Fashion Week 2023: Chills, Spills and Thrills

[Koyliak]

RHYDIN FASHION WEEK 2023

RhyDin Fashion Week Notes from RhyDin Wear Daily:

Hello, lovelies! Fashion Week always calls for eyes in the back of your ultra chic heads when dealing with the savagery of New Haven’s finest. This year more than ever we suggest you heed the warning given the surprises lurking behind the theme, Chills, Spills and Thrills.

Don’t forget to celebrate the night and grab a bottle of Red Orc Brewery’s limited-run Fashion Week brew, Drop Dead Red. What does your night have in store?

Highlights from the schedule, not to be missed:

Saturday, March 11th

The Benson Boulevard Initiative Presents the
Fashion Week 2023 Charity Kickoff: Chills, Spills and Thrills
9 PM - Outside South Gate, Old Temple (Discord Streets of RhyDin)
All Proceeds Benefit the Sanyumato Relief Fund, the Small Business Relief Fund in celebration of Jewell Ravenlock and the RhyDin Welcome Center.

Monday, March 13th

Kitchy Kando
1 PM - Main Tent
Head Designers: Leigh Mayazuki and Cassie Kando

Abroad in Adenna Exhibition Opening with Christopher Andan and Nima Liltu
3 PM - Promenade
Adenna’s finest fashions return in a stunning exhibition featuring the works of Pearle De Causey, Angela Kenra, Minnie Mardoni and other Adenna designers.
Exhibition runs for the full duration of Fashion Week.

Brix in Babel Runway Show
5 PM - Promenade
Head Designer: Brix Biloxi
Featuring: Mitzy & Mayhem, Tricky O’Leary

Jackson Walt
6 PM - Promenade
Head Designers: Zachary Jackson and Walter Rusk
Featuring: Nero Zhir

Tuesday, March 14th

Muziak & Co
2 PM - Main Tent
Head Designers: Kryslin Henry
Featuring: Yeetz Athleticwear

Highlife Haberdashery Runway Show
4 PM - Main Tent
Head Designer: Gerard Smith
Featuring: Locke D’Vestavio, Pierce Pianz, Evergreen Iain

Wednesday, March 15th

The Remmington Collection
2 PM - Main Tent
Head Designer: Vicki Remmington
Featuring: Tra’elsa Bloom, Chi-chi Lorenga, Salista Gavon

Fox Footing
5 PM - Promenade
Head Designer: Zen Ronjkson
Featuring: Trish Cavanaugh, Steely Neel, Buzz and the Bear

Thursday, March 16th

Millie & Mallie Runway Show
2 PM - Main Tent
Head Designer: Koyliak VanDuran-Simon
Featuring: Shane Tory, Galagomorrah, Lovelace McDonagh

Friday, March 17th

Amador Sui Presents: Chills, Spills and Thrills
12 PM - Mercer Park, New Haven
Escape room meets haute couture as revelers solve puzzles centered around some of the most scandalous and sensational moments in RhyDin’s fashion history.

Gorgeous Harry’s Textile Showroom
1 PM - Promenade

Neese
2 PM - Main Tent
Head Designer: Nicole Neese

Lamb Studios Photography Presents
The Year in RhyDin Fashion
5 PM - Lamb Studios, Benson Boulevard
Head Photographers: Kyle Levy and Oblinn Lyrana

Fashion Week Wrap Party
Hosted by the Benson Boulevard Initiative
11 PM - Knives & Knaves Club, New Haven

And though we love life inside the tents let us not forget some of the week’s highly anticipated supplemental events closing out the week:

Sunday, March 12th

Dr. Pneumatic’s Roving Party Caravan
4PM - 12AM - Under the Ice Spider, The Courtyard
There’s no telling where Dr. Pneumatic will bring his party to but we’re able to share his first destination is in the Courtyard outside of the Red Dragon Inn. Look for the Ice Spider in the sky to find where he’s touched down with his fellow revelers - we’re told the wonders inside his floating ship make it hard to leave. For more clues on where Dr. Pneumatic will be throughout Fashion Week, follow @UndertheIceSpider.

