When it comes to a glitzy Scottsdale event, a few things are necessary: celebrities, beautiful people, fancy cars, and outfits that make a statement! Thursday, March 2nd was the opening night of Scottsdale Fashion Week. Zandra Rhodes was the featured designer, who put on a well-produced, thrilling show. She amazed the crowd with her signature textile prints and feminine silhouettes. The fashion show was hosted at the Mercedes Benz of Scottsdale and was run by Steve LeVine Entertainment with the help of the Ford/Robert Black Agency. The energy in the venue was pure excitement and set the mood for the rest of the week.
Photography by Chad Mooney
Zandra’s lifestyle is just as glamorous, eccentric and extrovert as her designs. With her bright pink hair, theatrical make-up and exotic art jewelry; she has left her mark on the International World of Fashion. She is one of the new wave of British designers who put London at the forefront of the international fashion scene in the 1970s. Zandra’s unique use of bold prints, fiercely feminine patterns and theatrical use of color has given her garments a timeless quality that makes them unmistakably a Rhodes creation.
Photography by Chad Mooney
Zandra has designed for clients as diverse as Diana, Princess of Wales, Jackie Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and Freddie Mercury of the rock group ‘Queen’. She continues to design for the rich and famous around the world, from royalty to rock stars including: HRH Princess Michael of Kent, Debbie Harry, Bianca Jagger, Kylie Minogue, Anastasia, Paris Hilton, Joan Rivers and the late Isabella Blow. Zandra studied textile design at the Medway College of Art, Kent, UK, and then at The Royal College of Art in London. Her early textile designs were considered too outrageous by the traditional British manufacturers so she decided to make dresses from her own fabrics and pioneered the very special use of printed textiles. In 1967 she opened her first shop: The Fulham Road Clothes Shop in London with Sylvia Ayton.
Photography by Chad Mooney
Zandra’s opening night set the bar high for the rest of the weekend. Her use of intricate patterns and colors make her an outstanding designer. She closed the show with a fashion tradition; a bride. I was beyond impressed with each look. Zandra’s designs are made for the everyday women who loves a pop of color. Her collection was on sale at the Keynote Speaker Brunch the following day.
