The Westchester was buzzing Saturday as part of its Simon Fashion Now event, presented by White Plains Hospital. The two-day extravaganza featured everything from fashion shows, food samplings and fundraisers to interactive demonstrations presented by mall retailers.

Design Wars and a runway fashion show were two of Saturday’s highlights. Who said hospital scrubs and design don’t mix? Design Wars certainly put that question to rest. Eight students from the fashion program at SUNY Westchester were each teamed with a nurse from White Plains Hospital for whom the student was responsible for designing a fashionable outfit out of the scrubs for after-hours.

The catch was that the budget for each design could not exceed $100. Judges in the audience voted on the best design, which had to meet four criteria: creativity, use of materials, fit and overall look. The first runner-up would receive a $250 Simon gift card, the winner a $500 card.

News 12 Westchester anchor Tara Rosenblum served as emcee for the event, and the students’ professor, Phyllis Fein, opened with several remarks before it got underway. “The students and nurses really bonded during this experience,” she said.

Each nurse showcased a different outfit on the catwalk as its student designer proudly watched. The designs each carried the mark of creativity; for example, scrubs were turned into a backless cocktail frock and a strapless sundress to name a few.

All of the models marched onto the runway at the end of the show, showcasing their innovative apparel. Student Anna Powell was declared the winner of the competition, with nurse Saungi McCalla wearing the winning design, a striking emerald green cocktail dress with a wide black belt. A first for the competition was the tie for first runner-up between students Samantha Yezarsky and Taneisha James. All of the nurses and students were given a warm round of applause from the packed, enthusiastic audience.

“I think that one of the most positive aspects of this competition is that these students get a chance to have their designs seen by a wide retail audience,” said event judge Pamala Gomes, founder/editor of the website www.Addikted2Fashion.com.

Another attendee, White Plains resident Peggie Oliver, was bowled over by the designs’ color schemes. “It’s really amazing to see how creative the students were,” she said.

Nurse Stephanie Caputi, who wore runner up Yezarsky’s floral minidress creation, was enthusiastic about the competition. “I enjoy fashion, and it’s fun to do something like this that’s out of my everyday character, so to speak.”

The festivities didn’t stop there. Next up was a runway fashion show featuring various mall retailers. These included Lilly Pulitzer, Sperry, Arche, Ann Taylor, Brighton Collectibles and Banana Republic. Each showcased a wide array of fashions ranging from shoes, jewelry and handbags to men’s and women’s clothing.

The show’s merchandise highlighted the “in” looks of the season, such as bold color, statement jewelry and accessories to name a few. “Big cocktail rings, lots of layers of silver and gold mixed together are very popular items at our store now,” said Brighton Collectibles manager Terri Potillo. “Also, messenger bags large and small, which cross the body are in right now. We offer what’s trending at the moment for everyone, which is what we are excited about showing the public.”

Simon Fashion Now is in its fourth year. The event is held at Simon Malls across the country during the spring and fall. “The great thing about this event is that the merchandise we show is readily accessible at these stores,” said Jacque Ellis, assistant vice president of corporate events for Simon Property Group, Inc. “It’s free to the public, and the participating stores get the opportunity to showcase the “now” factor and put looks together for the shopper at all price points.”

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