Special Feature: Introducing Chic Fashion Week

 The Chic Fashion Week Team lead by Mario Benton ( center)/Image: S.Whittle /Style Wylde

Since the cancelation of San Francisco Fashion Week in 2008 after a tumultuous four-year run, numerous groups and organizations have come forward proclaiming their intention to revive the event and put San Francisco back on the map as an important fashion capital.  Although the frequency of fashion events around the bay has definitely increased over the past two years, to date only one of the many local fashion factions, have come forward with confirmed plans for the rebirth of a week-long series of events centered around the local industry; Chic Fashion Week, produced by Mario B's Productions, UnSung Diva Productions, and Leather and  Lace Events.  

On a recent Saturday afternoon, SW editor Cynthia sat down with the entire Chic team in between model castings to discuss the goals and the realities of throwing a fashion week in San Francisco. The results of this interview will be published in a two part series Tuesday and Thursday of this week.

Mario Benton, Founder of Chic Fashion Week/Image: S.Whittle/Style WyldePart one: First Impressions

Walking in the front door at Pigment Cosmetics I am slighlty confused. There appears to be a cosmetology class, not a model casting going on. Am I in the right place?  Thankfully, upon seeing my bewilderment, a friendly receptionist asks me if I am here for Mario and asks me to follow him to the back. 

Mario, is Mario Benton, the somewhat mysterious founder of Chic Fashion Week, whom I've been attempting to contact for the last month with little success.  Thanks to a chance meeting at the Art Institute's Student Show a week prior, I recognize Benton immediately when I walk through the heavy glass doors separating the back area from the classroom at Pigment.   His concentration is intense, mouth set in a hard line as he watches a young girl, about nine years old audition.  The young girl walks across the room with an adorably exaggerated Brazilian stomp that could easily bring the entire judging panel from America's Next Top Model to their feet.  As she finishes, the panel claps and cheers in encouragement and Mario breaks into a mega-watt smile that could melt the iciest of hearts. He approaches the girl's mother and they begin to talk  about schedules and summer school as I make my way over to the other members of the production panel.

The panel is made up of Rykk Martinez Social Media Director of CFW, a city college student whom recently produced the impressive Violet Hour fashion show, Janice Bailon Director of Operations of CFW and part owner of Leather and Lace events, Megan Heinen Design Director of CFW and part owner of  Leather and Lace, Ava Byrd Creative Backstage Director of CFW, Mario himself, founder of CFW, Sylvia Idem a wardrobe stylist and backstage assistant for CFW, and a young man named who identified himself as Dwight and made it clear that he was on the panel to observe and learn the fashion business.

After a few minutes of small talk, and another viewing of that adorable stomp, Mario finally joins us around the long table, and we begin with brief introductions, and a little background on how Chic Fashion Week came to be. 

Each member of the panel, they explain, was brought in by Benton. He assembled the group either through past work relationships or via word of mouth recommendations.   As each person tells me their story, and verbalizes their dedication to Benton, it becomes clear that he is not just a guy who had the chutzpah to book the Design Center for an event in August, he is the visionary who has inspired them all to action. . .

Part 2-The Hard Facts of Local Fashion, Coming Thursday