Last Sunday, the “Looking Good” fashion show marked another glorious occasion in Detroit’s fashion bazaar. Sponsored by Edward Jones, an international investment firm, Cedi Johnson, national design star, brought Detroit’s notable fashion industry designers, retailers and “doers” together in one setting at the Renaissance’s Marriott downtown to show off their best assets.

Designers for the evening included Vintage et Couture, a subtly sexy line of women’s haute couture designs for day or evening wear; the Taiyon Collection of men’s cleanly crisp suits that effortlessly flowed with each body movement, Mark England’s eclectic mix of circa 1920s feathered flamboyancy mixed with au couture urban of the ‘90s, alternating matching runway male and female models, Royal Oak retailer Prodigy’s simple elegant wear and, of course, a sneak preview of the ’07 fall Cedi Collection, showing off his brilliant use of golds, bronzes and browns in evening dresses with accentuated sleeves.

In collaboration, using Detroit’s burgeoning fashion design market as a “creative backdrop,” as Cedi describes it, Edward Jones was able to introduce itself at the fashion show to a market that is unfamiliar with the concepts of investing.

In business for 85 years with an established clientele base of over seven million, Edward Jones provides investment products tailored to fit a client’s needs including life insurance, IRAs, and estate and trust planning.

Making its own financial returns and contributions because it recognizes the importance of economical salvation and pursuit of underrepresented artistic creativity that exists so rampantly in urban communities, including Detroit, sponsoring a fashion show to help bring local spending to local stores to help stabilize Detroit’s economy is just one of the many things that Edward Jones makes returns on.

“Finally we’re coming to a peak in the place where we’re at economically and particularly in the African American community,” Cedi states. “Now is the time to throw in the anchor and do what you want to do,” speaking of the financial resources available that are becoming more accessible to the people in the city.

“It’s time for that to happen.”

For more information on the Cedi Collection, visit his www.myspace.com/cedicollection or call 313-443-8812. Visit www.edwardjones.com for investment opportunities near you. Contact Deanna Dunham at deanna.dunham@yahoo.com