By Reshma Allu
On a warm July evening in Tacoma, Washington, where polished chrome met rich velvet and the scent of engine oil hovered beneath perfume, the 7th Annual Couture & Cars Fashion Show unfolded in rare, cinematic fashion. Here at the LeMay – America’s Car Museum, the Northwest’s design elite proved that you don’t need the Champs-Élysées to deliver a runway moment worth remembering.
Presented by Fashion District NW, the event was more than a runway show. It was a love letter to craft—where each collection walked not beside the gleaming exteriors of vintage cars, but in sync with them. Precision, after all, is a language both designers and engineers speak fluently.
A Runway in Motion
The show opened with the soulful, heritage-driven work of La’Mama’s Hands by Donna Ripoll-Daniels. Each look read like a textile travelogue—sumptuous fabrics layered with meaning, craftsmanship, and grace.
Next came the electric pulse of Dollhou3e, designed by Grace Ryan. Inspired by Seattle’s graffiti scene, her work was bold, fearless, and vividly irreverent. The outfits emerged with the same swagger you’d expect from street art come alive.
Lysle Style followed, offering a softer, more fluid counterpoint. The collection moved like wind on water—an ode to dance, natural landscapes, and the tactile pleasures of cloth. Billowing chiffons, layered textures, and an earthy, luminous palette brought a meditative rhythm to the runway.
Then came Sueño, whose designs are timeless—a tailored jacket, a classic LBD—but each piece carried an unexpected twist: asymmetry, hand-crafted detailing, and a whisper of rebellion.
From there, Transcend by Nazzia Siddiqui brought clarity to the evening’s unspoken throughline: sustainability with soul. The label presented an upcycled art couture collection proudly designed and sewn in Washington—the result of a deeply collaborative effort by local artisans and resettled refugee women.
Then, just as the runway settled into a quiet, conscious groove, Santiago Alejandro delivered the night’s closing statement—and what a statement it was. His collection, a lush homage to vintage haute couture, featured sculpted velvet gowns, crystal-encrusted bodices, and opera-length gloves that gleamed like lacquer. Each look was so meticulously crafted, it bordered on sacred. The audience didn’t clap. They gasped.
Design, Not Just Display
To frame the show as a novelty—a fashion show inside a car museum—would be to miss the point entirely. This wasn’t about setting. It was about substance. The synergy between garments and machines didn’t distract—it deepened the message: design matters. Details matter. Whether under the hood or at the hem.
What elevated the evening further was the crowd itself. Attendees took the dress code seriously—many treating the red carpet as their own private runway. Velvet gowns, sequined skirts, pearl details, sharp tailoring. Every look was a mood board of ambition. And with roving interviews and live DJ sets in between, the energy never dipped.
By the time the show shifted into the after-party—an intimate meet-and-greet with designers and models—it became clear: this wasn’t just a fashion show inside a car museum. This was a full-throttle homage to bold design.
