Shendi Katro
Journal Contributor

Boston’s 15th Annual Fashion Week gave designers, photographers, makeup artists, and hair stylists the chance to display the new “it” wardrobe for the autumn season through special events. This year’s fashion week ran from September 24 through October 1.

A kickoff party on September 23 celebrated the Boston Fashion Trail, which included local salons, spas, fashion retailers, and restaurants that offered exclusive promotions during Fashion Week.

Bostonians and visitors alike attended Fashion Week shows ranging from catwalk presentations to fundraisers. This year’s BFW presented the return of the classic elegance.  Some styles to look for this season includes: sweaters, leather jackets, platform heels and strappy shoes, and glitter dresses.  Colors like army green and faded red are used for clothes and big ‘80s hairstyles are in for the fall.

“This year’s show brought more new styles, colors, and designs,” said Sammy Haziri when asked about this year’s show compared to previous years attended.

Local photographer Iggy Barskov, local make-up artist Nelse Karini, and local hairstylist Omid Maxey from Safar Coiffures attended, as did local designers Daniel Hernandez and Millie Bautista. High-end department stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus,  showcased new clothing lines for the autumn season through their own shows using local models provided by Dynasty Models.

“Fashion in Boston is evolving. What’s missing is a professional runway,” said Younes Sphinx, a local photographer. Sphinx talked about how a professional runway would elevate the fame of BFW by, “attract[ing] more local designers as well as big designers when a place for their shows is provided for them rather than having them search for a space.”  He added, “It all starts with a professional runway.”

Three of the hundreds of Boston Fashion Week shows took place at the Boston Copley Place and Prudential Center:  Neiman Marcus, Barney’s New York, and Saks Fifth Avenue.

According to Sphinx, a perfect spot for a professional runway would be the Boston Convention Center.

According to BFW volunteers, this year’s fashion week has been the most successful one yet since it first started in 1995. Guests gathered to mingle in the after parties that took place at venues such as the Ames Hotel Boston.

In addition to shows featuring women’s fashion from many local designers and boutiques, fundraisers such as Strike a Pose, a fundraiser for Journey Forward and Cure her in Couture, a fundraiser for Ovations were in the event schedule.

Despite exclusive VIP events, hundreds of guests were able to attend shows open to the public through tickets or invites online through social networking sites such as Facebook, where local volunteers, photographers, and hairstylists promoted their work for Boston Fashion Week.

Sphinx, who attended Daniel Hernandez’s show, called it, “fashion oriented,” and added, “ the clothes are chic, good for the night life and for going on a date.”