led to positive changes in the form of greater confidence and support in facing these challenges head on. As Young describes in her earlier speech, something as seemingly simple as wearing a new wardrobe on the first day of school can set the tone for a transformative year.
The live auction portion of the event.
The live auction began with a call for donations. Three donated $5,000 while many others donated between $100 - $250. As of this writing, F-Factor raised a total $93,473 of their $100,000 goal.
As the event drew to a close, the time had come for one of the fashion designers to be awarded. Criteria included workmanship, originality, presentation and use of materials. A panel of six judges weighed their decisions against fan-favorite selections voted upon earlier in the evening. And while the deliberations were difficult, a winner was chosen.
Deyonté upon hearing his name chosen as ION Fashion Event’s winner. Image © Aileen Ly.
Although only one designer went home with a cash award, every designer left with the validation that their efforts have truly impacted people of every age in King County. It is undeniable that fashion touches every life in our society. And ION Fashion Event 2019 serves as a reminder that Seattle is a place where fashion innovation need not be limited to technological revolutions.
Pictured left to right in foreground: Hannah Schnabel, Lisa Marie, Deyonte’ Weather, Devon Yan and Ellen Young. Image © Mandy Krause.
Special thanks to F-Factor Seattle, Gene Juarez Salons & Spas and Nordic Museum. Our deepest appreciation to Perfect Balance Photography and Photos By Aileen for contributing to this article where noted. All copyrighted content used with permission of copyright owners.