Local Creativity Takes Center Stage: Long Island Fashion Week's Resounding Success

I had the pleasure of attending Long Island Fashion Week on Saturday, September 16th. Roosevelt Field Mall was glowing with excitement as it hosted this extraordinary event. Melissa Butler and Diana Rodriguez, visionary entrepreneurs, were the creative masterminds behind this remarkable showcase. I was utterly awestruck by their ability to transform a modest corner of the mall into a grand runway, where everything, from the decor to the ambiance, was perfectly harmonious.

What started as a one-time fashion show to unveil the creative genius of Melissa and Diana has now evolved into a brand and an annual fashion extravaganza set to make an indelible mark on Long Island, New York.

Both Melissa and Diana are Freeport, NY natives. They are two individuals driven by passion and professionalism who firmly believe that success is a result of unwavering hard work, not mere chance. Their philosophy resonates with my belief that achieving our goals and dreams requires active pursuit.

Melissa, as the owner of Your Lifestyle Events, a company specializing in event planning, decor, and production, and Diana, as the proprietor of Diamond Kouture, a hub for beauty enthusiasts offering professional makeup and hairstyling services, share not only a zeal for personal success but also a profound desire to create a platform for fellow local creatives. Their mission extends to clothing and fashion designers, fashion stylists, makeup artists, and hairstylists, offering them a stage to showcase their talents within our local community.

Photo credit: Philip Drew, Photos by PDrew - Ig: @*photosbypdrew*

The evening began with a splendid cocktail reception, fostering an atmosphere of mingling and networking. Unlike conventional gatherings where familiar faces dominate, this time, fresh encounters awaited, promising the prospect of exciting new connections.

The curtain rose on the event with a mesmerizing performance by the exceptionally talented violinist, Alador. It was a striking change from the usual singing and dancing, offering a breath of fresh air and diversity in entertainment.

The fashion showcase itself was an inspiring array of creativity, featuring designs from renowned talents such as Riley McDermott, who is a student from Nassau Community College’s Fashion Design program, Killa Stylez, Kid Bully, and Malik Dupri. Shop Quintessential, a stylist extraordinaire, also graced the stage, adding to the event's allure. The captivating dance, singing, and rap performances left the audience spellbound, and the evening concluded with co-founder Dina Rodriguez showcasing her artistic brilliance, leaving an indelible mark.

For those like me who appreciate inclusivity in the fashion world, Long Island Fashion Week did not disappoint, as it proudly featured plus-size models who exuded grace on the runway. I can't help but express my pride in my niece, Jada Blassingame, who delivered an exceptional performance that filled my heart with joy.

As the curtains fell on this spectacular evening, I found myself eagerly anticipating the next Long Island Fashion Week event. Fashion enthusiasts and supporters of local talent alike will be in for an even more dazzling showcase in the future, and I can't wait to be a part of it.

Photo Credit: Shawn Strong, Forever Twelve 09 Photography - Ig: @ForeverTwelve09_NYC

Getting to know Melissa

QSM: Can you share the story of how you and Diana became acquainted and ultimately business partners?

Melissa: Initially, I was Diana’s client. Diana and I met through a mutual friend who referred Diana to me as I needed a Make-Up artist for one of my events. I booked with her once and since then she has been my go-to MUA, we just clicked! We would always have conversations about our businesses and just life in general. After getting to know more about me and the success of my event planning and production business and learning that I obtained my college degree in Fashion Merchandising and have participated in fashion shows (Fashion Week Houston and New York Fashion Week), she was immediately intrigued. Diana expressed that one of her dreams was to have her own fashion show as she wanted to showcase her hair and makeup talent and asked what I thought about the idea and once I said that a great idea, she proceeded to ask me if I would be interested in partnering with her and handle the production side. I agreed and here we are. I went from a client to a good friend and now a business partner!

QSM: Long Island Fashion Week has evolved from a one-time fashion show into a brand and semi-annual event. Can you share the inspiration behind this transformation and how you envisioned its growth from the beginning?

Melissa: Our first fashion show together “Drip the Runway” was such a huge success. The idea was to just have one event together. However, after building our business relationship and planning the event and gaining such positive feedback, we began to fall in love with every aspect of the event and our ideas and started to think bigger. One day while having a meeting we discussed the possibility of starting Long Island Fashion Week. Our first fashion show was a huge success and we decided to bring our vision to life and that’s how Long Island Fashion Week was birthed! We knew we wanted this year's show to be more creative and innovating and to captivate an outstanding runway presentation and we both successfully did our part to bring the fashion show to life.

QSM: As the owner of Your Lifestyle Events, which played a pivotal role in the event's success, could you elaborate on the challenges and rewards of blending event planning, decor, and production to create such a remarkable fashion showcase?

Melissa: There were definitely some challenges along the way. I would say the biggest challenge was having to depend on everyone who played a role because their role was important for the success of the show. Thankfully, we had a good team. Hence, any challenge we faced; we were able to iron them out immediately and pivot them accordingly.

As far as rewards go, to witness my vision come to life as an event planner and production company was the most rewarding part of it all. I’m a visionary, so I get excited when I have ideas and I’m even more excited when people around me are able to witness my talent and what I am capable of. It’s like an artist starting with a blank canvas and then creating a masterpiece. To see the evening play out so seamlessly and effortlessly and to know I was behind the idea was a huge reward. Each event that I design is a reflection of my unique personality and in this case, I was not only able to showcase my love for fashion, but I was also able to showcase my event planning and production skills.

