By: Shawn Mars
Elena Konovalova of JOY SUN at the Fashion Show Awards, celebrating Los Angeles fashion talent.
The event brought together 200 fashion professionals to honor creativity, visibility, and the future of the industry.
Los Angeles, CA
Fashion in Los Angeles has always lived at the intersection of creativity, entertainment, image-making, and culture. But the recent Fashion Show Awards, organized by Olga Amraie, producer of The LA Fashion Show, proved something even more important: the city’s fashion community is not only growing, but it is also becoming more connected, more visible, and more intentional.
Held at BLVK Book Art Gallery inside Beverly Center, the event gathered approximately 200 guests for an evening dedicated to recognition, professional networking, live performances, and conversations about the future of fashion. The Fashion Show Awards honored professionals across the fashion ecosystem, including makeup artists, models, designers, bloggers, photographers, kids fashion talent, pet fashion, and hairstylists.
At the center of the evening was Olga Amraie, founder of the Fashion Show Awards. Having already produced four seasons of fashion shows in Los Angeles, Amraie is building a larger fashion industry ecosystem where designers, models, beauty professionals, photographers, creators, and producers can meet, collaborate, and grow together.
“Fashion Show Awards was created to recognize the people who make the industry move forward,” Amraie’s mission reflects. “It is about visibility, connection, and creating real opportunities for fashion professionals.”
The program opened with a strong entertainment presence, including Septimius The Entertainment Alchemist, a GRAMMY® Award winner and event host, and Chase Bell, singer-songwriter and event producer, who performed on piano, adding an elegant musical moment to the evening.
One of the key highlights was the Fashion Industry Panel Discussion, featuring Von Vemian, Jaylyn Handley, DJesus Trujillo, and Chase Bell. The discussion focused on international fashion events, collaboration between designers and creators, and the growing power of influencer marketing in 2026. The conversation emphasized that the future belongs to professionals who collaborate, build community, and understand how to turn creativity into visibility.
Von Vemian, a couture fashion designer whose work has appeared on runways in Milan, Paris, New York, and Los Angeles, brought the designer’s perspective to the conversation, a reminder that local talent can reach global stages. Jaylyn Handley, an influencer and leader in the creator space, spoke to the importance of collaboration between fashion brands and digital creators. DJesus Trujillo, runway coach and fashion advisor, added the perspective of model preparation and stage presence. Chase Bell connected fashion with entertainment and international event production.
The award ceremony itself celebrated a powerful group of winners whose work contributes to the growth and image of Los Angeles fashion.
Sonya Z. Azeemey received the Best Makeup Artist Award, recognized for outstanding artistry and her work preparing models across all of The LA Fashion Show’s productions. The Best Model Award was presented to Nataly Pasternak, a full-time model whose images also represent The LA Fashion Show on its official website, and Serge Tagro, who combines modeling experience with fashion show organization , reflecting how today’s professionals often wear more than one hat.
The Best Designer Award honored Eruvey Tapia, Von Vemian, Ganna Korin, Elena Konovalova, and Jax Malcolm, representing the range and diversity of design talent shaping the fashion conversation. Eruvey Tapia was recognized for bringing boldness and expressive style to the runway. Von Vemian’s recognition celebrated his couture vision and ability to create unforgettable red-carpet and fashion-show moments. Ganna Korin was honored for her contribution to children’s fashion, creating elegant clothing for young boys ages 1 to 14.
Elena Konovalova, founder and designer of JOY SUN, brought a global story to the awards. Her brand was born in Bali, where she had her own production and two stores, and is now developing in the United States. After presenting her first collection at Miami Swim Week, she continues to create swimwear, women’s fashion, and medical apparel designed to help people feel beautiful, confident, and empowered. Jax Malcolm was also recognized for his creativity and unique fashion vision, turning clothing into a form of self-expression.
The Best Fashion Blogger Award went to Nabila Sambella, a creator with more than a million followers and founder of Sambella Curves, a shapewear brand designed to help women feel confident and empowered. Katherine Thompson received the Best Kids Fashion Award, recognized for her bright talent and presence on fashion runways and film sets at a young age.
The Best Photographer Award was presented to Liquid Star Photography, honored for capturing fashion with power and editorial excellence; his work has appeared on magazine covers, and his images are the main visuals on The LA Fashion Show website. The Best Dog Fashion Award went to Shai, celebrating style and personality in pet fashion.
The Best Hair Stylist Award honored Viktoriia Koroleva, Halyna Marchyshak, and Roxy De La Fuente, each recognized for runway work that helps complete the visual story behind every designer’s collection. Roxy De La Fuente was also honored for her experience as an HMU Team Leader, guiding beauty professionals as they prepare models for the runway.
Beyond the awards, the evening carried a larger message: Los Angeles fashion is not built by one person or one role. It is built through collaboration between designers, models, makeup artists, hairstylists, photographers, influencers, event producers, performers, and media professionals. Fashion Show Awards created a room where these people could not only be celebrated, but also introduced to one another.
That may be the event’s most important contribution to the industry. In a market as competitive as Los Angeles, visibility matters, but meaningful visibility often begins with being in the right room, around the right people, with the right platform. By honoring talent across multiple categories, the event expanded the definition of who deserves recognition in fashion: not only designers or models, but the full creative chain behind every runway moment.
As the LA Fashion Show continues to grow beyond its first four seasons, the Fashion Show Awards represent the next chapter, a movement toward community, collaboration, international visibility, and recognition. In a city built on dreams, image, performance, and reinvention, Fashion Show Awards offered something timely and necessary: a platform where fashion professionals could be seen, celebrated, and connected to what comes next.
