Celebrity Cruises for Style Week OC, the flip side of L.A. Fashion Whatever

By Laura Medina

The wealthier counter-punch to the dysfunctional Los Angeles Fashion Whatever, Style Week OC or Style Week Orange County caters to the more matured, no less fashionable but way wealthier older sibling of the younger L.A. hipster.

It may not be the Eiffel Tower but Irvine Spectrum's lighted and blinking Ferris Wheel made do as the backdrop for the finale of Style Week OC.

For last Saturday's finale, the sponsor, Celebrity Cruises did a "Project Runway" throwdown to four FIDM students.

The competition was this.  Each of the four contestants had to design an outfit on a Celebrity Cruises destination or port-of-call.

These port-of-calls are: Europe, Caribbean, Alaska, and the Galapagos Islands.

Mind you, not all destinations are stamped out of the same cookie dough with the cookie cutter.

Each of the design destinations represent freezing North (Alaska), the sweltering South (Galapagos Islands), the cultivated Europe, and the sunny Caribbean.  Each cruise stops with it's own unique formality, culture, and climate and Celebrity Cruises asked each contestant to properly dress each traveler at those stops.

 

Luar's Caribbean outfit was a sweat-wicking friendly, lightweight black halter top with grass-textured wrap skirt for an easy-breezy living, like in the Caribbeans.

Since Europe is the birthplace of haute couture,  Vanessa Puccini's green satin gown with scoop neck was an easy bet.

Leonides Garcia's Alaska was a pleasant surprise.  It was a glamorous throwback to Hollywood's Golden Era, when sportswear was dress-up.  The inspiration was more Nordic Marlene Dietrich, in creamy cashmere jumpsuit with a dipping low-cut v-neck and beige cashmere shawl.  This was this scribe's favorite.

But, the winner was the high-tech activewear for the Galapagos Island where roughing it was hip.  

It even made the fanny pack hip.

The layout of the islands was re-done as camouflage print in foil over a white mesh crop top over jaunty but comfortable and airy white harem pants.  Dress wear while studying Darwinism in the Galapagos Islands.