A quick overview of the SFFMA Fashion Week schedule

San Francisco Fashion Week is back. Brought to you by the San Francisco Fashion and Merchants Alliance, this year’s theme is A New Beginning and features three days of fashion shows and numerous fashion-related events in different venues around town.

The fashion runway shows, held over the weekend of Aug. 12-14, have been broken up into categories: Emerging Designers, Ready to Wear and Avant Garde/Couture, with one running each night, Friday through Sunday. In addition to the shows, there will also be style events, workshops and art exhibits happening around the city. Here are five things happening this week you will not want to miss:

1. 5 Claude Lane’s Fashion & Art Installation Reception. August 11, 2011. 5 Claude Lane Gallery, 5 Claude Lane, 6-10 pm.

The organizers are encouraging attendees to dress up and get into the fashion frenzy at 5 Claude Lane Gallery on Thursday night for fashion displays and installations featuring up-and-coming designers such as Amanda Everest of Lucky Lu Designs, Michele Battise  of Batisse Fashions and Kajan Padraig, to name a few. The Gallery will also be displaying art by Ross M. Fink and Maya Kabat. It’s also a free event – a great option if you don’t love runway shows or just want to little taste of fashion week.

2. Social Media Workshop at Pigment Cosmetics. August 9, 2011. One Market Street, Studio # 2. Doors open at 6 pm. Tickets available here.

If managing a Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, Google Reader and Flickr account feels massively overwhelming, to head to Pigment Cosmetics on August 9th for a social media boot camp. aimed at helping local fashion industry folks gain a better understanding of today’s popular social media outlets and discover useful tips on how they can benefit your company.

An SFFMA event at Pigment Cosmetics

3. Lucky Lu‘s Collection at Runway Show 1: Emerging Designers. August 12, 2011, Wix Lounge 2601 Mission St. Doors open at 6 pm. Tickets here.

We’re intrigued by the fun, retro-inspired pieces and charmingly feminine details from Lucky Lu. Shapes for a variety of body types and vintage flair make us want to see more from this emerging designer.

4. Keneuoe Vivere‘s Collection at Runway Show 2: Ready to Wear. August 13, 2011, Wix Lounge 2601 Mission St. Doors open at 6pm. Tickets here.

Keneoue Vivere’s line features designs that manage to stay modest and professional without losing fashion forward edge. Along with ready-to-wear, Vivere also offers custom made garments in the fabrics of your choice. A few shots from the designer’s Prior Fall Collection:

5. Camelia Skikos‘ collection at Runway Show 3: Avant Garde/Couture.  August 14 2011, Wix Lounge 2601 Mission St. Doors open at 6 pm. Tickets here.

Best known for her edgy, sophisticated and and just the slightest bit quirky dresses, Skiko reveals a fascination with the human body through her flattering, geometric designs. Below are a few pieces from her Fall/Winter 2010 collection. Head to the show to see what she has in store for next season.

Check out San Francisco Fashion Week for the full list of events.

Photography courtesy (from top) San Francisco Fashion Week, SFFMA, Lucky Lu, Curt H. Bentzinger, Keneoue Vivere and Camelia Skikos.