It’s time once again for the annual “Color Me Goodwill” Fashion Show, and this year’s event promises to be the best yet.
Sponsored by Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, “Color Me Goodwill” features six local designers who will showcase garments that they have made from materials purchased at Goodwill retail stores. The designers have selected a color scheme for their collections and they will compete for cash prizes. The first place winner will be awarded $500, with $200 going to the runner-up. This year’s designers (and their colors) are:
- Jennifer Hock (PINK) – Jennifer is new to Color Me Goodwill, but not new to the world of fashion design. She is a regular at the Asheville and Knoxville Fashion Weeks, and has her own line of clothing, called Art Fashion Creations, which reflects her abilities as both an artist and a designer.
- Leanna Echeverri (BLUE) – Leanna has participated in Color Me Goodwill since the very first show, and was runner-up last year with her green color designs. She’s an expert in upcycling garments and has always been an audience favorite. Her involvement and enthusiasm has helped raise the profile of Color Me Goodwill events. Leanna has participated in a number of fashion shows, and was a featured designer at Asheville Fashion Week.
- Tami Lu Barry (PURPLE) – Tami participated in the first Color Me Goodwill fashion show, and is back for a second try at winning the competition. In the intervening years, she has been battling stage 4 metastatic cancer, but is determined to take this year’s top prize with some fun designs.
- Charles Josef (BLACK) – Charles Josef is a bridal, fashion and swimwear designer in Asheville. His work has been modeled in high-end runway shows across the country in cities like Charlotte, Knoxville and New York. Charles also has experience upcycling garments for the annual Costume Drama Fashion Show.
- Caleb Owolabi (ORANGE) – Caleb has presented his own free-wheeling designs at a number of fashion shows and is returning to Color Me Goodwill for the second year in a row.
- Jon Pierce (RED) – This is Jon’s second time applying for a spot in the show and first time competing. In addition to building an impressive portfolio, Jon has participated in a number of Asheville area fashion shows. Jon comes from a theater background and has a flair for designing theatrical garments which transition well into fashion.
Each designer will dress six models, five of whom they recruited, and the sixth representing Goodwill. Savion Blakeney is one of the Goodwill models who was selected to walk down the runway.
“Goodwill asked me if I would model some clothes at the fashion show, and since Goodwill has done so much for me, I couldn’t say no,” Blakeney says. “Besides, I love to dress up!”
Savion is a recent graduate of Project Re-Entry, a program offered by Goodwill in partnership with the Piedmont Triad Regional Council which provides employment and training services to former offenders. “Project Re-Entry was the best thing that ever happened to me,” says Savion. “I have a job now, and I’m working on a degree in Human Services at AB Tech.”
“In addition to hosting a really fun event for the community, this is also a way for Goodwill to remind everyone how important it is to shop at our retail stores, where proceeds go to support programs that put people back to work,” says Jaymie Eichorn, Goodwill VP of Marketing and Communications.
“Color Me Goodwill” will be held on Friday, April 27, at The Orange Peel in downtown Asheville. Tickets are $15. Doors open at 6:00 pm and the fashion show begins at 7:00 pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.colormegoodwill.org.