Fashion and designs that span over a hundred years were center stage on the runway Monday evening at Pittsburgh Opera’s fashion show Diva Dreams and Fashion Queens at the Bitz Opera Factory in the Strip District. The opera’s annual fashion show returned this year after taking a year off due to the pandemic.
The show was curated and styled by Richard Parsakian, who owns Eons Fashion Antique located at 5850 Ellsworth Avenue. Eons offer vintage clothing and accessories from the 1880s through the 1980s. The items in the show included looks from designers Karl Lagerfeld, Norman Norrell, Ceil Chapman, Halston, Thierry Mugler, Claire McCardell, and more.
Models as well as the Pittsburgh Opera’s resident artists showed off the looks for the night. The resident artists also performed multiple pieces including “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” “Begin the Beguine,” and “Bei Mir Bist Du Schon.” Studio Booth, a luxury salon and spa located at 6343 Penn Avenue, provided the hair and makeup looks for the show.
Mahogany La PiranHa, a trans activist and drag performer wore a 1940s black rayon robe with a black velvet hat from the estate of Pittsburgh artist Louise Pershing and 1980s jewelry by Kenneth J. Lane.Point Park University dance major Kylee Killian walks down the runway. Killian wore a 1950s black silk and lace dress by designer Norman Norell and a 1950s black velvet hatModels and Pittsburgh Opera resident artists exit the stage at the end of Pittsburgh Opera’s fashion show Diva Dreams and Fashion Queens.Delana Flowers walks down the runway wearing a 1970s silk chiffon Bohemian dress by Black designer Scott Barrie with 1971 acrylic jewelry by Pittsburgh artist Aaronel deRoy Gruber.Point Park University dance major Catherine Krebs walks down the runway wearing a 1960s gold brocade dress by French designer Jacques Heim with a 1960s ostrich feather hat, a 1960s black velvet cape, and 1960s crystal and rhinestone jewelry.Point Park University dance major Catherine Krebs walks down the runway wearing a 1960s gold brocade dress by French designer Jacques Heim with a 1960s ostrich feather hat, a 1960s black velvet cape, and 1960s crystal and rhinestone jewelry.Makeup and hairstylist Max Ryan walks down the runway. Ryan wore a 1970s black jumpsuit with 1960s op art jewelry.Point Park University dance major Bex Merry poses on the runway wearing a 1950s iridescent silk dress by designer Ceil Chapman, 1960s iridescent rhinestone jewelry, and a 1950s black velvet hat with ostrich feathers.Point Park University dance major Kylee Killian poses on the runway wearing a 1950s black silk and lace dress by designer Norman Norell and a 1950s black velvet hat.Lucas Fedele, an actor, singer, dancer, and co-founder of the American Cooperative Theatre Company walks down the runway wearing a 1970s burgundy suit, disco print shirt, platform shoes, and hat.Kierra Darshell, Pittsburgh’s First Lady of Drag, and founder of the Miss Tri-State drag competition walks down the runway wearing a 1960s black raincoat by Dominican designer Oscar de le Renta, 1970s metallic brocade pants suit by designer Ceil Chapman, and 1960s gold necklace by French designer Givenchy, 1980s gold earrings, and a 1960s feather hat.Kierra Darshell, Pittsburgh’s First Lady of Drag, and founder of the Miss Tri-State drag competition walks down the runway wearing a 1960s black raincoat by Dominican designer Oscar de le Renta, 1970s metallic brocade pants suit by designer Ceil Chapman, and 1960s gold necklace by French designer Givenchy, 1980s gold earrings, and a 1960s feather hat.Zanny Laird, a CMU musical theater graduate actor, dancer, and co-founder of the American Cooperative Theatre Company, walks down the runway wearing a 1980s blue wool coat by French designer Thierry Mugler, a 1960s blue wool knit dress and silver necklace both by Italian-French designer Pierre Cardin, a 1960s ostrich feather hat, and 1970s polka dot platform shoes.Zanny Laird, a CMU musical theater graduate actor, dancer, and co-founder of the American Cooperative Theatre Company, walks down the runway wearing a 1980s blue wool coat by French designer Thierry Mugler, a 1960s blue wool knit dress and silver necklace both by Italian-French designer Pierre Cardin, a 1960s ostrich feather hat, and 1970s polka dot platform shoes.Audience members react to seeing Shellie Hipsky, a cabaret singer, dancer, actor, writer, CEO of Inspiring Lives Magazine, and executive director of Global Sisterhood, walk down the runway during Pittsburgh Opera’s fashion show Diva Dreams and Fashion Queens on Monday, April 4, 2022, at the Bitz Opera Factory in the Strip District.Zanny Laird, a CMU musical theater graduate actor, dancer, and co-founder of the American Cooperative Theatre Company, walks down the runway wearing a 1980s blue wool coat by French designer Thierry Mugler, a 1960s blue wool knit dress and silver necklace both by Italian-French designer Pierre Cardin, a 1960s ostrich feather hat, and 1970s polka dot platform shoes.Shellie Hipsky, a cabaret singer, dancer, actor, writer, CEO of Inspiring Lives Magazine, and executive director of Global Sisterhood, poses on the runway wearing a 1940s black velvet opera cape, a 1970s black dress trimmed with ostrich feathers from the estate of Audrey Hepburn, and 1950s rhinestone jewelry.Point Park University dance major Catherine Krebs dances with other models to the song “Dancing Queen” by ABBA at the end of Pittsburgh Opera’s fashion show Diva Dreams and Fashion Queens at the Bitz Opera Factory in the Strip District.
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