I can’t believe PAFW15 is already over! It feels like yesterday was the preliminary model call back in August. This was my first year as an official brand ambassador, and being involved with the show’s pre-planning and promotion has made me all-the-more excited about its success and undeniable burgeoning influence in the southeast– and eventually across the country. For those who were unable to make it, the 9th Annual Park Avenue Fashion Week Runway Show definitely did not disappoint.

Central Park’s West Meadow was completely transformed into a New York Fashion Week’s Bryant Park look-a-like, complete with a 20,000 square-foot tent, full runway, and a fabulous VIP lounge area, and the result was spectacular. The best part? The event’s official charity partner, Pink Out!, was presented with a check to benefit the Winter Park Memorial Hospital Mammography Scholarship Fund at the beginning of the show.

As for the show’s lineup, the stylistic elements were eclectic to say the least. I say eclectic in that sense that an impressive variety of body types, ages, trends, and price points were represented throughout the evening. The Collection Bridal was first on the runway, and their stunning selection of bridal couture was jaw-dropping. The pageant queen in me was swooning.

Who knew wigs could be this fabulous? Glorious Beautiful Hair Supply & Boutique‘s collection featured styles {and hair, of course} of some of history’s most classic style icons.

Eileen Fisher‘s runway show epitomized stand-out street style.

And then there was Tuni’s. Last year, Tuni closed the show with a dramatic, smoke-infused celebration of futuristic couture. This year, Tuni continued the theatrics with a fashion forward, deer hunting-themed collection, and the end result was an entertaining display of pre-holiday delight, featuring all the trendiest street styles of contemporary fashion.

As promised in my recap of the Emerging Designers Preliminary Competition, the top 5 finalists competed in the final event and each shared 3 looks, some old, some new, on the runway. Unfortunately, neither of my two favorites, Raul Castillo nor Christina Alves, won, but the emerging designers as a whole put on arguably the most exciting segment of the entire production. There is some mad raw talent floating around Winter Park!

I may be partial because I love their stylists, but my favorite collection came from Forema Boutique. Their show was cohesive, genuinely indicative of the brand’s overall boho/nomad/wanderlust style, and just plain fun. The energy from their models was palpable, and it was impossible to not smile while watching them skip, hop, and jump– literally— down the Park Avenue Fashion Week runway.

A little after intermission, I was starting to worry about the lack of testosterone, especially since last year’s show featured quite a bit of men’s fashion… and then all my wildest dreams came true when John Craig Clothier and Current hit the runway. Dapper gents came out one by one, most with a glass of scotch in hand, and we had no choice but to eat them, their suave tailored suits, and their sassy attitudes up.

Yep, this dude is supposed to be Jordan Belfort, aka the Wolf of Wall Street, in his iconic, ostentatiously affluent yacht scene, and yep, he’s slipping stacks of dollar bills into the crowd.

The finale was presented by Red Carpet Couture, and all the brand ambassadors and I swooned over their holistic styling approach. Not only were their designs a walking parade of regalia, the jewelry, gems, and accessories perfectly complimented the unique and high-end couture.

Congratulations again to the runway show participants and Park Avenue Fashion Week Coordinator Shel Marks PR & Events for putting on one heck of a show. As a native Orlandoan, it’s so exciting to see Central Florida fashion represented in such a signature trendsetting event. We’re putting ourselves on the style map– finally— and I’m so proud.

Oh, and thank you to Winter Park Photography for capturing these wonderful images. You’ve truly made this an experience nobody will ever forget!

I’m bracing myself for Park Avenue Fashion Week 2016. Since I’ve been involved, the show keeps getting better year after year, and I’m so excited to see what Shel Marks and the boutiques of Park Avenue come up with next year.