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11/25/09
"Fashion & Wine at the Vine"
For those looking to dine at The Vine Martini and Wine Bar on Sunday evening, it may have come as a surprise to find a parade of women swiveling their hips through the restaurant to the rhythmic beats of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face." But for Sara Alwin Bott, owner of Ashely Alwin Salon, and Heather Lander, owner of Deja Vu Resale Boutique, things were going exactly as planned for their fashion show.
The event combined the local services of Deja Vu, Ashley Alwin, The Vine, and even chocolatier, Cynthia's Sweets.
The combo fashion show was the result of Bott flexing her creative business muscles. Bott approached Lander with her idea as a way to drum up some recognition for the two fairly new downtown businesses. Bott's salon has been tossing tresses and lacquering nails for three months, while Deja Vu has been rehabbing clothing since May 1.
Bott also wanted to promote the recycle-friendly, eco-friendly approach found in both businesses, DeJa Vu for selling gently used clothing items, and Ashley Alwin for its own efforts at greeness; carrying a line of Rusk "green" products, a recycle packaging program and offering a vegan line.
"These items are common in the city," Bott said, " but not so much here. There is a need for vegan and organic services in the area."
Bott is hoping that the show will give people an idea of how talented her staff is, and that she is not running an everyday salon.
"It's not just a typical place, and I hope that with having a new thing like a fashion show, people see that," Bott said. "It's also important as a salon to do things like this as a team builder.
"It challenges you and gets you out from behind the chair," Bott added.
Landers has similar hopes for public appreciation by showing people that with gently used items you can still get a "fabulous runway look." Her shop carries some of the designer brands that are sought after but at a severely smaller price and still in good condition.
Three of the attendees, Amy Peceny, Vickie Boesch and Rose Schopf, all three of Lake Villa, came out to the Vine after first visiting Deja Vu a few days prior. After being impressed with the quality of the clothing the women decided to take a look at the fashion show with a need to score a good deal on some formal wear.
Certainly the show ended on a good note as the last model sauntered through the crowded Vine.
Vine owner Mike Pruitt said that the restaurant did triple their business that night and were already looking to do another fashion show event in the future. A woman from the audience caught up to Bott in the hallway to compliment the "wavy hair style," the make-up and overall appearance of the models.
And one of those models decided that after several people came up and told her how great she looked in the jacket she was wearing, that she had better buy it.
-- Story by Michelle LaVigne/Staff Photographer
