Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1010195
C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 8 203 Photo: Christine Holding also allowed the event to grow from a few hun- dred attendees to this year's capacity of 700. This isn't your mother's fashion show. Up to 30 local, amateur designers create "clothing"—in a loose definition of the word—made of anything except fabric or traditional clothing materials. Over the years, those materials have included trash bags, plastic eating utensils, clocks, chocolate, water bottles, seashells, tons of glitter and lots and lots of duct tape. Participants spend untold hours on their creations and present their work, worn by models or the designers themselves, in an orchestrated two-minute runway turn. Each year has a unique theme: for 2018 it is "Age of Innocence." This is a complicated affair with lots of moving parts. "It's really exciting," says Creative Director Beverly Van Pelt. "I don't want to spoil any surprises, but this theme is inspiring something in people that maybe they didn't realize. Some are taking it to the innocent side, many are exploring the loss of innocence." "We have between 200-300 people behind the scenes in production, all volunteers," Rivera says. "That number includes around 16 children Children are an integral part of the annual Big Sur Fashion show. "They're the fashion designers of the festival's future," says Executive Director Elsa Rivera. Designers spend untold hours on costumes and a two-minute multi-media presentation. Photo: DMT Imaging Photo: DMT Imaging Photo: Christine Holding