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On Wednesday,
there'll be a
whole lotta
Fash Bashin'
going on.

DAYNA PINK
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

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hat has 60 models, dozens
of dancers, 7-foot tall su-
permodel RuPaul, seven
puppies and a flying man-
nequin? It's gotta be Fash
Bash '96, and it's happening
Wednesday, July 31. And you
thought it couldn't get any
wilder.
Presented by Hudson's and the Founders
Junior Council of the Detroit Institute of
Arts, the 27th annual event, a three-part
party, is a benefit which hopes to raise
S400,000 this year for the Detroit Institute
of Arts.
Pre- and post-festivities, including a
sumptuous tastefest and live auction for

Dayna Pink is a freelance writer, producer
and fashion stylist.

RuPaul rules the
runway. The 7-foot
supermodel is the star
for M.A.C. Cosmetics
and special guest at
Fash Bash '96.

Don't Be A Glamour Don't

While attending the ultimate fashion event of the year, you'll un-
doubtedly find two things happening: You will see some serious
fashion on stage; you will see some serious fashion faux pas in
the audience.
Fashion manager Laura Abramson of Dayton's shares a lit-
tle advice on dressing up for this event without taking a fash-
ion nosedive.
"Less is more this year — and that goes especially for
evening wear. If you are going to do something out of the or-
dinary, do it with shape or color, not both."
Abramson says this year's finest evening looks are Nicole
Miller's silk satin evening dresses in bright orange or hot
pink. Try a simple line in a new color, or try a great long
jacket with a slim pant in a new fabric or texture. Please,
no prom dresses.

major packages, are held at the State The-
atre downtown. Next door at the Fox The-
atre, nearly 5,000 Fash Bashers will be
treated to a lavish fashion production put
on by Hudson's. Since last November, Hud-
son's creative staff has been working fever-
ishly on the visual extravaganza.
"This year's show is even bigger than last
year's," says choreographer/director My-
ron Johnson. "The concept is bigger, and
so the show becomes more complicated."
The concept? An actual storyline about
a woman named Helen and her adventures
in a department store after hours. Helen's
story is told in seven segments — a mix-
ture of live music, dance, special effects
and, of course, fashion.
The hour-long presentation becomes
much more like a Broadway production

than a fashion show, with local and na-
tional celebrities making special appear-
ances throughout. (Look for FOX-TV2's
Sherry Margolis in the opening segment.)
This year's theme is loosely based on an
old "Twilight Zone" episode called "After
Hours." The show's in-store scenario is a
perfect setting to highlight different de-
partments and merchandise, including
home furnishings, which are incorporated
for the very first time in Fash Bash.
Producer JoAnn Young is integrating
the music and live entertainment to cre-
ate a whole new attitude for the runway.
"The live music has become more of a back-
ground for the scenes," says young.
"For example, in Scene III, (supermod-
el) RuPaul comes out in full regalia singing
`Dude Looks Like a Lady' while the mod-