“Diva” Davanna Booker started sewing a year and a half ago with the help of her grandmother. Since then, she has created a sophisticated, lady-like collection of blouses, skirts and gowns.

“My style is very high fashion and I like wearing bold colors,” Booker said. “For my designs, I look up to Michael Kors for bold colors, Vera Wang for gowns and elegance and Valentino for high fashion and for being so daring.”

Now, the 14-year-old model and fashion designer will be featured in Syracuse Fashion Weekend. The show’s mission is to help bring up the next-generation of fashion designers. This year, Booker, also known as a fierce runway sensation, will have her designs walk down the runway.

The Syracuse Fashion Weekend is a collaboration of international, national and local up-and-coming fashion designers and professionals that will show off their talents to upstate New York. Central New Yorkers will have the opportunity on Saturday to experience a high fashion production event in the comfort of their own community.

Each purchased ticket for the fashion show will benefit the Catholic Charities Refugee Youth Program as a way to give back to the Syracuse community, according to the event’s website.

Esmeralda Harwood created Syracuse Fashion Weekend just one year ago. As the CEO of her own fashion production company, ESMERALDS, and with nine years of experience in the fashion industry under her belt, Harwood had enough experience to coordinate and plan the event.

Hardwood said her love of Syracuse’s architecture, food, fashion and community opened her eyes to the city’s potential to hold a fashion show.

“I just love this city and I thought, ‘Let’s make it happen in Syracuse,’” Harwood said.

This will be the second time Harwood organizes and presents the Syracuse Fashion Weekend after its first success last year.

“It will be an extraordinary extravaganza,” Harwood said about the upcoming show.

Mohamed ElMadawy, who is traveling from New York City, will once again return to the fashion show to present his newest collection. Jewelry designer Nicole Davis, who comes from Buffalo, will showcase her newest line from her business Francì Jewelry.

Harwood said there will also be two international fashion designers this year: Walid Atallah from Dubai and Miguel Chong from Honduras. According to the Syracuse Fashion Week website, Atallah will showcase his mix of elegant designs from the Eastern and Western parts of the world in his second time at Syracuse Fashion Weekend.

Chong has received various awards for his successful work as a womenswear fashion designer and has worked with famous designers such as Carolina Herrera.

Harwood said the show will start with a surprise opening guest followed by three designers. During the show’s intermission, world-renown cellist Gjilberta Lucaj, who has performed at New York Fashion Week and has recorded music for Beyoncé and Alicia Keys, will perform. The last two designers will follow Lucaj and present their collections.

Mahealani Diego, Harwood’s executive assistant, helped organize this year’s show. Diego said she is excited for the event and that the new technology in the show this year will amplify the viewer experience.

Diego added that Syracuse was the perfect place to show the latest trends in fashion.

“Syracuse has an eclectic taste,” Diego said. “It deserves to be seen here.”

Published on October 9, 2014 at 12:24 am

Contact Gilmarie: gjperear@syr.edu