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By CLOE CABRERA, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 12, 2008

Updated: 02/12/2008 12:22 pm

TAMPA - When the Ebony Fashion Fair comes to town, it's a given the audience will be as dazzling as the models onstage.

The annual spectacle has taken on legendary status in black communities. It's a major social event - an event at which to see and be seen by the fabulously fashionable.

The historical Tampa Theatre was overflowing with style and elegance for the show on Feb. 3. Young people strolled the lobby in Juicy Couture and Bebe, while parents dazzled in Steve Harvey suits and Betsey Johnson cocktail dresses. Mature ladies and gents impressed in elegant hats, beaded gowns and eye-catching jewelry.

"It's uplifting to see this," said Trevor Bonner, 36, looking sharp in a cream-colored turtleneck shirt and tweed jacket. "All of these beautiful black people coming together for a good cause. I wish more inner-city kids were here to see this; there's nothing black people can't do."

When the house lights dimmed, the excitement built. It was Super Bowl Sunday, and there were few empty seats in the house.

R&B sounds poured from the speakers as the models took the stage against a pulsating light-show backdrop.

The hottest ticket in black fashion was under way.

For the next two hours, a parade of styles, colors, prints and fabrics brought "oohs" and "ahhs" from the audience.

The Fashion Fair is not your traditional fashion show. It has the feel of a revue. There are no poker-faced models marching up and down the runway, eyes straight ahead. These 13 models - 11 women and 2 men - oozed sass and personality. They twirled, they swirled, they shimmied, they shook, they came out in twos and threes and whipped off their wraps to reveal something slinky underneath. They performed syncopated dance moves - one even moon-walked. They acted out flirty vignettes and kept their audience enthralled.

Steering the action was hostess Jada Collins. Perched on a tall director's chair onstage, Collins, a former Fashion Fair model, described each outfit in a come-hither voice, adding touches of humor to the commentary.

"Ladies, when you wear this silver fox-trimmed silver brocade jacket, you will never be mistaken for the maid," she cooed.

"I love the theatrics," said Iva Taylor, 42, who attended with two of her best friends. The trio easily could have been mistaken for models in the show. "The interaction between the models is so entertaining. They're so confident and they look like they're having so much fun."

"This isn't your stereotypical fashion show," added Lee Theodate, 40. "It's wonderful to see women that look like you. You don't see a lot of that in the fashion world. These are beautiful chocolate models. And the clothes are just gorgeous."

It's the clothes everyone comes to see, of course, and some can take your breath away. Opulent gowns from fashion stalwarts Givenchy, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera and Bill Blass; an extravagant jacket covered with Swarovski crystals by Emanuel Ungaro; a trumpet-bottom evening skirt with a corset bustier by Vivienne Westwood.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

In keeping with this year's theme, "Glam Odyssey: A Fashion Journey into Bliss & Beyond," the show opened with a fashion retrospective, with models donning looks from the 1950s to the new millennium. Two male models rocked the stage in vintage 1950s Brioni suits. There was a 1960s psychedelic dress by Anna Sui and a fringe beaded Bob Mackie dress from the 1980s. A Renato Balestra silver gown emblazoned with "2000" across the bodice gave props to the current decade.

After the walk down memory lane, the models donned the latest looks in haute couture, presented in various vignettes. "Head to Toe" focused on accessories needed to complete a look: hats, shoes, gloves, etc. Among the standouts was a head-to-toe plaid ensemble by French designer Lorenzo Riva.

An array of colors painted the stage in the "Point of Hue" segment. It featured vivid ensembles and matt jersey dresses in some of the hottest colors of the season, including fuchsia, mustard and chartreuse. An eye-popping Christian Lacroix minidress transformed seamlessly to a long gown.

A "Spot of Style" put the spotlight on animal prints. Tampa designer Elizabeth Carson made a guest appearance alongside her slinky leopard print dress with a cut-up-to-there side slit. "Break the Mold" highlighted color-blocked pieces, and "Celebrity Style" took a cue from celebrities' influence on fashion. Models impersonated celebs such as Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie, holding toy dogs and posing in Bill Blass minidresses.

The "Chasing the Sun" segment featured beachwear, always a crowd-pleaser. Male models turned up the heat when they whipped off their sarongs to reveal square-cut trunks by Sweetwater Swimwear. "Back to White" shifted the look from showing skin to covering it up with luxurious outerwear. "Shine of the Time" featured sequins, beads and plenty of sparkle, including a fur-trimmed gold-metallic minidress by British designer Tomasz Starzewski.

Here Comes The Bride

No Ebony Fashion Fair event is complete without a wedding scene. This year, gospel artist Ernest Collins serenaded two of the show's models - who just happen to be married in real life. The bride slipped into a spectacular beaded coat, which she removed to reveal a barely there white gown with wisps of material draped across the breast, a plunging back with pleated train from designer Zang Toi.

"We've come a long way," said Phonicial Washington, 23, the Fashion Fair troupe's full-figured model. "This show celebrates the diversity of the black community. And it's all beautiful. It's raised so much money for good causes. It's a privilege to be a part of a show like this. We get as much from the audience as we give them."

Susan Bernard, 42, has attended the fashion show as long as she can remember. She bought 25 tickets for friends and family.

"I love everything about this show," said Bernard, clad in a colorful, slinky minidress with matching hood by Apple Bottoms. "It's historic. It's creative, and it's been around for such a long time. The models are so confident up there. I want my daughter to see what we can do when you believe in yourself. We blacks can wear Vera Wang and other top designers and wear them well."

Bernard's daughter, Tiffany Thomas, 22, smiled in agreement.

"It makes me happy and hopeful to be here," said Thomas, who was wearing a red cocktail dress. "It makes me feel that I can do anything. I'd love to be up there one day."

Reporter Cloe Cabrera can be reached at (813) 259-7656 or ccabrera@tampatrib.com.

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