For National Nurses Week, Design Wars And Fashion Show At The Westchester

PIX11's Lisa Mateo visits SUNY Westchester Community College to watch students in action competing in Design Wars. As part of National Nurses Week, the students are redesigning nurses' uniforms from White Plains Hospital. It is part of a huge fashion event happening this weekend at The Westchester shopping mall.

For more information, visit www.simon.com.

As a continuation of Simon Fashion Now™ presented by White Plains Hospital, a two-day free, high-energy celebration of style at all price points, The Westchester will open the second day of runway events with nurses taking their turn as models in avant-garde couture student creations. The excitement will commence during Design Wars, an interactive design competition between SUNY Westchester Community College’s fashion design students, on Saturday, May 7 at 12:00 p.m.

In honor of National Nurses Week (May 6 to May 12), eight senior-level fashion design students have been paired up with nurses from White Plains Hospital to create individual custom ensembles made of hospital scrubs that caters to their models’ style outside of the workday. Under the tutelage of SUNY Westchester Community College Fashion Program Curriculum Chairperson Professor Phyllis Fein, the students have sketched designs and constructed the garment for their “client” as part of an extra-credit project during the month of April, while staying on a set budget for materials.

At 12:00 p.m. on May 7, the sensational outfits will be revealed and modeled on the catwalk by the nurses who inspired the designs. News12 Westchester Anchor Tara Rosenblum will serve as event emcee and the fashions will be judged by a distinguished panel, including WFAS Morning Show Personality Jay Michaels and Pamala Gomes, founder and editor-in-chief of Addikted2Fashion.com and Addikted2Fashion Magazine. The winning student will receive a $500 American Express® Simon Giftcard®, with a runner-up receiving a $250 American Express® Simon Giftcard®, exposure on The Westchester’s Simon Fashion Now runway and a real-life experience to take on their career path. Shoppers are encouraged to be front and center as the students and nurses take the stage in Nordstrom Court.

Following Design Wars, Simon Fashion Now continues on Saturday, May 7 in Nordstrom Court with an all-day fashion extravaganza. High-energy runway fashion shows featuring looks from some 30 retailers from The Westchester, will take the stage at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. One of the highlights of Simon Fashion Now is that it makes the hottest men and women’s fashions of the season accessible; every look from the runway can be immediately found at retailers within the mall.

Shoppers can expect to see an abundance of styles for men and women ranging from casual weekend wear and stylish outfits for the office, to show-stopping looks for a night on the town. Open seating and standing room to view the runway shows are available. And, attendees will have a chance to play Ready, Set, Style!, an interactive styling competition that shows more than one way to wear a pair of jeans! Fashionistas won’t want to miss a chance to show off their personal style and compete for a chance to win this season’s hottest accessory, an American Express® Simon Giftcard®.

In addition to the runway shows, shoppers can visit Style Stops, where advice and insight into the season’s trends will be offered in an interactive format. From 12:00 to 5:00, participants can indulge in Style Stops from Aveda, Crabtree & Evelyn, Crate & Barrel, L’Occitane, M•A•C, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Nike, Origins and Swarovski. Register-to-win fabulous prizes from the mall’s premier retailers each hour during our Runway Giveaway - items up for grabs include a $200 Lacoste Gift Card, $150 Armani Exchange Gift card, Aveda Smooth Infusion Gift Set, Dooney & Bourke wristlet and more. See registration form for complete rules and regulations.