LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Fashion will enjoy a reinvention on Saturday, August 15 from 1 – 4pm when the crowd-awing Festival Runway Fashion Show returns to the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill fashion show. Just like TV’s Project Runway, see who’s “in” and who’s “out” this year as festival artists compete to create the most inspired couture using reclaimed, reused or recycled material.
The show “where fashion meets art” is in its seventh year and offers cash prizes of $1,000 in four categories: Most Creative Concept, Most Exciting Ensemble, Most Innovative Use of Materials and Most Glamorous & Elegant “Red Carpet” worthy creation. There will also be a “People’s Choice Award” to be voted on at the event. Competing for the top prize are Festival exhibitors Jessica deStefano, W. Bradley Elsberry, Richard A. Evans, Elizabeth McGhee, Richard Moren, Adam Neeley, Mariana Nelson and Jayne Reich.
The event will be hosted by Melissa Biggs, international model, actress, activist, and award-winning entrepreneur with her own fashion line. Selecting the winners will be a panel of judges with fashion and artistic backgrounds including celebrity judge Cristina Ferrare. Cristina is the co-host of The Hallmark Channel’s Emmy-nominated series Home & Family. Also judging the couture will be artist Regina Jacobson and costume designer Alex Jaeger.
“Festival Runway Fashion one of the Festival’s most popular events of the summer,” said Susan Davis, director of special events for the Festival of Arts. “The artists put so much effort and ingenuity into crafting these stunning one-of-a-kind runway looks. It’s not to be missed!”
About Melissa Biggs
In addition to two seasons on the worldwide hit Baywatch, actress Melissa Biggs has made cameo appearances in films such as Lucky Town, acting alongside James Caan and Kirsten Dunst, Rush Hour 2, Sharkskin 6, and Heart & Souls with Robert Downey Jr., and has appeared on TV’s, The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Collection and The Travel Channel’s Secrets.
In 2001, she embarked on a two-year modeling contract for a fitness-distribution company attached to WalMart and her photos were featured on more than a billion sporting goods packages worldwide. As a businesswoman, Biggs later went on to create her own line of products for WalMart which was placed in more than 9,000 stores worldwide. After winning an award for Best Presenter at the WalMart Buyers Convention in Shanghai, China, she designed and launched her own clothing collection and began creating a private label collection for Guess? Inc. In 2008, Biggs was named Best New Designer for Vogue Tokyo, Japan.
Biggs is a highly accomplished public speaker and is extremely active in her community. She most recently opened her first of ten signature retail establishment, The Front Porch, in [Mission Hills] – an uber chic neighborhood of sunny San Diego to hundred’s of patrons. Her second location is set to open this summer in Coronado, California, with additional locations in the works. Early next year, Biggs will unveil and mass-produce her gourmet food collection inspired by her travels, under the specialty gourmet brand, “The Patio.”
Biggs is currently based in Del Mar, California with her husband, daughter and three stepsons.
About Cristina Ferrare
To say that Cristina Ferrare has done it all would be an understatement. The former supermodel and current supermom is a bestselling author, a lifestyle and culinary expert and the co-host of The Hallmark Channel’s daily two-time Emmy nominated series, Home & Family. When she’s not on set, Cristina is busy working on her sixth book, making sure that her family is well cared for – and well fed – and championing for Alzheimer’s awareness.
In addition to co-hosting Home & Family since 2012, Cristina also provides original content to her website, CristinaFerrareCooks.com. Each week, Cristina shares her own recipes, great finds, cooking tricks and DIY tips for everything from decorating, table setting and floral arrangements to money management. She also acts as a “Tastemaker” on FOODILY.com, where fans can follow Cristina’s recommendations on outstanding recipes that she finds on the web.
Cristina’s desire to give back to her family inspired her to make her first career move early on in life. At the age of 16, Cristina became the spokesperson for Max Factor and two years later she signed on with the Ford Modeling Agency in NYC. During this time, Cristina quickly rose to supermodel status, gracing the covers and pages of every major fashion and lifestyle magazine from Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar to Good Housekeeping and Ladies Home Journal. She also starred in two feature films; The Impossible Years with David Niven at the age of 18 and the critically acclaimed, J.W. Coop with Oscar winner Cliff Robertson at the age of 21.
Cristina also found the time to pen several bestselling books including the New York Times bestseller, Okay, So I Don’t Have a Headache, Cristina Ferrare’s Family Entertainment, Cristina Ferrare Style and Realistically Every After and her most recent cookbook, A Big Bowl of Love.
Today, Cristina is gearing up for Emmy-nominated Home & Family’s fourth season and another 52-week cycle of original programs. She’s also working on her sixth book, What’s Inside Matters; a cookbook focusing on the link between food and brain health. Cristina lives in Westlake Village with her husband, entertainment executive Tony Thomopoulos. They have a blended family of seven children and four grandchildren.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL OF ARTS FINE ART SHOW
Recently voted one of the top five art festivals in the nation by USA Today readers, the Festival of Arts is one of the oldest and most highly acclaimed juried fine art shows featuring the artwork of 140 award-winning artists. Patrons may enjoy the work of exhibiting artists, demonstrations and art workshops, daily art tours, live music, special events, on-site restaurants and much more. For a full listing of events, visit LagunaFestivalofArts.org.
DATES & TIMES
July 5 – August 31, 2015
Open daily from 10am – 11:30pm
Early closing August 29 at 3:30pm
TICKET INFORMATION
General Admission: Weekdays $7, Weekends $10
Students & Seniors: Weekdays $4, Weekends $6
Free Admission for Children 12 and under, Military, and Laguna Beach Residents.
SPONSORS
The Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters are sponsored in part by Fidelity Investments, Mazda, KOST Radio 103.5, the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, and Orange County Register.
LOCATION
Festival of Arts Grounds
650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
FOR INFORMATION & TICKETS
(800) 487-2787
www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org
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