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Fashion Week San Diego - Stacie May

by: Minh Huynh

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ith my video gear in tow, I pull up to a quaint home in a neighborhood I know all too well, South Park, San Diego. The locals are familiar with the artistic neighborhood of North Park and the tourist trap that is Balboa Park but not many are privy to the hidden gem South Park is becoming. A thought crossed my mind that perhaps this is the perfect metaphor for the fashion scene in San Diego. While we are known to be the sleepy town south of the fashion capital of Los Angeles, we are quietly polishing ourselves to be a hidden gem in the fashion industry. This is where our story begins with one of the leading designers of the fashion movement in San Diego, Stacie May.

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s I make my way inside Stacie's home, I'm greeted by Allison and Amie, who are affectionately known as the "A-Team" of Fashion Week San Diego. While the we traded pleasantries, I get a sense of Stacie's personality as I admire the decor in her home. From French art deco racing posters to the colorful vinyl clad chair, I feel at home in this vintage abode.

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hile I am setting up my camera, I was asked if I minded dogs. "Do I mind dogs? I love dogs!" I shouted with glee. It would be hard pressed to find a home in South Park without a pet, especially a few dogs. The neighborhood is surrounded by beautiful parks that attract the most adorable canines and their owners. Within seconds, two loving dachshunds flew at me with great fervor. They are, Pearl, the older and wiser one, while Ottis is the rambunctious teenager full of energy. It is their warm, attentive and astute personality that reminds me most of Stacie.

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s we continue to talk, I find Stacie's remarkable experience and knowledge from many years in the fashion industry is only second to her humbleness. We exchanged ideas on many things, like the differences between the East Coast and West Coast, and why talented designers leave San Diego for Los Angeles. What fascinated me most about Stacie was her atypical understanding of the power and necessity of collaboration.

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t is of no surprise to me then, that Stacie has been a stable name in the San Diego fashion scene. She collaborates with the best talents and provide mutual support to important movements like Fashion Week San Diego. Perhaps, if everyone adopted this philosophy, there is hope for the local fashion scene after all. As I press the record button on my camera I feel a sense of excitement for what's to come.

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ahalians, I invite you to watch and learn about the personality behind one of the most exciting brands in the Fashion Week San Diego 2012 showcase, Stacie May.