As a tribute to her one-of-a-kind symposium, President and Owner of OC Fashion Week® in Orange County, California, Kathryn Marino announced an official opening day red ribbon cutting ceremony as the official start of Fashion Travel Week ® (FTW): Art of Travel & Style presented by Celebrity Cruises. The project started in 2010 as a travel incentive and support for fashion designers who want to travel abroad. In 2017, OC Fashion Week® was recognized as an international channel to the fashion industries abroad by hosting exclusive runways, networking and access tours for designers and beauty supply groups to visit the industry and fashion partners in Hong Kong, Greece, Virgin Islands and Australia. Now in full swing, FTW launches for all designers, suppliers, influencers and e-commerce retailers to gather, meet, network and travel to destinations including Paris, Spain and Italy, immersing guests in opportunity dynamic and exclusive for networking, keynote speakers, five-star entertainment and extend their getaways with international gateways for business and pleasure – from fine dining to great discoveries. Invited attendees are invited to cruise with designers from Around the World starting in July 2023 with highlights such as the annual Red Carpet Awards, 4-Minute Innovation Networking and new and exciting future announcements for fashion abroad. “If fashion is a language, style is what we speak,” says Marino.
OC Fashion Week® executive producer Kathryn Marino is also celebrating her 10th year with OCFW® after kicking off its season last September 6-10 with its finale at World Peace Lake in Aliso Viejo. Marino officially joined the production in 2012, the runway show was founded in 2005 by two students at FIDM who recruited Marino as their consultant.
“In honor of 10 years, I am very excited to share that OC Fashion Week® recently joined CFDA Connects, an initiative of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and participates at the Associate level.”
CFDA CONNECTS is an initiative of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Launching in 2021, CFDA CONNECTS recognizes, promotes and provides business development support for Regional Fashion Organizations (RFOs), their Fashion Weeks and Designers based in these key US markets. “This means emerging designers will have more opportunities and access to resources and workshops to support their trade, and I’m thrilled that we can provide this kind of unique support,” says Marino.
“The CFDA is proud to count Orange County in our CFDA Connects network of regional fashion organizations. There is incredible talent across America and it is the mission of CFDA Connects to bring visibility and support to local designers,” says Steven Kolb Chief Executive Officer, Council of Fashion Designers of America/CFDA Foundation, Inc.
Another celebration marking 10 years of OC Fashion Week® was the return of Coral Castillo, the first Orange County designer to win the Emerging Designer Award. Since then, the designer’s appearance on Bravo’s Project Runway has earned the retailer further respect for her craftsmanship.
Coral Castillo’s collection features a stunning array of pieces that are structured yet feminine and although crafted entirely in black, somehow ethereal and light. Coral’s designs show a love of texture and layering – dramatic shapes and draping portray a playful relationship with light and dark” – Blythe Hill
Born in Mexico City, Coral found her passion for clothing design at a very young age. Her mother was a seamstress, and Coral grew up with exposure to beautiful fabrics and custom-made clothing. In 2005, Coral began designing for a select clientele, with no guidance or training in fashion. After deciding to follow her passion, she studied Fashion Design at the California Institute of the Arts – San Francisco.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design, she received honors and was awarded Best Portfolio for Fall 2012. In 2009, she won Best Overall Effect for the California Institute of the Arts-San Francisco Fashion show. Other awards include Best of Women’s Day Wear for Discarded to Divine 2009 and 2010, first place in a design competition for OC Fashion Week 2011, and in 2013 Coral was recognized as one of the top designers in Orange County. In 2019 Coral won the Moss Adams Fashion Innovator Award. In 2018 Coral participated in a series called STITCHED and ended up as the winner of Episode 5. Most recently, Coral was a finalist of PROJECT RUNWAY S19. Her work has been published in ELLE us, VOGUE Italia, VOGUE UK, WWD, APPAREL NEWS, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE and LOS ANGELES TIMES.
