With temps having dropped 40 degrees since last week, Monday’s skies shedding a cool rain, and the Marion Square tents being gutted then disassembled, Charleston Fashion Week has clearly wrapped. But only a raucous party could leave such a melancholy day in its wake. Here’s a look back at what went down since the last Fashion Statement, just in case it’s as much of a blur to you as it nearly is to us.

Friday Night
Rapper Righchus crept his blazer and bow-tied self down the runway, croon-talking the front row folk ’til Quiana Parler joined him for a sexy duet. Sufficiently wooed, the at-capacity crowd warmed up with retail shows from the always-edgy Biton, the innovative, hautely styled Gwynn’s of Mt. Pleasant, sassy Mary Mojo & The Shoe Fairy, and hipster-tastic Sucker Jeans, whose dark colorways gave seersucker a corded look that transformed the material into an all-season option.

Following a short break, the Emerging Designer Competition was on, with Florida’s La’Daska Powell sharing her Sunshine State take on swimsuits. Best in show? Her one-pieces with epaulet shoulders and cutaway capped sleeves. Baltimore’s Thea Canlas was a surprise after a week of much-of-the-same fabrics. The backbone of her collection came hand-woven textiles paired with pineapple fabric—silk or poly blended with pineapple plant fibers—both elemental to her native Philippine islands. Canlas wielded bright, geometrically intricate patterns into silhouettes that entertained, like her crop-top with its zig-zag collar neckline. Rosie the Riveter ruled the next show from Brooklyn’s Isabel Crosby, who toyed with canvas, denim, and flannel to bring the 1940s back. Far from gimmicky, her keen tailoring and blend of sex appeal (think work shorts with dangling garter straps) made the collection less costume and more street chic ready-to-wear.

In what was ramping up as the toughest night of competition, Chicago-born, Philadelphia resident Charlotte Hess’s knit-rageous line officially blew Charleston’s mind, and garnered whispers, grins, and the rapt attention of the imported, been-there, seen-that Fashion Panel, including Janie Bryant (Mad Men), Mychael Knight (designer), Fern Mallis (New York Fashion week founder), Alexis Maybank (Gilt Groupe), K. Cooper Ray (SocialPrimer.com), Marysia Dobranska Reeves (designer), and Andrea Serrano (Army Wives). Hess, who hand-knitted ensembles of silk, wool, mohair, cotton, and more into body suits, short gowns, palazzo pants, capes, and everything in between, had coached her models in woman power before they took to the runway. “I told them to hit each step, to think of the strength of Native American women, and to own themselves,” she says. Wearing Native American-inspired warrior breastplates in yarn, they took her words to heart, dragging woolen hides behind them as though they’d skinned the beasts themselves. With wild music taking over the tent, the earthily flamboyant Hess nearly turned cartwheels in her take-a-bow appearance to celebrate a show that had critics and Charleston Fashion Week goers alike on their feet, whistling, clapping, and plain ol’ hollering for the dawn of a new talent to be reckoned with. That she won the People’s Choice and Emerging Designer competitions of the night came as little-to-no surprise. The evening was rounded out with Featured Designer April Johnston, whose Mangled Courtesan line lived up to her self-described moth metaphor with models sporting pheasant feathers as antennae and tattered silken garb that spoke of battered wings.