Monday, March 13th

Thrillers Under the Sea
10AM - Cedar Gallery, Benson Boulevard
Sponsored by The Benson Boulevard Initiative
Showcasing the latest innovative photography techniques, Benny Zakumi and Poe Rains share RhyDin’s most exciting (and occasionally terrifying!) creatures lurking under the sea. Exhibition runs through the length of Fashion Week.

Enchanted Lily Pond
11AM - Battlefield Park
Join Walter the Moon Rabbit as he takes you on a wild ride of leaping through the multichromatic lilies. Opens every day at 11AM through the length of Fashion Week.

Paint and Play!: Workshop for Children
3 PM - The Marketplace
Sponsored by The Heavenly Boutique
Children of all ages are welcome to paint with a variety of fun tools and canvases - from finger paints to ceramics, there’s something for everyone. Spills encouraged! Supplies, protective gear and snacks provided.

Tuesday, March 14th

To Wear or Not to Wear: Fashion Tips for Every City District
12 PM - The RhyDin Welcome Center, Dragon's Gate
Sponsored by the RhyDin Welcome Center

Mayhem’s Marker
2 PM - Fairgrounds, Seaside
A haunted house, a voyeuristic play and a murder mystery are some of the many amusements awaiting you at Mayhem’s Marker. Opens at 2PM and runs daily for the remainder of Fashion Week

Wedding Expo
4 PM - Syon Hall, Benson Boulevard, New Haven
Including the latest in bridal fashions from The Heavenly Boutique, Luscious Lovelies, Beyond Compare and more!

Hidden Talents
7 PM - Very Cherry Coffee Shop, New Haven
A cult classic returns! Now’s your chance to show off your best singing / acting / juggling / gymnastics / other surprising skill in a friendly competition for an all-expenses paid trip to Mount Yasuo.

Wednesday, March 15th

Rise and Shine: Breakfast & Beauty Tips
8:30 AM - The Heavenly Boutique, Benson Boulevard
Presented by Koyliak VanDuran-Simon with hair styling tips from RhyDin’s own Grace Cassidy.
Sponsored by Heart Notes

Shock and Pop Delights
1 PM - Zilly’s Lounge, New Haven
Want to catch up on all the latest gossip and scandals while taking your tastebuds through a wild menu of surprising flavors? Feel like judging from the comfort of a lavious lounge with delicious food, drinks and dozens of monitors showing live footage from the Mercer Park runway shows? Come to Zilly’s Lounge! Open Thursday and Friday as well.

How To Dress Like A Man: A Crash Course in Menswear Fashions
3:30 PM - The Highlife Haberdashery, Benson Boulevard
Presented by Gerard Smith and Locke D’Vestavio

Thursday, March 16th

Celebrating Emerging RhyDin Talent: Showcase and Seminar
12 PM - The Marketplace
Sponsored by The RhyDin Welcome Center

Ice Baths and Icebreakers
5PM - Chillers, Dragon’s Gate
Meet and mingle with other singles in a more unconventional manner - engage in icebreakers while taking Chillers’ ice bath challenge!

Write On! Discussion Panel of RhyDin’s Leading Fashion Writers
6 PM - Seven & Seven Restaurant, Benson Boulevard
Panelists Include Sonia Williams (founder, Couture Magazine), Jess Vincent (editor, Couture Magazine), Tina Tolly (editor, Paper Dolls), Stone Feldman (fashion columnist, Lush)
Moderated by Amador Sui (editor, RhyDin Wear Daily)

Friday, March 17th

Breakfast Potluck
10 AM - RhyDin Welcome Center
All are invited to create a classic dish with a new twist to join in a scrumptious breakfast!

Make-Up Artist Expo
3 PM - The Blush Brush Warehouse
Sponsored by Local Chapter 52 of the RhyDin Make-Up Artists Union

Designer Duds
All Day Friday
Clothing Drive for Charity
Lexington Square, Benson Boulevard.
Sponsored by RhyDin United and Sisters of the Revolution

Battle of the Bands
6 PM - Mercer Park, New Haven


((Thank you to everyone who contributed this year and for your patience as I’ve been slow to update! More events may be added so please check for updates. If anything is missing or you’d like to add an event please let me know. All times are ET. Please feel free to use this thread to post any outfits, designs, etc. related to the live events and Fashion Week vapored events. Stay stylish, RhyDin!))

