Clouds of fog streamed onto the makeshift runway as fashion enthusiasts mingled with drink in hand, anticipating the start of a promised fashion show. The multifaceted fashion show Thursday evening was hosted by the Fashion Style Lounge in the Tower District. The night featured local designers who not only modeled their latest apparel but literally sold the looks straight off the runway.

The event started at 6:30 p.m. as patrons began filing in to enjoy the fusion of fashion, food and drink. Designers lined the venue with small tables set-up to display their ready-to-sell clothing, accessories and, to prove how diverse of a setting it really was, adult novelties.

The actual show started around 8 p.m. as two hairstylists took the stage, scissors and hair spray in hand. In front of the live audience, each cut and styled their models’ hair while a hairstylist from the same featured salon provided commentary. About 10 to 15 minutes later both models stood before the crowd with haircuts that were young and edgy: a common theme in most of the shows that night.

The rest of the show was an eclectic mix of clothing, jewelry and a hat line. The vast difference in designer styles made it possible for audience members all over the fashion spectrum to resonate with at least one show’s trend.

The Fashion Style Lounge promotes indie fashion; fashion that is independent of commercialized and mainstream attire. Based on the shows that night, it was an assortment of styles with enough of a twist to make it a bit unconventional.

Whatever notions one has imagined a fashion show to be, from magazines or from TV coverage of the prominent fashion shows in New York and Paris, this was not one of those shows.

Models strutted down the short runway only to be greeted by a wall which seemed to be problematic for some of the models who didn’t know if they should continue to pose for the wall or stop halfway up the runway to avoid the awkward situation.

Most shows lacked a cohesive theme needed to express the designer’s point of view for the collection. It wasn’t entirely clear if the fashion designers attempted to showcase a season line or if they coherently put together a compilation of clothing from various seasons that showed off their best looks.

Despite some faults, patrons seemed enthralled by it all. The crowd energized the show and added to the excitement of what was coming up next.

Photographers dominated the front row of the runway, while the rest of the crowd stood in clustered groups behind. Each time a model emerged from the black curtain onto the runway flashes of light from cameras fluttered and chatter from the crowd ascended as patrons whispered a positive or negative review of the present look.

It was an exemplary occasion that proves Fresno is yearning for more events highlighting fashion. I know as a small town girl with big city dreams my best friend and I felt like we were characters straight out of a scene from “Sex and the City.” Sure, we had to park at the Dollar Tree store and our wine was served in plastic cups, but we were dressed to impress and surrounded by people who were all present for the same reason.

Fresno is not New York, but it is filled with creative and talented people like the ones featured Thursday night. Fresno is in need of a fashion makeover with more venues available for local designers to introduce their products to style savvy residents searching for one-of-a-kind pieces that diverge from the typical styles found in popular bargain stores.