Inaugural fashion show a success for local boutique

Hummingbird presents fashion show

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Hummingbird Boutique held its first fashion show on July 18 at the Metropolitan Bistro in Sea Cliff.

Inspired by the beauty of the village and its natural surroundings, the show’s theme was “Scenes from the Sea,” and it featured some 35 different looks curated into four seaside themes: the waves, the sunset, the dunes and the full moon. Each theme was presented with its own unique music, and featured looks styled by the shop’s owner, Suzette LaValle, and worn by professional models who weaved their way throughout the bistro’s indoor space and outdoor garden.

“I couldn’t be happier with the outcome of the show,” LaValle said. “I was terrified that the seating plan would go awry and cause chaos, which would certainly cast doubt on any future shows, or anything else going wrong, but our consistent, thorough planning ensured everything went off smoothly — and Billy, the owner of the bistro, was extremely happy.”

Founded in December 2019 by LaValle, a celebrity stylist and fashion industry veteran, Hummingbird is an upscale women’s apparel and lifestyle boutique.

“I was delighted with how everything looked,” LaValle said. “The models were wonderful and the clothes looked great. I was so excited to see such an amazing turnout — many faces I recognized, and there were new guests that I met who had great things to say about the fashions, too. This show was all for marketing, and I believe it worked.”

LaValle has spent over 30 years in the fashion industry. Originally from Brooklyn, she began her career in her early 20s traveling to Paris regularly after she landed her first buying position, and was featured in a New York Times article detailing the discovery of “mini-grips,” an accessory that became all the rage. She went on to spend 12 years as a fashion stylist.

Through the years, she worked with the top fashion magazines, including Bazaar, Elle and Interview, styling celebrities such as Mark Wahlberg and Rosario Dawson. LaValle spent several years as a visual merchandiser for many of New York City’s hottest shop’s until 2015, when she opened her own store in Brooklyn.

Trinity Webb was one of the show’s models, and her mother, Josephine Webb, of Sea Cliff, said, “I was very proud of her. She grew up in Sea Cliff, so this was an honor for her to show her skills [learned] from modeling in New York City to her neighbors.” Trinity is about to start her senior year at North Shore High School, and is already working as a professional model.

“I felt the show was a real success,” her mother said. “Suzette has beautiful apparel, and I literally would buy every piece shown on the runway. It was a real delight to have a fashion show in Sea Cliff so well done. Kudos and brava to Suzette and Hummingbird boutique.”

The show was made possible with the support of a number of local businesses, including Glowinskin Esthetics, Sarah Regan Interiors and Main Street Bistro. “I’m grateful that I was able to generate awareness for my incredible sponsors, and bring business and work to my community,” LaValle said. She added that she had already begun planning her next fashion show for this fall, and hoped to have a show twice a year moving forward.