Cosmopolitan Accessories Wins Accessory Designer of the Year Award

Phoenix, AZ, November 30, 2006 --(PR.com)-- El Pedregal in Scottsdale, AZ was the fantastic backdrop for Phoenix’s biggest fashion show of the year on November 11, 2006, Fashion Ball, organized by Arizona Fashion Foundation/LabelHorde. 60 apparel and accessory designers displayed their best designs of the year, vying for the attention of the buyers, the press and the young urban crowd.

Cosmopolitan Accessories by Miachelle DePiano was one of the emerging accessory designers appearing for the second time in Fashion Ball. Her newest major piece of artistic jewelry, “Wabi-sabi,” as well as other chain maille jewelry, was modeled by Carin Sprague of S.I.M. Agency. “Wabi-sabi,” like much of Miachelle’s work, is an artistic representation of events in Miachelle’s life, this one inspired by her double-life as a full-time college student at Arizona State University. The study of both Chinese and Japanese literature resulted in the meshing of the two cultures in the design incorporating Japanese chain maille and antique hand-carved Chinese mother-of-pearl poker game chips.

The culmination of the evening for Cosmopolitan Accessories was the presentation of AFF/LabelHorde’s Platinum Stitch Accessory Designer of the Year award, presented by last year’s winner Catherine Garrigan of Hellcat Metalworks. The award represents two and a half years of hard work, as well as fashion community involvement with AFF/LabelHorde, as the award is determined by peer nomination and vote.

What’s next for the designer? “I’ll continue with the Chinese theme for spring, as well as the artistic wood line I began in the fall. I’ve received a lot of compliments on the wood forms and the chain maille, because no one else does it quite the way I do.”

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