Arena Walk.

Scenes From Yesterday's Fashion Arena Fashion Show At The Dallas Arboretum.

Lest last week's brief respite from the heat made North Texans temporarily forget all about summer, Sunday afternoon's Fashion Arena show at the Dallas Arboretum made sure to remind us all that it's unequivocally that time of year. With the number of floral patterned dresses and oversized summer hats we spotted on the event's few hundred attendees, that much was plainly obvious.

And if the amount of sunlight pouring through the windows of the Darnell Sanders- and Antonio Winfield-helmed event didn't further drive that point home, it at least made it clear that this was going to be the most well-lit fashion shows in town all year. Or not: Promptly at 3 p.m., though, the room's blinds were drawn closed, instantly setting a more intimate mood for the soon-to-start show.

After some 20 minutes of introductory words from Good Morning Texas host Shannon Powell, the show commenced. Goddess-like models made their way down the middle of the crowd while dramatic ethnic music specifically chosen to compliment each designer played overhead. Those designers ranged from the 20-year-old Ashley Whitby of Whitby Art to the self-taught, 10-year veteran designer Nic Moore, with brands like WINGFIELD, Vanity Black, Cantoinette Studios and Deidre Hardin also in the mix.

In between sets, a projector showed images as the words of a poet filled the room with a message about a woman's true beauty and the fact that most feel the need to cover themselves up with makeup, fancy clothing and other materialistic embellishments. It was a powerful message, to be sure, but one that would have been strengthened had all the models not been of the standard tall and slim variety.

Oh well.