Fashion will enjoy a reinvention on Saturday, August 12 from 12 – 3pm when the crowd-awing Festival Runway Fashion Show returns to the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill fashion show. Just like TV’s Project Runway, see who’s “in” and who’s “out” this year as festival artists compete to create the most inspired couture using reclaimed, reused or recycled material.
The show “where fashion meets art” is in its ninth year and offers cash prizes of $1,000 in four categories: Most Creative Concept, Most Exciting Ensemble, Most Innovative Use of Materials and Most Glamorous & Elegant “Red Carpet” worthy creation. There will also be a “People’s Choice Award” to be voted on at the event. Competing for the top prize are Festival exhibitors Carla Bosch, Antje Campbell, Brad Elsberry, Elizabeth McGhee, Richard Moren, Adam Neeley, Mariana Nelson and Mike Tauber.
The event will be hosted by actress Kate Flannery, best known for her role as Meredith on The Office. Selecting the winners will be a panel of judges including actress/model Melissa Biggs. Melissa is an international model, activist, award-winning entrepreneur with her own fashion line, and actress best known for her role on Baywatch. Also judging the couture will be Marc Luc Zanola, former Paris Boutique Manager for designer Gianfranco Ferre, and Lauren Shapiro, Costume Designer and Wardrobe Stylist for The Late Late Show with James Corden.
“The Festival Runway Fashion Show is one of the Festival’s most popular events of the summer,” said Susan Davis, director of special events for the Festival of Arts. “Every year seems to up the ante, and this year won’t disappoint!”
About Kate Flannery
Kate Flannery is an actor, writer and singer best known for her 9 seasons as Meredith on NBC’s The Office. Kate recurs on ABC’s American Housewife, Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe and Comedy Central’s Another Period. She has guest starred on FOX’s New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine and MTV’s Mary + Jane. She was in the Tribeca Film Fest’s Tenured and Slow Learners and in the critically acclaimed Forth Man Out on NETFLIX. Kate stars in the HBO short Emergency Contact, Dial a Prayer with William H. Macy, and the Sundance hit, Cooties with Elijah Wood.
Kate is currently Jane Lynch’s sidekick in her anti-cabaret act, See Jane Sing, playing the Kennedy Center, Joe’s Pub and 30 cities over the past two years. She is featured on Jane’s Christmas album, A Swingin’ Little Christmas, which hit #8 on Billboard Top 100 charts. Kate’s original cult comedy lounge act, The Lampshades, plays comedy festivals and Hollywood regularly.
About Melissa Biggs
In addition to two seasons on the worldwide hit Baywatch, Melissa Biggs has made cameo appearances in such films as Lucky Town, acting alongside James Caan and Kirsten Dunst, Rush Hour 2, and has appeared on TV’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Collection and The Travel Channel’s Secrets.
As a national and international model, Biggs has appeared in the pages and on the cover of dozens of magazines. She’s guest-starred and appeared on the TNT Network hit roller derby show, Roller Jam, and appeared in the documentary, Fashion Runway Behind the Scenes, which aired on HBO for 2 seasons. During a two-year modeling contract for a fitness distribution company, her photos were featured on more than one billion sporting goods packages worldwide.
As a casting director, Biggs assisted in the casting of Die Hard 3, Something to Talk About, and Ace Ventura, Pet Detective, starring Jim Carrey.
As an entrepreneur, Biggs designed and launched her first award-winning consumer product line in 2004, which was snapped up by Walmart and retailed in over 9000 stores worldwide. In 2006 she launched her own clothing line, P.G.D. Style and one week later, GUESS? placed an order for $100,000 worth of product. In 2008 she was voted Best New Designer by Vogue Tokyo, Japan.
As a spokesperson and keynote speaker, Biggs embarked on a two-year national tour in 2007 with CSL Behring, a four-billion-dollar drug company, where she spearheaded a major ad campaign for the monster pharmaceutical brand and appeared in dozens of publications including gracing the cover of several industry magazines.
Thereafter and over the next several years Biggs worked internationally and appeared in various TV and film productions. She co-hosted Planet X-Africa, and starred in the award-winning indie film, Dreamz, which took place in New Delhi, India. She also co-hosted and acted as judge in L’occitane’s televised fashion runway event in Kuwait City, Kuwait, and appeared on Good Morning Kuwait, both of which reached more than 160 countries. Her latest international project, The Light of Africa, was sidelined in 2012 when co-star, partner, and international artist, Thomas Kinkade passed away suddenly and unexpectedly during pre-production.
More recently Biggs acted in a leading role in a short film entitled Clarissa’s Gift, directed by award-winning actor/director, Obba Babatunde and was nominated for four awards, including a Best Actress nomination.
Today Melissa Biggs is an actor, producer, spokesperson, activist, brand ambassador and entrepreneur. She is a highly accomplished public speaker and is extremely active in her community. Melissa Biggs is currently based in Del Mar, California, with her husband, daughter and three stepsons.