The first annual Tucson Fashion Week went off without a hitch — almost. The show’s producer, Elizabeth Albert, said the only issue she could recall was a minor technical difficulty.

“”The power went out during one of the runway shows,”” Albert said. “”A model was on the runway — I panicked! But they came back.””

Albert worked with a team of program and marketing coordinators to bring the event to Tucson for the first time. Tucson Fashion Week was held from Sept. 22 – Sept. 25, with events leading up to the main runway show on Saturday. Albert was elated about the turnout.

“”We were on a limited budget, but we managed to pull it off. For the first year, it was really good.””

Fashion Week kicked off on Wednesday evening at the Tucson Museum of Art, where a small VIP reception was held for special guests. Albert said the reception was the perfect way to start the following festivities. Guests had a chance to mingle with the designers and models of the upcoming show.

Friday’s event was also popular — patrons turned out for the Skrappy’s Youth Showcase, a display of impressive designs from five students from Skrappy’s Youth Collective. A local Tucson organization, Skrappy’s is a youth advocacy program that fosters and encourages fine arts for students. Participating students had five models each and were exposed to media coverage of their work, giving them a taste of the business world of fashion.

Saturday, of course, was the most anticipated event — the main runway show. Twelve diverse local designers sent their garments down the runway. Albert, though pleased with the results of this year’s events, hopes to expand in the coming season.

“”We’re doing a series of events in the spring — a showcase for a designers to put looks in a big show to raise money for the fall,”” she said. “”In the fall (of 2011), we’re going to try and do two days of shows.””

Tucson Fashion Week was an opportunity for Tucson designers and fashion lovers alike to experience a public celebration of the art of fashion, something Tucson has not been known for in the past. Elizabeth Albert and her team are hoping to change that.

For contact information, visittucsonfashionweek.net/