[Koyliak]

The Benson Boulevard Initiative Presents the
Fashion Week 2023 Charity Kickoff: Chills, Spills and Thrills
9 PM - Outside South Gate, Old Temple (Discord Streets of RhyDin)
All Proceeds Benefit the Sanyumato Relief Fund, the Small Business Relief Fund in celebration of Jewell Ravenlock and the RhyDin Welcome Center.

Guests would be greeted outside of Old Temple by tour guides claiming to be Welcome Center volunteers. The guides would take guests as they arrived for a short walk down a lantern lit pathway through the forest brush, urging guests not to veer from the path. Sounds of unseen night creatures, real or perhaps placed for the evening, could be heard in the near distance. Throughout the quick journey the tour guides would share details about the upcoming destination and the legends surrounding it.

Pandelke’s Cave, named for the mysterious ice spider demigod some believed still lurked within its depths, was hidden from the untrained eye by large slabs of uncannily cold stones. Depending on which guide guests traveled with, some spoke with excitement, others trepidation and a few with unimpressed boredom about the cave being opened for tonight’s party. Each arriving group would be asked to stand at each corner of the central stone and instructed where to press in, synchronizing movements to unlock the heavy unmarked door. The stone slid back into place behind each group as they passed inside.

In stark contrast to the unremarkable darkness outside, once inside the cave guests would be treated to a bioluminescent feast for the eyes.



The colors continued to grow more vivid and varied the deeper the guests traveled through the cool cavern. Some guests may have gotten the chilling feeling that someone or somethings watched as they reached the main space.



The team at MagiTech™ were hard at work, ensuring with special heat lamps that guests wouldn’t freeze in the otherwise icy cave while leaving the natural features undisturbed. A fountain sculpted from ice sprayed the crispest champagne into waiting flutes with carved bars along the walls. Neon attired servers passed out an array of appetizers.



Among the guests, Walter the Moon Rabbit in his cheerful outfit would be hard to miss.



On the opposite end of the spectrum, the enigmatic Dr. Pneumatic moved stealthily through the crowds, occasionally sneaking up behind guests for the thrill of scaring them.



DJ Shifter Talk spun the latest hits from his rock shelf next to an outline of a monstrous spider embedded with gold flakes. He had a key vantage view of the runway. Icy stalagmites, stalactites and large quartz crystals formed a natural enclosure around the runway carved from Blue John stone. Precautions had been taken to ensure the surface wasn’t as slippery as it appeared.

[Koyliak]

Koy's Outfit

[Koyliak]

2023

Runway Order:

Mallory - Feathers, Spikes and Everything Nice







Rekah - Blood Red Bombshell





Nero - Sheen King



Saila - Queen of the Night



Saila:




Dris - Dreamsicle



Jewell - Wet ‘n’ Wild





Gatito - Undulating Bloom



Morgan - Spilled Sparkle



Karma - Glimmer Shock

[Josette Wheeler]

Given the theme of the night, Josie arrived to give her full support to the charity kickoff dressed as an homage to her own unique twist on Wednesday Addams. Accompanied by the ever faithful Thing, which was really her pixie dust sneezing ermine familiar Vie done up in a delightful illusion as the five fingered companion. Those with the gift of True Sight would easily be able to see through the playful disguise and see the mischievous truth behind the veil.

She walked with an ethereal presence, heels with barbed wire wraps had a foot in both worlds, as she was in and out of her body while being lead down the lantern lit pathway. Josie was certain to keep Vie from scuttling off to investigate the sounds of unseen night creatures, though with her clairaudience, she was keenly aware of their frequency. Fortunately, she had a guide that spoke with excitement of the coming cave opening and the evening’s festivities.

The excitement was contagious and easily spilled over into her eagerness to cheer on her fellow fashionistas. Josette stood where instructed and did her part to help open the heavy stone door and was greeted to the visual splendor within.

[Ebon Ilnaren]

Phen and Ebon attended the opening of Fashion Week clad in simple elegance. After all, they were there to watch the show, not distract from it.

[Kruger]

Kruger had adorned something both plain and new. It wouldn't be obvious that the tears in his jeans had come to them through honest hard work, and it would only be apparent to those who took notice that the boots he'd donned were something he'd worn previously. The belt in those jeans was perhaps the most elegant touch of the outfit, but it was hidden by the long sleeved, too tight shirt he wore. That was the new aspect, he'd been given some pre-reveal outer wear from one of the first time contributors to Fashion Week. The forearms of his shirt read the words Yeetz. It probably went unnoticed.

