A Heartfelt THANK YOU for 2014!!

COMING SOON, UNDER CONSTRUCTION IS NO LONGER....

Good Bye Fashion Designer Francisco Azucar

Last night, a friend of mine called to tell me the sad news of a local South Florida designers passing. Francisco Azucar passed away in Tampa while working his fashion show. Word has it he passed from a heart attack. Azucar” as he was better known to his friends and fashion industry professionals, was based out of Miami but he was a regular in the Tampa/St Pete fashion scene coming to Tampa several times a year to participate in fashion shows and events in the area. Miami born Azucar was of Cuban descent and he was a very talented fashion designer, loved and respected in the community. His versatility is what set him apart from other designers. He was able to create womenswear and menswear including swimwear and pageant dresses but he was better known for his couture designs. We did not know Francisco personally, we knew of him, he knew of us as well; we've seen his beautiful creations and also bumped into him from time to time in downtown Miami with a client at the fabric stores. I actually went to one of his fashion shows in a club some years ago. As a fellow designer and human being, we must pay our respects and for his family, Our Condolences. I know he will be missed by his friends and colleagues. Go with God/Vaya con Dios Francisco Azucar.

Viktor Franovik President Fashion Designers Association Florida www.fashiondesignersassociationflorida.com

The last FRANOVIK show of the year

So last Sunday Franovik Designs did their last show of 2012. We were included at LS1426 Inc fashion week. The show was held at the Marriott Biscayne Bay in Miami from 6 to 9 under Linda Scott Productions. This show was very special; the fashion show was for plus size models. Franovik got the chance to participate and produce a few pieces using plus size models. It was quite the experience, as fashion designers we tend to go with the norm, smaller sizes, taller, stick figure models but the reality is we dress women, all sizes, races, colors, etc.All we want is for people to see our creations, not only on a mannequin in a store but on a real body. It was a beautiful day; we walked in and immediately felt the love. We were the only Couture designers from Florida. Miss Linda had models for us and proceeded to a conference room for us to fit the ladies. We had 18 pieces, fit the ladies, and decided to go with 12 pieces. I, as usual, brought my entourage of assistants, including the fabulous Kathy Nunez from Face Future, CEO of KN Cosmetics, to do all the makeup, 13 girls to be exact. Needless to say, the makeup was flawless. I don't know how Kathy does it but the lips were amazing, the highlight of my evening. She makes those lips look like vinyl-latex, smooth and wet. I mean, I wanted her to do my lips, MUAH!!! While the ladies were getting their faces done, I got a chance to meet the other designers (hey Miss Suzette), models, sponsors, photographers, media and the DJ....Very important for me because I needed to discuss start, breaks and where I wanted to cue the music. My photographer arrived; Don Seidman, so we looked at the place and went ahead to discuss the evening agenda and what kind of pictures I was looking for. Don met the models and spoke to them on what he needed from them. Take your time, he says, it's not a rat race, it's your time to shine. Sometime went by and Steve, Marnie and Julio from Amplification Inc, (newly acquired marketing company for Franovik) show up to interview us, Kathy and the models. I was interviewed first while we did a run through with the models.

I really need to get a grip while being interviewed; Jeez, I really let go, it's funny, somewhat flaming, (LMAO). Then Francisco is interviewed and he's the complete opposite, he gets nervous and forgets his words and goes west with his thoughts!! So show time is approaching, the show is late, almost 2 hours late. Show starts and we are the first to present; you know I'm going to open up with a bang, I want to set the tone, I want every other designer to go after us, to catch us, to top us..... I spoke to all the ladies before, I wanted them to celebrate the womanhood, go out there and be fabulous, show everyone model realness and have fun with it. Well, the ladies did not listen to their designer and went with uptight modeling instead of having fun and it shows in the pictures. I don't understand, they were getting pictures as well, wouldn't you go for awesome pics, instead of uptight, no smiles, flat pictures. Bummer!! OMG, before I forget, we had our very first Asian Model (Vivian) and Plus Size Model (Jennifer). So Vivian is Korean and was leaving to Korea the following morning. Jennifer is local (South Florida) and wants to be a fashion designer too, she showed me some of her drawing, very cute, there's potential there. All in all, we had a very nice time; the crowd was very enthusiastic and proper. Linda was in control but very cool, nothing fazed her, it was her way and you had to do it her way, she ruled!! I look forward to next year with Miss Linda at another venue; lets' not get into that....Anyway, as I said before, our last show of the year. We will take a well deserved break, vacations from fashion, although I will be writing, photoshoping, creating the new catalog, and gearing up for 2013. Talk to you soon....Kisses, Viktor Franovik

