Eastbayri.com

EAST PROVIDENCE — East Providence resident Dixie Carroll was one of the people behind a portion of Style Week Providence. The event included daily runway shows featuring new designer fashions, plus an accessory showcase. The showcase included all the vendors who displayed and sold their goods during Style Week. Ms. Carroll and her husband, Bill Jette, own the shop Blue Suede in Warren. Blue Suede was the accessory showcase sponsor.

Ms. Carroll said she first got involved with Style Week last year.

“That was our first experience with style week, we increased our level of support this time. We’re the accessory showcase sponsor. It means we have a stronger presence and a stronger commitment to make sure the accessory showcase is supported and continues to grow,” she said.

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Style Week Party

Photos by Richard W Dionne Jr

Style Week Providence took place at the Biltmore Hotel Sunday Jan. 22 through Saturday, Jan. 28. The accessory showcase was open to the public; no tickets were needed to go in and check out the wide array of jewelry, handbags, and footwear sold by a number of vendors during the event. Local artists created some of the items for sale. Not far from the ballroom at the hotel – where the runway shows took place – was a long hallway where the vendors set up tables. Also nearby was a room where Blue Suede displayed many of the products they have for sale in their Warren shop, including boots and pashminas and jewelry.

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Style Week designer Karen Sabag

Photos by Richard W Dionne Jr Fashion designer Karen Sabag's Fall/Winter 2012 collection is soft, elegant and sexy. She launched a bridal and couture business while still a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She has an impeccable eye for detail and her signature designs include intricate hand beading, crochet and detailed adornment.

The last day of the event, closing night on Saturday, Blue Suede sponsored one of the fashion designers, Peach Carr. Ms. Carr was part of season eight of the reality show “Project Runway.”

“Her models will be wearing our Frye Boots,” Ms. Carroll said during style week, on Thursday evening.

The one thing that Ms. Carroll said was surprising was the level of cooperation among everyone involved with the event.

“It’s a super nice group of folks,” she said.

There are some tickets available for the general public who are interested in seeing the runway shows, though there is a different target audience.

“It’s very much attended by buyers who are looking for newer, emerging brands for their stores,” Ms. Carroll said.

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Style Week designer Candice Wu

Photos by Richard W Dionne Jr "Esoteric" designs by Hong Kong fashion designer Candice Wu at the Providence Biltmore for Style Week on Thursday night. A Boston School of Fashion Design graduate, Miss Wu's designs are inspired by a mixture of cultural influences, especially her traditional Chinese parents and grandparents, blending traditional elements with modern ideas to create her functional and artistic pieces.

People who work for style magazines were also among the VIP’s invited to the event. The next Style Week Providence is expected to take place in August.