Chicano Elegance Gala

On Saturday, February 18th I attended the first ever Chicano Elegance Gala in Los Angeles, CA. The event was held at the Los Angeles River Center and Gardens. It was a beautiful open venue with ample space and an elegant setting. I was first invited to the event by House Oscura, a fashion Haus in Los Angeles run by two up and coming designers. 

I did some research, purchased my tickets, and reached out to the organizer. Right off the bat I knew Elvira was top notch. Not only was she kind enough to set up time for us to talk, but we bonded over our love of fashion & creativity. We talked about inclusivity in the fashion industry, the purpose of the event (raising funds for survivors of DV), and future opportunities for collaboration. I really enjoyed our conversation and it gave me hope for the future when it comes to Queer visibility. 

As soon as I decided to attend I reached out to House Oscura to request a custom made outfit for the event. I knew I wanted the outfit to be special and I trusted House Oscura to make me look magical. They did not disappoint. I was a part of the process from the vision, design, fabric selection, to the final details (take a look at the pics below).  

The event itself was beautiful and a reminder of how much our community inspires the world. From our fashion, to our music, our foods, and personalities. We are not one group and it’s hard to use one word to house us because our history is layered. Yet, it was nice to see so many folx smiling and sharing their passion for fashion!

There was an open bar, gift bags, lots of photo ops, and shopping! The actual runway show was lovely and a mix of different styles, music, and aesthetics. It was a bit cold since we’ve been experiencing colder than normal temperatures all over California, but it  didn’t stop me from enjoying the show. 

I am truly looking toward to the next Chicano Elegance Gala and hoping to take on a more active role in the planning. All in all, it was definitely one of the best fashion shows I’ve attended. Full of heart, soul, elegance, and creativity.