Fashionistas enjoy a splash of Oakland designs with a spot of tea

High tea is a British tradition which typically calls for elegant hats, high heels and extravagant dresses, and those who came to the Claremont Club & Spa on Friday for tea and a fashion preview fit the occasion. Many sported colorful dresses, lacy head pieces and flowing pant suits that added modern flair to a tradition that dates to the 19th century.

“High Tea & High Fashion” was one of many events held through the weekend for the third annual Oakland Style week, a five-day series of events that ended Sunday and was hosted by Visit Oakland, celebrating fashion, music, food and culture.

Sherri McMullen of McMullen Boutique and jewelry designer Dorian Webb were the featured style makers. For the second year in a row, they showcased their designs as guests sipped tea, coffee and Champagne.

“This is my first time here, so I’m actually excited to see the show,” said Meisha McGlothen, an Oakland City Council aide who was dressed head-to-toe in hot pink. “But I mean everyone here is very well dressed, so it’s also exciting to see the attendees and what they have on as well.”

McMullen and Webb, both Black women, showcased their selections to a diverse crowd of around 100 guests, primarily women from all ethnicities. Aside from enjoying beverages and a buffet of tea-time treats, guests could shop and socialize amid bouquets of flowers that filled the room.

Both designers sell pieces that range well into a four-figure price range. Webb specializes in semi-precious and precious design sets, meaning the gemstones used are of high quality.

Webb moved from New York to Oakland about 15 years ago to teach low-income women how to start their own businesses. Teaching the women reawakened her interest in designing jewelry, and she now creates gold and silver pieces adorned with green gemstones and butterflies that she hopes inspires confidence in others.

“I think the jewelry is affirming, I think it’s uplifting,” Webb — sporting an embroidered white blouse, flowy, patterned skirt and her own jewelry — told the audience. “And I think more than anything, it can actually have an impact.” 

 Models, dressed in tweed skirt suits, peplum tops and the occasional black body suit to highlight the jewelry, showcased the work of each designer by walking around the tables in the Claremont’s Meritage Hall. 

Camari Brown, McMullen’s 20-year-old niece, helped style the boutique’s pieces for the show. Many of the outfits were high-fashion, formal looks that came with many layers — a choice that aligned with the crowd of fashion-forward women looking for options as the temperature drops.

“How women are feeling for fall, the events coming up, the weather — they all have something to do with it,” Brown said, describing how each look was compiled.

Although McMullen was not  at the event, she was represented by many of her employees, including lead stylist Mary Campbell. McMullen’s boutique, which she opened in 2007, has locations in Oakland and San Francisco. McMullen, who advocates for Black designers by featuring their work at her stores, was named one of the most influential retailers in the world by Vogue Business, which also named  McMullen Boutique one of the best boutiques in the United States.

Along with fashion shows, Style Week offered culinary experiences, including a four-course dinner with wine pairings from eight local chefs, musical performances and art walks.

That’s the ticket: Models hit the Rockridge runway in clothes fashioned from BART passes