Friends United in Rescue Fashion Show and Bazaar is a gathering with a mission
By Emily Haerter
Do you love vintage clothing, sustainable fashion, bake sales, comedy performances and cats? Well, an upcoming fundraiser for FUR, or Friends United in Rescue, is bringing all of these elements together for an exciting event supporting Chico’s local cat shelter.
The fashion show and bazaar takes place on Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Eagles Hall in Chico.
One participant is Susan Reed, the owner of BootLeg. She’s always been a collector of vintage clothing. Her time in costuming work in Los Angeles eventually pushed her to follow a dream of opening up a vintage clothing shop in Chico. Reed’s “eclectic” mix of clothing also highlights her inspiration from 70s designs being sold in places like Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco.
Other design masters taking the stage include Dawn Wan, owner of Opium Den in the 8th and Main Antique mall, and Tiffany Anne Curtis with BettyRocket Vintage, who typically only sells online.
The show will have a “definite vintage point of view” according to Lisa Harper, the FUR volunteer who’s organized this event in favor of the kitties.
Some of the designers, such as Cory Tamura, have made it an artform to put together something old with something new. Tamura has been a clothing designer for more than 25 years and specializes in using rare vintage fabrics to create beautiful and intricate dresses. Her dresses have debuted on TV shows such as Just Shoot Me!, while actresses such as Amy Sedaris, Jennifer Coolidge and Tracee Ellis Ross have all donned her designs. Tamura’s line “Braetanette” will premiere at the upcoming show, and she continues to sell at at pop-ups from Chico and Palm Springs, to Japan and New York.
Greyson Boots, another one of the new-age designers, previously worked at the music-themed eatery Cafe Coda, though with a gifted sewing machine and miles of creativity will now be showcasing his creations at the upcoming fashion show.
Deryl Northcote, hairdresser for 39 years and the owner of Ultra Beautician in Downtown Chico, will bring his flair and expertise to the stage as he co-hosts with Linda Watkins-Bennett. Northcote has been involved in the grunge scene in Chico since the late 80s. He also has a knack for vintage and second-hand clothing.
“This event is going to be special because it’s uniting a lot of the vintage clothing stores together,” Northcote noted, “which they’ve done things before, but never like this.”
Northcote says that with Chico being a semi-rural place, the inspiration for its fashion isn’t coming from the street.
“It’s coming authentically from them,” he reflected of the local designers. “They are actually creating something from a blank page.”
Dana Moore, the Chico State alumni and improv maestro, will be performing a special cat-themed comedy routine at the show. Moore spent her lengthy post-college journey in New York, until five years ago she planted her new roots at The Nerve Comedy in Chico. Now teaching others what she’s learned, Moore was recently awarded the Arts Achievement Award for Outstanding Arts Organization Leader in September.
“Through our involvement with the Eagles, Parker and I became friends and she talked about her involvement with FUR,” Moore said. “I knew it would be a good organization if she supported it, and I’m very excited to be a part of this fundraiser with her.”
The Eagles Hall is located at 1940 Mulberry Street in Chico. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the show starting at 7 p.m. All proceeds support FUR’s work with cat rescue. Tickets are available at Eventbrite and will be $25 at the door.
“Fashion is an art,” Northcote stressed. “I always say to people what they wear is their personal armor, and is a personal expression of who they are.”
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