A Stylish Night to Remember in Binghamton
It was billed as a night of entertainment, and those who were in attendance on May 9, 2015, got exactly that in spades. The Night of Fashion event, put on jointly by JusJamstar and SimplyMe Boutique, was an attempt to provide residents of Binghamton and the Southern Tier a taste of the spectacle that is Fashion Week in New York City. This came with a bonus of song, dance, and even dinner. For $20 a ticket for VIP admission (which included the dinner and an open bar), a movie just paled in comparison.
To be fair, the Night of Fashion event had mixed moments. There was more to be enjoyed as m total, but the review would be false if the problems of the event were overlooked just because the companies involved are relatively new and growing. Even so, there is no question that attendees got their money’s worth. It also must be mentioned that this review is based on just about half the event – more on why in a moment. First, let’s address the few shortcomings of the event.
A Late Start, but the Show Goes on
The event was billed to start at the American Legion Post 80 at 6 pm for VIP and general admission. At 6:30 pm, when I arrived, guests were still arriving, but the dinner had been delayed. Not an unusual situation, as every event has some hiccup. Eventually, attendees would be notified that dinner would be served during the intermission of the show. The problem was that there was never a formal announcement of this fact. The delay lasted 1 hour, with the event starting at 8 pm. Once the show started, MC Riz did her best to engage the crowd. Throughout the night, she segued and pantomimed, and generally kept the attention of the audience focused on her and not the fact that the event, which was scheduled to last 2 hours, was taking double the time.
A Fashion Show With a Talent Show Twist
The format of the event was MC Riz introducing 2 performances, followed by a fashion line, and repeated. For the scheduled length of the event, it would have seemed implied that this meant each performer might have 5 minutes before moving on. That was not the case here. Instead, performers were on stage for multiple acts, some for an extended amount of time. In comparison, the fashion lines were displayed on a relatively consistent 10-minute timeframe. The disparity gave the event more of a talent show feel than that of fashion.
Once the intermission started, at 10pm, an hour later than the entire event was supposed to have lasted, I had to depart. I did return later that evening to check in on the festivities for a bit. The event ended after midnight, fully 6 hours after the first guests arrived. Which is fine as it was a full night of entertainment, but not what was promoted.
A Night of Surprises: Talent, Energy, and Unexpected Value
Given that each of the above had the potential to kill the night. But much to the credit of the performers and the team of people working behind the scenes, the audience never balked. The show, once started, never felt like it was dragging or a performance overlong. For any negative that can be pointed out (and many an event I have attended in my life has had far more and worse), the one thing that I kept noticing was that the event was entertaining. The audience wasn’t just getting their money’s worth, they were getting more.
If anything, ultimately the biggest problem for the event (if it could be called that) was that the production team was striving to give attendees a full-on gala at a budget price, and they succeeded in doing just that. The singers were new and upcoming faces that mostly provided original material. They were excited and dedicated. Each performer sought to win over the audience. MC Riz did her best to rev up the audience before and after each entered or exited the stage. The comic was blue, but energizing. There was even a spoken word recital – something that is rare in any event with a mix of entertainment styles. Night of Fashion was a rich mixture of things that all in the audience could and did enjoy.
Runway With a Real-world Touch: Fashion Meets Empowerment
And then there was the fashion. The following videos are just 3 of the 6 fashion lines displayed during the show. Not shown are the lines of shoes, evening wearand lingerie. The models were a mix of not just the classic model type, but also models with real-world bodies. It’s a pleasure to see a fashion show that features clothing that your girlfriend, wife, or friend might be able to wear. Clothing that looks good not just on a mannequin, but on a woman that you can see walking down the street. The reaction to each clothing line was met with enthusiasm and excitement by the audience.
All in all the Night of Fashion event, by JusJamstar and SimplyMe Boutique was a rewarding experience. Considering that both companies are women-owned small businesses that were only recently created, the potential for growth is a much needed and empowering message to men and women throughout the Southern Tier. Adding to this is the fact that the performers and models are predominantly locally based, a key feature for JusJamstar president Jesula Saintus.
