Armenian Relief Society touts regional garb at annual fashion show fundraiser
Edgar Rostomyan, left, and Madezhda Hovhannisyan walk the runway in traditional Artsakh clothing at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter fashion show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016.
About 400 people, including many members of the Armenian community, filled up the Glendale Hilton’s grand ballroom Saturday for the Armenian Relief Society’s 29th annual fashion show.
This year’s designer was Kevork Shadoyan, a Syrian-Armenian who traveled from Armenia to bring his Shadoyan Fashion Couture House line to attendees, who sat down for a three-course meal at tables circling a white runway.
“This year, it’s very special,” said Zharmen Mirzakhanyan, a society member. “Each [piece] has meaning behind [it].”
The show opened with the 12 models sporting national Armenian costumes, with modern twists added.
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Olga Gure (Ms. Russia L.A.) models at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Edgar Rostomyan, left, and Madezhda Hovhannisyan, right, walk the runway at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Maya Zohrabian models for the crowds at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Lali Nebier models at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Designer Kevork Shadoyan, center left, with his crew and models at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Designer Kevork Shadoyan, center, talks to his models at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Maya Zohrabian models at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Maya Zohrabian models at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Sheila B. models at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale plastic surgeon Dr. Susan Chobanian, left, and Glendale mayor Paula Devine at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Attendees wait for the models at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Olga Gure (Ms. Russia L.A.) models at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Roshana Edwards models at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Adela Amirian at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
A man and woman modeled traditional Artsakh clothing, ethnic styles worn by Armenians living in what is known also as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, a separatist region in Azerbaijan. Deadly clashes in the disputed territory last month between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops left a few dozen dead.
Mirzakhanyan said some of the proceeds will go directly to the families of Armenian soldiers killed in the fighting.
Sheila B. models at the Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter Fashion Show at the Hilton in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
She said additional money raised from tickets and sponsorships will go to fund local community projects, offer financial aid to local students and assist victims of national disasters and war.
After showcasing the traditional Armenian garb, models took the runway in stylish evening wear, gowns and even a wedding dress. Many in the audience turned into fashion photographers, whipping out smartphones to snap a few shots of the models in their stylish attire.
Burbank resident and first-time attendee Lourdes Thangtamsativ said the designs were “gorgeous,” especially the wedding dress.
“I love the fashion,” she said. “Everything was beautiful.”
Ryan Fonseca writes the Los Angeles Times’ Essential California newsletter. A lifelong SoCal native, he has worked in a diverse mix of newsrooms across L.A. County, including radio, documentary, print and television outlets. Most recently, he was an associate editor for LAist.com and KPCC-FM (89.3) public radio, covering transportation and mobility. He returns to The Times after previously working as an assistant web editor for Times Community News, where he helped manage the websites and social media presence of the Burbank Leader, Glendale News-Press and La Cañada Valley Sun. Fonseca studied journalism at Cal State Northridge, where he now teaches the next generation of journalists to develop their voice and digital skills.