Franovik's Green Couture for the Women of the Roundtable

The evening started at 1:30pm for us, It was raining so we had to park in front to take everything down; understand the designers need to get there earlier because we have clothes to take down, pull out of bags and set up for the models once they arrive. So we got to the Signature Grand, and Miss Terri welcomed us with a great BIG Smile, as she normally does to everyone visiting The Grand. We were told where to go and as we are heading there, Miss Polly Wilkie-President of the Prestige Club, walks in with three of our models, hugs and kisses are usually the welcome between models and designers. As we start to move, I see another model, key model actually, It's Aubrey and her mother Diane; I drop my stuff and run over to them, almost running into the glass door.... can you imagine, "Blooper" running into the door. I love these women and they also drove down from Naples so extra attention is taken to my peeps!!! As we walk in, we are instructed that we have the suite with three (3) rooms and a bigger smile is put on my face. We get to the suite and I start assigning areas; one was for hair, another for makeup and the other for changing, and we still have the welcoming area. I walk out and see Linda, our service manager. Linda wants to make sure everything is okay , I needed stools which we got super fast and then agreed to what time food was going to be served. Food was amazing, we had all kinds of wraps, fruits, cheeses and drinks. So the girls, parents, hair designers, make up designers and Francisco pigged out. I on the other hand, could not partake cause I was running around, but I managed to taste three(3) grapes. The photographers started arriving, Beatriz Stilwell was the first. She is one of the photographers I use at photo shoots. She invited a few others in her photography group. Second to arrive was the official event Photographer, Suzanne Barton, she photographed everything and everyone; what a classy lady. The other photographers came in, among them Phoenix and Michael Wright, a few others which I did not catch their names. Then Univision, NBC and Tropix TV. We were interviewed the fabulous Andrea Chediak from Univision in Spanish and Nick from Tropix in English. NO events goes without a hitch, and there were a few; lighting was one, sound was another and visual was the other. It all got taken care of, so no further complaints. I will tell you the runway was spectacular, it was exactly what I wanted. I was going in and out of the ballroom, my sponsors coming in. The first to show her pretty face was Kathy Nunez, CEO & Make Up Artist of Face Future-KN Cosmetics came in first to set up. Kathy had to work fast because she was in charge of three other MUA's and we were using her products, so it was up to her Mom (Diana) and Son (Sean) to take care of the sponsor table. They look very cute behind the table...Then it was Yenny Machado, Owner and President of Yenny Fashions jewelry. Yenny had so much stuff she could have filled 3 additional tables, WOW, great stuff. Following Yenny was Latoya Edwards, President and distributor of OrganoGold coffee. The coffee was wonderful; you know South Floridians and coffee-it's a love affair that expands decades, if not centuries, so she was a big hit. Following Latoya came Celinda, owner of Linda's Fashion Shoes. Linda Fashion Shoes provided shoes for all the girls, they brought 120 pairs of shoes-all linked to the colors of our dresses. They had the end table and as I understand, they all had some sales, nothing to brag about but something, something. As the night progressed, we were interviewed by Univision, NBC, Sun Sentinel, Tropix TV, Lifestyles Publications, Ciudad Weston Newspaper, Natural Awakenings, Latin Connection, among others. The Suite also became photo and interview heaven; Media came in, all the girls were there along with hair, Ola Wilkerson-CEO of Illusion's Hair Boutique, Schacle Powell and Beatric Jean. Makeup, Kathy Nunez-CEO of Face Future-KN Cosmetics, Evy Maquillaje, Kristine Kelly and staff makeup artists. We are pulled away again to the ballroom, where I meet up with Miss Kandee G, MC of the event to go over the fashion show, garment description and how we were going to start the program. I opened the show and introduced Kandee G, after she taking the walk down the runway, since we made her dress as well. So the fashion show begins, 20 girls strutting their stuff to DIVA. It's an upbeat song that talks about DIVAS, just the right song for my models, ALL DIVAS (Jana, Aubrey, Lauren, Karen, Lydia, Nina, Paige, Kiara, Christine, Andrea, Gaby, Fernanda, Giselle, Karen P, Karina, Marina, Meily, Taylor, Arianna, and Cindy) not in that order. Lauren opened the show and Jana closed the show. So the show was over, it took 16 minutes start to finish. I ended the show with remarks and thank you's; I'm sure I forgot so many people. I tried to remember as much as I could but I was really tired. I asked Kathy, Ola, and Shay to come up to be acknowledged and made them walk the runway too. I went back to suite, to put all the dresses in bags and try to see all my models before they left. Most of them were gone, the few that stayed had parents and they picked up as well. We were quite hungry and went to eat something and drove Yenny, jewelry designer home to Miami Beach. The day turned into 12 hours, we got to the Signature Grand at 1:30pm and got home the following day at 1:30am. I'm very happy everything turned out ok, now it's waiting for pictures from the photographers. I can't wait, trust I'm dying here, you see I'm spoiled; I work with many photographers but there are two (2) photographers (Don Seidman and Simon Soong) that give me pictures disc's as we leave the event. Anyway, I will only have to wait a few more hours, Suzanne Barton is preparing a picture disc which I will pick up tomorrow. Christopher, my production Director did happen to take a few pictures and they are the ones you are seeing here..... You see someone is always looking out...Thank you to everyone that took part in some shape or form. I wanted to mention a few others: NUVO Sparkling Vodka, Ethereal Management, Hip Chick, Keel Magazine, Ginette Bover, Latin Connection Magazine, Beatriz Stilwell, Carmen Goodman, among others. A special thanks to Polly WIlkie of the Prestige Club and the Doris Muscarella, President and event planner of the Women of the Roundtable. Viktor Franovik

SHOW OF THE YEAR

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/features_fashion/2012/07/upcycle-charity-fashion-show-features-work-of-franovik.html

A Queen's passing...we will miss you!!