A catwalk over a rooftop pool surrounded by hanging art set the scene for Project Ethos on Saturday, April 5, at the W Hotel in Scottsdale.

Jason Peskin, CEO of Project Ethos, broke the mold of the traditional fashion show nine years ago by adding elements of art and music to complement the unconventional runway. With his redesign of the standard fashion show he was able to come up with the concept of Project Ethos Fashion Music Art.

Since its debut and with every national tour since, Project Ethos continues to become more successful. This was its fifth show in Scottsdale and second at the W Hotel.

Every Project Ethos show is tailored to its specific destination, with local designers, artists and musicians showcasing their work.

“We really want to come into a community and ingrain ourselves in it, and showcase the local talent, and that goes down to the kind of art and music they have in it,” said Project Ethos spokeswoman Brianne Bear.

The event showcased DJ Aaron Taylor from 104.7 KISS FM, who performed for the majority of the night and 10 other artists, such as a live painter. The artists, all from the 1 Spot Gallery in Phoenix, brought a variety of art to the show, from street art to pop-up designs of the human body. In addition, Tanari Jewelry was on display.

The main event of the evening was the fashion show. The audience gathered around the makeshift runway on the pool and watched the work of local designers Amelia Walsh, Tiffe Fermaint and Mabel Cortez.

The clothing ranged from swimsuits to evening gowns. Walsh called her collection a “sepia-toned fairytale,” while Fermaint was inspired by metal, and Cortez designed her colorful and light collection for Arizona’s everyday women.

Walsh and Fermaint participated in the Vitamin Water Challenge three years ago, and were invited to work with Project Ethos again for this show. Cortez submitted her work and was selected to showcase with them.

Model Sterling Zayas, from Scottsdale, is now living in Los Angeles and travels with Project Ethos every opportunity she can since she was hired last year. This show took place on her birthday, and said she was happy to celebrate it while doing what she loves with a company she enjoys working with.

“I just love the environment. I love that you get to be yourself, you get to be creative on the runway, [and] all the designers are amazing,” said Zayas, who models on the runway an for Project Ethos’ online clothing store.

The designers work on their collections for months and have 10 pieces showcased. Even though three of the designers are local, the combined collections create a unique and diverse fashion show. And that is what the event aims to accomplish, by involving so many elements.

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