[Josette Wheeler]

Dr. Pneumatic’s Roving Party Caravan-Under the Ice Spider


After the glorious Fashion Week kickoff, Josie couldn’t wait to attend as many runway shows and events as she could. Curious as to where the caravan might lead, she wore a dress that looked like it was woven just for her as she kept an eye out for the Ice Spider and followed the clues.


Enchanted Lily Pond




Josie delighted in following the Moon Rabbit, Walter, on a wild ride across the enchanted lilies. Leaping with a dancer’s grace in gorgeous grand jetés, the ballerina raced with her familiar Vie, who was hot on her heels and born to chase.



Thrillers Under the Sea





The fact that it was 10am did not stop Josette from wearing a gown, perhaps even two because why not? Josie returned to the Under the Sea showcase several times throughout the week to marvel at the depictions of the sea creatures in all of their beauty—even terrifyingly so at times. It was a week for thrills and chills after all!

Eager to soak up every bit of fashion, the petite ballerina made sure not to miss all the fabulous runway shows on Monday, including Kitchy Kondo, Abroad in Adenna, Brix in Babel and Jackson Walt.

[JewellRavenlock]

Monday, March 13th

Jewell had taken Sunday off from Fashion Week events to focus on her duel (which she lost anyway), but was ready to go Monday morning. She grabbed Michelle and Nadella to tag along for a tour of the Enchanted Lily Pond to start before lunch and then the Kitchy Kando show. The Empress went with the mother/daughter pair to the Paint and Play! Workshop for Children (opting to lingering away from the bustle of all those kids though), promising herself she'd catch the Abroad in Adenna exhibition another day.

With unending energy when it came to Fashion Week, she sat through Brix in Babel and Jackson Walt before finding some posh afterparty to join.

[Josette Wheeler]

To Wear or Not to Wear: Fashion Tips for Every City District



Curious to take in the various fashion tips for each district, including the ones she’d yet to explore, Josie took some mental notes and was already mixing it up with styles from each location in her mind. Might be time for a shopping trip before the haunted house and murder mystery at seaside.

Mayhem’s Marker


Though the idea of a haunted house made her nervous, ‘Clue’ was one of Josie’s favorite movies and the murder mystery sounded like fun! After a quick change, she fired off a group text to her friends to see who might want to join in and then got into the spirit of things by channeling her inner Yvette coquette. Complete with a french maid inspired look paired with revolver heels and hidden knives, the jacket hid the more risqué nature of the ensemble, but it only added to the mystique and mystery.

[Yasmina Yeetz]

Yasmina Yeetz had been quite frantic all week. Her brother, ex brother really, had once told her that there would never be a future in farming the worms from the Spanda tree. That was how he'd become an ex brother, not that she'd divorced him. She had waited for him to fall asleep, then proceeded to draw a large X upon his forehead in permanent marker. Not the human version mind you, but the pixie version where permanent meant forever. She'd proved him wrong, proved all the doubters wrong and would capitalize on that today. It had taken forever to manage to get an appointment with the Koyliak VanDuran-Simon. Mostly because she kept being overlooked. It's hard to get noticed when you're only six inches tall. Once she'd garnered the fashionista's attention, everything started to slide into place. She brought examples of all her stock for Fashion week, revealing them promptly at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, the fourteenth of March. She'd discovered long ago that the silk from her Spanda worms, when properly woven, produced the most excellent material for every type of fitness and athletic wear.



Models, in all shapes and sizes, strode the runway putting her creations on display. Ya Ya watched from behind the curtain, flying loopdy loops on her butterfly wings. She even had fashions for men, and the train of beaus marched the runway showing off everything from workout wear to swimming trunks.



When everything was nearly concluded a massive meteor descended from the sky, striking the runway and leaving behind a roil of smoke and ash! It wasn't real of course, just a little pixie illusion magic. When she dropped the illusion, standing at the point of impact wearing a spandex outfit that glittered like silver and read the words YEETZ! Make An IMPACT!, was her recently acquired (from a notable and unnamed competitor), one posing Kruger "The Anvil" Allen.

