Asheville Faerie Arts Festival Enchants with Music, Art and Fashion

ADVERTISEMENT

Asheville Faerie Arts Festival Enchants with Music, Art and Fashion

  • Sarah Merrell

    Sarah Merrell serves as Community Director for Asheville Fashion Week and directs fashion shows in the area. She is the Digital Media and Production Manager for Mary Beth West...
Faerie Fashion Show
For one magical night a year, faeries are alive in Asheville. The annual Asheville Faerie Arts Festival returns for another year, as guests celebrate the alluring creatures with music, arts, crafts and fashion. The event takes place on Friday, November 11 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel ballroom in Asheville. This year's theme is Goth Faerie Ball and will be adult only. Guests are encouraged to don their best dark, edgy and gothic inspired faerie looks.  The centerpiece of the event is the Faerie Fashion Show, where area fashion designers and body painters create wearable art that takes its creative inspiration from the faerie kingdom. The looks embody the uniquely creative and artistic spirit of Asheville. Many of the area's most talented designers and artists participate, teaming up with local hairstylists and makeup artists to transform their models into characters. Faerie wings, glitter, paint, ornate wigs, twigs, leaves and horns are the norm. Designer Susan Sertain has participated in the Faerie Fashion Show since the beginning, and looks forward to this year's show.  "From the beginning, the Faerie Fashion Show has inspired and challenged designers. I'm excited to be a part of its continued growth and challenging themes. Besides, it's so much fun to play with the amazing designers of Asheville again," said Sertain. Olivia Mears, creator of Avant-Geek, has made a name for herself as a costume and fashion designer with wearable art made from unconventional materials. Participating for a second year, she will bring her stunning designs, which mix fantasy and fashion, to the runway. "What I love most about designing for this show is to be able to create something of fantasy that is still relatable to a fashion-savvy audience. I'll be working on designs based on both mythology and popular fiction, and presenting them in a way that maybe [inspires] some of the viewers [to] want to wear for themselves," said Mears. For the 2016 show, a dozen fashion designers and nearly 20 models will participate.  Model Ryan Moore, who will be walking the runway for designer Sheila Thibideaux, enjoys working with Asheville's creative talent.  "It's always fun modeling in Asheville. There is such a great creative community and I've been lucky to meet and work with so many amazing people. Shows like Faerie Fashion Show highlight the talent of Asheville's fashion scene. Designers, hairstylists, and makeup artists create the most intricate and imaginative looks, then let us models bring them to life on the runway," said Moore. This year's event is certain to entertain, but it also raises valuable funds for Eblen Charities, one of the area's most generous family service organizations. The show is hosted by Bioflyer Productions and Artistic Director Rock Eblen, who continues to feature all of his productions as fundraisers for Eblen Charities. M.C. for the event is Ken Krahl, and D.J. Malinalli will play dance rhythms with special lights and sound. The fashion show is directed by Sarah Merrell. Advance tickets are $14 ($20 the day of the event). More information, and ticket purchase, can be found at https://bioflyer.wordpress.com. Photo Credits: Photos by Tommy Propest Designs by Olivia Mears of Avant-Geek Makeup by Natalie Mills Models: Aislin Freya Pax and Kayla Beavers