By Tanika White
Sun reporter
September 15, 2007

New York's storied Fashion Week ended on Wednesday, but for those still
pining for a high-fashion fix, Baltimore now has its own Fashion Week.

Baltimore Fashion Week - which started last Saturday, ends today with a
ready-to-wear runway show at Red Maple, a tapas lounge in Mount Vernon.
It starts at 8 p.m. and includes the creations of such local designers
as Amy Waller, Timbro, Sara Mathes and Lindsay Michael.

The show also will highlight some of the designs in the Mims line of
clothing, which is the brainchild of Pam Haner, one of the organizers of
Baltimore Fashion Week.

"We felt that Baltimore needed more fashion things happening," says
Haner, a ready-to-wear designer who also works as a bartender and
waitress. "We really wanted to give local designers an opportunity to
show things to the public."

The ready-to-wear show caps a week of fashion-related events organized -
without sponsors - by Haner and couture designer April Camlin, who is
also a hairstylist.

Haner, 26, and Camlin, 23, decided about four months ago that if other
cities, such as Miami and Washington, could pull together a Fashion
Week, so could they.

Using their own money to pay expenses, the two launched Baltimore
Fashion Week with two parties - a party Saturday at Metro Gallery for
designers, models and fashion-lovers, and one Sunday at the Depot.

Then, the week of runway shows kicked into high gear. Monday night
featured some of the area's talented screen-printers. Tuesday night's
event - at Red Maple - showcased the merchandise at small boutiques,
such as Jean Pool, Shine, Form and B.U.

Wednesday's event was geared toward lingerie and jewelry; Thursday's
showed off "green" fashions - eco-friendly, recycled and recyclable
clothing.

Last night, Camlin highlighted her own label, Happy Accident Clothing,
as well as the couture (handmade, one-of-a-kind) designs of other local
names.

"We've gotten a lot of people out," says Haner. "It just shows that
Baltimore does need this."

This isn't the first time a group of people has tried to bring the feel
of New York's Fashion Week to Baltimore.

Three years ago, Fashion on Charles - a showcase of Baltimore boutique
owners and aspiring designers - made its debut with a four-hour runway
show outdoors at Mount Vernon Square.

Those behind that undertaking - a trio of young men from the fashion,
retail and business community - had a similar vision as Haner and
Camlin.

But their biannual show has been little heard of since 2005.

Camlin and Haner believe the time is right for their venture - so much
so that they intend to do it again in the spring.

After all, more and more boutiques have opened in Baltimore in recent
years, Haner says. And everyday people - thanks to such television shows
as Project Runway and America's Next Top Model - are becoming more aware
of real fashion, says Camlin.

"It's getting to the point now where fashion is becoming more accessible
to everybody," Camlin, who styles hair in Mount Washington, says. "You
have the lines at Target [featuring] the big-name designers. You have
the TV shows. People are getting more interested in fashion."