Accessories that make your outfit

Laura del Villaggio, founder of Milli Star, captured the essence of wearing accessories perfectly at the Accessories and Apparel Showcase during Fashion Week 2011. To her, good accessories are the “icing on the cake” that can accentuate any outfit. On August 22nd, over 12 accessory and apparel designers came together at the Driskill Hotel in a market-style setting to showcase their fall 2011 and spring 2012 collection pieces. This was the inaugural Accessories and Apparel Showcase, added to the extensive Fashion Week schedule.

What was consistent in all of the collections was the desire to help women find the accessory within themselves and inspire creativity through each of their pieces. There are two things that are the most important in having the right accessories for any outfit – the material and the style.

Janie G Couture founder, Caroline Smith, used silk and chiffon as her signature fabrics for her Fall 2011 pieces. She believes that accessories create the perfect opportunity for make a lasting first impression. Inspired by the 1950s and old Hollywood glamour, she created timeless cocktail gowns and tunics for Fall 2011 collection.

For Milli Star founder, Laura del Villaggio, it’s all about wearing your accessories confidently. Milli Star specializes in hats and headpieces from the finest materials available, including hand-woven straws and imported silks, vintage sequins, feathers and ribbons. What is most notable about her pieces, besides the meticulousness and attention to detail, is that each piece has a vintage element that gives Milli Star pieces the ideal blend of old world fashion with new age style.

Each of the designers captured the guests with their passion. Fashion forward guest, Katie Warner of Austin, Texas, noted “I love coming to learn about how to make my outfit shine with the simple addition of a hat, necklace or tunic. Seeing how these designers incorporated old glamour into modern day style is how I’ve pioneered my fashion sense as well. It’s nice to know that we are all pioneers in our own sense.”

The Accessories and Apparel Showcase paved the way for a new approach to how these pivotal pieces can be the signature pieces in any outfit. The anticipation is already building up for next year and the new ideas that will come out of this event.