Proceeds from charity fashion show to benefit international orphanages
DALLAS, TX – The 2nd Annual Fashion For a Passion (FFAP) hosted by Dallas nonprofit ATG Against The Grain Productions will feature a diverse lineup of local and national Asian American fashion designers united to raise money for charity. This year’s event will feature the collection of Chloe Dao (Season 2 winner of Project Runway), Khanh Nguyen for Nhã Khanh, Nikki Duong Koenig for Cykochik Custom Handbags featuring Freedom Parc, Prashi Shah for Prashe and Judy Yang. Newly added to edge up the roster are local designer Cac Lam for 2FeMale and New York-based designer Sumie Tachibana, as well as LeeAnne Locken (actress/model and finalist from She’s Got the Look) who joins fashion blogger Tina Craig of Bagsnob.com to emcee. The charity event takes places from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, September 25th at LandCo/7 Senses located at 1202 N. Riverfront (formerly Industrial) in Dallas, Texas.
The night’s festivities feature musical entertainment, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, a silent auction and a fashion show of sneak-peeks, followed by a live auction of select pieces from each presenting designer’s collection and other exclusive pieces donated by Asian American designers around the country. The proceeds of the evening go to benefit orphanages in Vietnam and ATG’s community outreach initiatives. Against The Grain President/Founder Tammy Nguyen Lee, a graduate of SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts, said, “This is an exciting showcase of the talents of our community for a worthy cause, and we are particularly proud to collaborate with and showcase this diverse talent who truly represent the boldness and spirit of what it means to go ‘against the grain.’”
Designer Cac Lam, who studied at the Art Institute of Dallas and whose aesthetic is wild and crazy, said, “It’s rare that we get the opportunity to step back from the glitz and glamour of our craft to lend our hearts and hands to those who need them, so I jumped at the chance to participate.” Added Lam, “To go against the grain for me means to bring a style and uniqueness to my work that is from the soul, not society. I am the only me, so if I give the world work that is from my mind, my heart and my core, it will always be against the grain.”
Designer Sumie Tachibana, whose style is bold and edgy, studied at the University of Texas at Austin and the famed Parsons School of Design in New York. “It’s a great honor to be invited to do a show with this very talented group of designers.” Added Tachibana, “I truly appreciate and embrace being different. I design non-trend driven clothing for women and men that appreciate the beauty of being independent.”
LeeAnne Locken, a feisty model/actress who became even more well-known as a finalist on Season 2 of She’s Got The Look, said, “I am very happy to be on board for this wonderful event. Fashion is in my blood, and I think of great pieces of clothing as literal works of art.” Continued Locken, “I strive to be unique…in speaking my mind and always trying to have fun. Going against the grain means doing whatever it takes to be successful. I am not a big ‘go with the flow’ kind of person. I am the ‘get out the way, here she comes’ kind of person.”
FFAP event tickets range from $40-$50, and sales for the event begin on August 11th online, click here to purchase.
ATG Against The Grain Productions, a Dallas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, promotes Asian-American cultural awareness through compelling media projects and raises funds for international orphanages. Their premiere documentary feature, Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam, has received the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film at the Vietnamese International Film Festival and the Documentary Audience Choice Award from the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. For more information, visit http://mnt.32c.myftpupload.com or http://www.TheBabylift.com