QSM: Long Island Fashion Week was a platform not only for you but also for local creatives. What impact do you hope this event will have on the careers and aspirations of up-and-coming fashion designers, stylists, makeup artists, and hairstylists in the Long Island community?

Melissa: The purpose of starting LIFW (Long Island Fashion Week) was to create a platform for local creatives. We hope that LIFW will have several positive impacts – We want to let them know we support new talent. This support can be crucial for their careers and can help them gain recognition in the competitive fashion industry. Diversity and freshness are imperative to us. Emerging creatives often bring a fresh unique and diverse perspective. Also, we want to encourage innovation as this can push boundaries and encourage them to think more creatively. Lastly, community building- Building a community around emerging creatives can foster collaboration, networking, and mentorship opportunities within the fashion industry.

QSM: Your journey from Freeport, NY to co-producing a prominent fashion event is truly inspiring. Can you share some insights into your philosophy on achieving success through hard work and determination, and how this has shaped your career path?

Melissa: Achieving success is not easy and does not happen overnight. I always had a creative mind as a child, and I was always passionate about everything that I did as I believe being passionate and having drive is important for success. As I journeyed to my career path, I always remained disciplined, dedicated, and resilient. I gave and will continue to give consistent effort and will always have perseverance. Also, I learn from every lesson. I set clear goals for myself, I continue to strive for improvement, and I’ve developed a strong work ethic along the years. The characteristic traits that I possess played a pivotal role in achieving success and shaped me to the woman I am today.

Photo credit: Philip Drew, Photos by PDrew - Ig: @photosbypdrew

Getting to know Diana

QSM: Outside of Long Island Fashion Week, do you and Melissa also collaborate on other endeavors?

Diana: No, Melissa and I do not collaborate on other endeavor’s, however, we do support each others businesses and show up for one another in any way that we can.

QSM: Diana, Diamond Kouture encompasses all things beauty, and your role as a makeup artist and hairstylist is integral to Long Island Fashion Week's success. Can you describe the process of collaborating with Melissa to bring together the event's beauty and fashion elements seamlessly?

Diana: When the idea first came about to collaborate for this event, Melissa and I agreed on separate tasks surrounding our skill sets. For example – Melissa handles the event designing and production aspect of the show while I handle all things Beauty to showcase my creative talent. Handling the beauty aspect of the show was quite challenging as I had a glam team and while I would love to provide my services to every model, that just was not entirely possible. I had to depend and trust my glam team to bring my vision to life. While I had full creative control throughout the process, I still struggled with letting go of the physical creative part and trust the process and the professional glam squad I hand picked to work alongside me.

QSM: Long Island Fashion Week featured an array of talented designers and artists. As a co-founder, what criteria did you and Melissa use to select participants, and how did you envision the event's overall creative direction?

Diana: Melissa and I worked very hard to search and select the right designers. Our goal was to select self-made designers who possess quality work. We wanted to find dedicated and hard-working designers who have built their brand from scratch. It is very easy to put a brand name on a T-Shirt, however creating your own designs is what separates you from the rest. Having a design in your mind and then bringing it to life is not easy so when we have designers who are able to embody that it separates them from the rest, and this creates a feeling of triumph and humbleness to most creatives and designers. The whole idea of fashion is to showcase your very own style. Being that Melissa and I are both self-made creatives we envisioned our show to be inimitable.

QSM: The event opened with a captivating performance by violinist Alador. How important do you believe it is to incorporate diverse forms of entertainment into a fashion show?

Diana: It is very important to incorporate diverse forms of entertainment in our shows because fashion has a very diverse public. I believe it was our job to keep our audience entertained as well as keep them updated with the culture and different genres of music. This year my idea was to incorporate Afro Beats as it is a very popular genre at this time. However, we wanted to exhibit this genre in a way people wouldn’t normally hear it. The violin is a respected instrument that people are used to hearing in a classical form so to find a violinist so talented and unique like Alador was very rare. Our song selection for the show was to incorporate afro beats to the audience in a unique way. Not only did Alador deliver our vision, but she played a huge part in our show’s success.

QSM: Long Island Fashion Week is clearly a labor of love for both you and Melissa. Can you share your perspective on the event's significance within the Long Island, NY fashion scene and its potential to become a lasting fashion statement for the region?

Diana: My perspective on the event’s significance to the Long Island fashion scene and its potential for the future is Quintessential. I think everything we did aligned perfectly with our vision and goals. Every part of the show was calculated to reflect our brand accurately. After we legally became business partners under the Long Island Fashion Week LLC (LIFW • Long Island Fashion Week) brand, we began to plan our first fashion show branded as Long Island Fashion Week, and given Melissa handles the production side, I came to her with an idea for the venue location. While I proposed different venue ideas, one of them was Roosevelt Field. Given Roosevelt Field is the biggest and most popular mall on Long Island, NY- I felt it was the best way to debut Long Island Fashion Week.

She immediately agreed, and she reached out to pitch the idea and after numerous meetings and presentations the Roosevelt Field team agreed. We often joke that Melissa is a genie. We present ideas and they come to life after executing. Another huge goal for us was giving a recent student graduate from Nassau Community College’s Fashion Design Department the opportunity to showcase their talent to their local community. It added the perfect touch to our event and displayed that we are serious about seeking new talent. Melissa was adamant about giving fresh new designers a chance and made sure to keep our business as humble and graceful as possible. It is important to give back and very important to our brand to not only showcase notable or household name brands but also to give new local designers, brands and creatives a platform to display their talents. New York is so big and the opportunities here are endless, and I believe our brand is going to show other regions that we are individually united in the fashion industry.