[Isaac Wheeler]

Drawn from the solitary shadows of the deep woods and quiet, contemplative corners of the Shadow Plane, the wayward scion found himself attending the Seaside Fairgrounds in the company of friends of family. A good outing with Josette, Cane and Saila helped alleviate recent troubles and restored a bit of blue to the darkened thunderstorms within his eyes though they remained watchful for what might come this way and remained forever protective around his sister. At times he had a haunted expression himself though the sounds of his company’s laughter pulled him out of the figurative shadows when Cane was not pulling him into literal ones. Ignore the mussed hair, nondescript t shirt and jeans…he left the fashion to his sister and Saila.

In store was Mayhem’s Marker and the haunted house and murder mystery adventure. Hearing Josie try to explain the haunted house concept to Saila was amusing to no end and reminded him why such connections of love, friendship and family were forever important. No stranger to many of the amusements on the Fairgrounds, Isaac would warn an agent’s look away before he could even start his spiel. A drawled ‘with it’ let them know he knew all the angles and it was impossible to keep that switchblade smile from appearing in those moments. The Haunted House brought startling moments of caught breaths, side eyed stares whenever he heard Josie gasp and jump scared laughter while the murder mystery proved a most welcome and enjoyable distraction right down to the big reveal at the end of the game!

[The Hedonist]

Though Murder and Mayhem rightfully belonged to his brothers, the Hedonist simply could not pass on voyeuristic plays and mysterious amusements. The birth of Spring brought so many fertile fields, so many seeds to be planted, watered, cultivated, and nurtured towards rapturous blooms that it was easy for him to lay claim to such an event and bide his time in the present moment. Thrills and chills indeed. Idle hands might be the Devil’s playground yet his built no temples, just heretical altars were discretion and humility were sacrificed in favor of licentious desires and wanton actions. So so so much work to be done…and so many willingly lining up as tribute. The list went on with nom de guerres as interchangeable as the characters, the players and even the authors as well…but the desires remained immortal.

If one were to lead unto temptation then one must first have learned to serve. And though such rankling chains had long been cast off, the Scorpion had an eye for those who served power in the daylight while plotting in the shadow. Too easy to pin it on the butler and yet too often the trope was true, hiding in plain sight and watching it all play out. Not unlike the butlers of fiction, the Hedonist has his own characters to watch and plan for, to orchestrate for and against, characters which might sense his presence if they had Clue. How entertaining then to find a game within a game.

So tempting to play them both, no?

[Josette Wheeler]

Rise and Shine: Breakfast & Beauty Tips



Still shivering a bit from the chilling events of the night before, Josie wore some extra layers to Breakfast and Beauty tips. Thank goodness for the sunglasses that hid some dark circles under her eyes from a rather sleepless night. It was wonderful to see Koy again and the ballerina made sure to express how much she’d been enjoying all the events of the week before making sure to pop over to see Grace as she had an incredible talent with hair styling that was out of this world!



Shock and Pop Delights


After the morning’s festivities Josie went home to New Haven for some much needed rest before changing to attend Shock and Pop’s Delights at Zilly’s Lounge. Delighting in the vast array of unique and wild flavors on the menu, she treated herself to several that caught her attention and couldn’t resist a cocktail. The food was magnificent, though admittedly, she kept getting distracted by the live footage of the runway shows at Mercer Park that were playing on the monitor. When her finely tuned ears had reached their limit of the buzz of gossip and scandal, those boots of hers were made for walking towards the door to catch The Remmington Collection and Fox Footing.

[Josette Wheeler]

Amador Sui Presents: Chills, Spills and Thrills-Escape Room



Combining haute couture and solving puzzles sounded like a great time to Josie before she popped over to the charity clothing drive.

Knives and Knaves Club-Fashion Week Wrap Party



After working on her dual wielding with her brother Isaac to help her keep her focused on something physical while her attention was divided in multiple places, she made him promise not to keep her too long! There were events to attend! She persuaded her brother to possibly even join her for Battle of the Bands and the wrap party at Knives and Knaves if she could master certain ambidextrous parries and ripostes. Just a different kind of dance for the ballerina!

Vie had such a wonderful time as Thing at the kickoff, that Josie bookended Fashion Week with another Wednesday look.