CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Queen City News) — Mini collections by local designers will hit the runways in Charlotte in support of Team USA’s Olympians.
Every pin has precision.
“It’s a very old technique. It’s not easy to drape,” Luis Macicao said as he worked on a new dress. “You always have to measure. Always, always, always.”
Luis Macicao may not be a household name, but he has made quite a name for himself in the fashion world.
“Couture is an art,” he says, “and some designers do haute couture, which is the pinnacle of couture, and others simply do couture or ready-to-wear.”
Maccao is Charlotte’s only Paris-trained couturier, and his clothes are tailored for each client.
In less than two weeks, his vibrant spring collection in support of Olympians will hit the runway.
““This show is in support of my friend Ike Bell,” Macicao said, “because he’s the guy who brings the whole Olympic team to Charlotte for training.”
The team desperately needed funds before departing for Paris in late June.
“I realized some of the teams needed funding,” he said, “like the women’s hockey team and the taekwondo team, and I said, ‘OK, let me show you a little collection.’
Among the 15 models walking the runway in his stunning designs are members of the USA Taekwondo and USA Field Hockey national teams, some of whom have already qualified and others who are working their way up to compete.
Maccao has designed costumes for 50 films and countless clients, and when he came out of the pandemic, no one was ordering gala dresses.
“But we survived,” he said. “We survived. What I do is couture. It’s one-of-a-kind, handmade. Even the zippers are hand-sewn.”
After 34 years in the industry, he finally feels like he’s made it, but his passion for inspiring those around him remains constant.
“They’re happy not just because they’re walking the runway, but because someone like me, the designer, is supporting them,” he says. “We’re part of the community, so it’s our job to support our team.”
“Runway to the Paris Olympics” opens at the Bechtler Museum on June 8. All proceeds will benefit the U.S. National Team.
