Luis Machiçao
Charlotte Fashion Week is honored to be collaborating with Luis Machiçao on Charlotte Fashion Week. Luis Machiçao grew up with one thing on his mind… FASHION; however, it wasn’t until the age of 20 that he actively began to pursue his dream.Mr. Machiçao began his career in Peru by enrolling in The School of Dramatic Arts where he received his education, later he decided to move to another school and began studying Fashion Design in a local Fashion Institute where he graduated with honors.
Afterwards he enrolled in the University to study Sociology, he is on the belief that fashion is a social manifestation of the human being. After 4 years at the university he flew to Paris where he knew he could complete his education with experience. It was while in Paris that everything came together on how to dress people from head to toe in good taste.
Later, when Mr. Machiçao went back to Peru, he began working in TV miniseries, Soap Operas and Theater. He was then hired for the First Lady to serve his country with his impeccable taste, also dressing celebrities and socialites.While working he began showing his own collections in fashion shows. It was here that he found his passion – runways! Mr. Machiçao began to show his own collections internationally which resulted in him moving to the United States of America. He has presented his collections in cities such as Houston, Austin, San Francisco, Miami, Charlotte and now, showing his latest Spring-Summer 2011 collection at New York’s fashion week.
To see Luis’ exciting work visit LuisMachiçao.com.
Tara Davis
FLOW by Tara Davis is owned and operated by Tara Michelle Davis of Charlotte, North Carolina. Tara has been designing since she was a child. She first began sewing beautiful dresses for her Barbie Dolls and is now creating dresses for mature and sophisticated women everywhere.By the time she turned 20, Davis was attending the Art Institute of Atlanta seriously pursue a career in Fashion Design, but cut her education short to start a family. Although she stopped her education, nothing could stop her childhood passion. As time passed, her ambition and creative style grew causing her to start designing again; 2002 began a new era in her life.
She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Pfeiffer University and learned how to operate her own business. Now armed with knowledge, loaded with creativity and motivated by her best friend and family, a rusty but quite innovative designer produced six original pieces for a local fashion show where she received rave reviews.
The positive reaction and family support only sparked a new approach to an old trade. FLOW by Tara Davis was formed in 2003, and has since been see in numerous fashion shows, special events, and publications throughout the Carolinas. Davis’ loyal customer
base is always anticipating her new designs each season and is steadily growing.
She continues to push her design skills to the next level as she has recently developed a
ready-to-wear collection and is in the process of completing her MFA in Fashion Design.
Clients now have the choice of purchasing a one-of-a-kind custom dress or select one of
Davis’ unique designs from one of the four FLOW divisions: FLOW Signature, Flowistic,
FLOW Chic, and FLOW Design. All four divisions have a unique flair to them and are a
perfect fit for any woman who exudes confidence and class. The FLOW by Tara Davis
collection continues to stay on top of current fashion trends, fabrics, and silhouettes,
providing dresses that continue to flow, move and bounce. These dresses are made to leave
a lasting impression at any special event or night on the town.
Davis stays very active in the community, visiting schools and educating youth about the
fashion industry as well as motivating them to continue to strive for their passions in life.
Designer, Educator, Mother and Friend, Davis reflects a person who is willing to put her
heart where it matters, and that is in the things she loves.
For more information, media, or booking inquiries please contact Stacee Cross at
smcpublicity@gmail.com Flow by Tara Davis is the designer for you.
Amanda Wagner
Amanda Wagner is an American fashion designer known for her classical and dramatic aesthetic and use of natural materials that move with the body. She aims to create the most flattering apparel to perfectly contour each line of the natural form. Amanda sees beauty in the unique and her design is a mélange of art meeting the human form. Her collections present a modern reinvention of retro silhouettes that explore elements of line, color, and nature.Amanda was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She was first introduced to the world of Fine Art as a young child. During her early childhood years, she was liberally supplied with a broad spectrum of artist materials. Her most favorite Christmas gift was Fashion Plates-a mix and match drawing toy used to teach young aspiring fashion artists how to draw and co-ordinate fashion design. Her unique talent and abilities have evolved out of a rich family heritage, from a long line of artists. Childhood art lessons and techniques were gleaned from her mother and older siblings. She also learned to appreciate a love for fashion growing up with her mother and older sister having been runway fashion models. Art and fashion walked together hand in hand in her family!
Eager to explore beyond the limitations of coloring within the lines, she ventured into the world outside the box of her crayons. Amanda attended the Old Donation Center for the Gifted and Talented in Virginia Beach throughout grade school and middle school with a focus on Visual Arts. While there, she developed a love for figure drawing and the human form. She continued to develop her artistic fashion skills while in high school and began to embrace a secondary emphasis in fashion marketing. Amanda decided to continue her education in fashion at Radford University (Radford, VA). While at Radford, she chose to pursue a global perspective of fashion design and marketing by studying abroad and interning in the high fashion houses of England and France. She worked in London, England at Belleville Sassoon Lorcan Mullany creating elaborate couture gowns for Harrod’s and producing fashion shows through the American Inter Continental University. She also attended L’Université Catholique de L’Ouest in Angers, France. She holds a BA in Fashion Design and French.
In 2004, Amanda moved to Los Angeles, California where she worked for Christian Dior in Beverly Hills. During that time, she also worked as the Fashion Editor for Kitten Magazine (www.kittenmag.com) in its earliest stages and was an Assistant Designer for Mike Vensel (www.mikevensel.com) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Vensel), who has been most recently seen on Bravo TV’s “The Fashion Show” as a cast member.
After living in Los Angeles, California for two years, she decided to move to New York City in 2006 to take her love of painting and design to the next level. This move brought about new ventures into contracting out for interior design business and selling her paintings. Then in 2008, she decided to move to Asheville, NC to sell her paintings and continue to design, creating fashion clothing and home accessories, which were sold throughout local boutiques in the Carolinas.
Currently, Amanda resides in Charlotte, NC where she continues to design apparel and accessories. She has most recently been affiliated with Charlotte Seen’s “Passport for Fashion” event held in April 2011 where she was a featured designer in the fashion show working in collaboration with Bentala Salon (http://bentalasalon.com/). Amanda designed two recyclable dresses into foil couture gowns, which won *BEST* Look and Design 2011 Best Location Reinvention Couture for the Bentala Team: consisting of Benny Watkins-Salon owner/stylist, Lia Baldwin-stylist, and Willie Porter-Stylist.
Amanda Wagner is excited about her latest collections on the horizon and will be a featured Fashion Designer for Charlotte Seen’s Charlotte Fashion Week being held September 19th-24th http://charlottefashionweek.com/.