Saturday Bridal
As soon as Friday night’s crowds melted into the city for after-parties, Charleston Fashion Week presenting sponsor Heather Barrie of Gathering Floral + Event Design and her crew veritably attacked the runway tent to ready it for Saturday morning’s Charleston Weddings Magazine Spring Bridal Show. Working through the night with a break at 5 a.m., Barrie turned the clubbed-out CFW space into a reception-like setting beset with blooming branches, curtains of airborne butterflies, billowing panels of fabric, and beribboned chandeliers. With vendors lined up along the tent walls selling handcrafted jewelry, bakers and caterers offering treats and sweets, and barkeeps serving mimosas and more while the classical string tunes of Charleston Virtuosi danced through the air, the tone was decidedly feminine and decidedly bridal. Yours truly (full disclosure, I am editor of Charleston Weddings magazine) welcomed everyone to the show, including editors from The Knot, a TodayShow.com correspondent, and bridal magazine and blog creators, but, most importantly, brides who’d come to spot their dream gowns. Everyone got an eyeful. See the photos here, and you’ll take in a first for the event—eight shows with seven designers showing original works. Highlights included the intricate handwork of Kira Elizabeth Designs, Callie Tein’s prim Audrey Hepburn stylings, YoYo’s ode to the 1970s with updated Farrah gowns, Alena Fede’s innovative fabrics, and Carol Hannah’s show-stopping black gown with its feathered raven’s wing. Featured Designer Heidi Elnora introduced us to her classic silhouettes, but turned on spring when she dressed her models ’dos with fresh dogwood blooms and branches; as the show progressed, their halos got larger and larger till the last model was as much druid as she was bride. Consider the spring wedding season officially open! For more on the show, including beauty tips and on, subscribe to the Bridal Buzz.

Saturday Night
Atlanta’s pop chanteuse Bosco opened the sold-out evening in the main runway tent that had undergone another transformation back to club CFW. Charleston magazine and CFW style director Ayoka Lucas took to the stage to announce that the Emerging Designer Final Competition included a surprise show…in an “American-Idol” like judge’s pardon, Stephanie Mejia joined Cody Sai Alder-McAllister, Michael Wiernicki, Veritee Hill, and Charlotte Hess to show her work with her fellow finalists one last time. Offering Saturday night goers bonus looks, several designers included additional ensembles in their walks. Hess had hit up the women at Charleston’s own knit for extra supplies that led to a pair of pants fashioned from leather yarn that she finished that day to show that night. Larika Page—2010 Emerging Designer winner—swapped her last year’s ode to Alexander McQueen for her own capelettes and body-conscious wear; while Featured Designer David Yoo schooled everyone in how to have a cohesive show. His intellectually provocative pieces (a faux-blazer worn as an over-the-shoulder cardigan sans sleeves, an oversized David Byrne-esque overcoat, and a no-sleeved, no arm-holed sweater dress with outlets for hands at the lap that called to mind either good manners or a straight jacket) in gray and black and white gave the night a big city, big leaguer edge.

While waiting for vote tallies, the audience was, the audience was treated to the Rock the Runway Model Competition. Earlier in the week 10 men and 10 women were selected to compete in the event, which came with a $1,000 check and placement in one of GulfStream Communication’s publications. Pamela Frank of Ford said she was looking for models with terrific symmetry and doll-like proportions— big eyes, sweet lips, and so on. While the 20 finalist models power-walked by, Stacey Huggins of Charleston Art Mag whispered that she thought Ajang Majok would win as the Sudanese beauty with impossibly lithe legs and ramrod regal posture walked by. Huggins was spot-on, and the model showed her true self to be far from the stoic image she projects onstage when she burst into heartfelt tears that continued long after she’d taken her award check offstage. Joining her was the equally magnificent Ceaser Hingleton, whose buff physique gave female attendees something to gape at.

And So It Ends…With a Bang
Highlights from the night that’s already beginning to fade into hazy mix of hairsprayed haute-ties included Fern Mallis getting sweets from Sugar Bakeshop and a “Happy Birthday” song serenade from the entire audience; Charlotte Hess taking bows with knitting needles in hand; and Pamela Frank scooting backstage to take snapshots of promising, unsigned models. And from earlier in the week, a chat with gradeschooler Maisie Harrison, who walked with her sister, Juliette, in Barbara Beach’s childrenswear show on Tuesday:

Fashion Statement: “What did you think about being on stage?”
Maisie Harrison: “It was great. Really really really great.”
FS: “And what about Fashion Week—do you dig it?”
MH: “Yes! And I want to do it again and again and again!”

See you, Maisie and all, next year at the tents.