Runway Pasadena: Nikki West Opens Grandly with Fashion Show August 1

New women’s fashion retailer Nikki West is set to open Wednesday, August 1 in Old Pasadena’s One Colorado with a 7 p.m. plein air roped-off-VIP-and-public-can-watchit-too runway show that will see owner Nicole Winnaman’s signature fashion collection go down the catwalk in public for the first time ever.

“It’s been really great. It’s very, very, very satisfying,” says Winnaman. “Just watching the collection come together and watching the pieces on the models is sooooo satisfying. Every step of the way is so outrageously … I can’t even explain it. I can’t put it into words.”

So we’ll try: the collection is not small (for a first run) – it sports lots and lots of bright solid silks – blouses, dresses, gorgeous flared silk pants – some pieces paired with leather, others topping denim and there are some sheers. Party wear, dressy casual, everything is fun and demure it’s not.

“We’ve been working on this collection for about twelve months and it’s been so much fun,” says Winnaman, talking to us as her team preps models and runs through show details. “The direction of the collection is effortless, chic, and timeless pieces, so we stay with the trend but it’s not trendy. It’s all about the fit and the fabric that we’re using.”

Her excitement is contagious. To open a boutique in Pasadena is one thing, but to launch a new collection here begs the question, ‘Why Pasadena?’

“People always ask me, ‘Why Pasadena?’ and my first response is, ‘Why not?’” Winnaman explains with a laugh. “There are incredible restaurants here, it’s a very artsy community and people here have a sense of fashion that hasn’t always been available to them here in town. But I think that is changing. I’ve seen a lot of the better boutiques here offer things were only available on the west side.”

“A lot of my friends, who also own boutiques, say it’s not about competition. I think we all relish in the fact that more is better,” continues Winnaman. “It gives shoppers an opportunity so, if they don’t see what they want, they can go to another store that’s close.”

The boutique will also sell other lines besides the Nikki West collection from its 34 Hugus Alley storefront.

With collections scheduled for every season on the year—spring, summer, fall and holiday, Winnaman hopes to sell the Nikki West line into better department stores and high-end boutiques across the country.

“I hope everyone loves it as much as I do. I think starting here in Pasadena and building some excitement here, and having it grow from here, is super fun,” Winnaman says (excitedly).

The fashion show is free and open to the public. For more information, call (626) 657-2226 or visit www.nikkiwestblog.com.