Designer says fashion show producer scammed him, but producer says he did nothing wrong
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A dress designer suspects his debut on a Chicago runway was all a ruse – after he paid thousands of dollars to book a fashion show that never happened.
As CBS 2's Lauren Victory reported Monday night, models who were supposed to be wearing the designer's gowns are also missing money.
It all amounts to a story of sequins and secrets.
The Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue is, of course, home to high fashion. It is also where Texas designer Ramon Blanco hopes to sell his dresses.
"If I'm not sketching, I'm purchasing fabric; purchasing crystals," Blanco said.
Blanco's sparkly gowns need more eyeballs before he can quit his day job in finance. So Blanco called a man with connections – seasoned fashion show producer Derrick Lee from Chicago.
"We discussed the look of the show; what he wanted to do; his vision," said Lee.
The pair met at a pageant years ago.
In fall 2022, Blanco started to send Lee money via PayPal transactions. Blanco sent thousands of dollars for Lee to create a glamorous showcase under Blanco's stage name – Rami Rabioso.
Even a fancy flyer was involved.
Why was having a fashion show such a big deal for Blanco? It was about exposure.
"Because I'm really unknown," Blanco said, "and my clientele is very limited."
Models traveled to Chicago from around the country for a chance to be seen.
"It was a huge networking event," said model and modeling coach Brianne Espinoza.
Blanco fitted the models into his gowns a day before the show. But none of the 40 hand-sewn gowns ever made it to the catwalk.
Twenty-four hours ahead of the event, Lee – the man paid to produce it – stopped answering the phone.
"He disappeared," Blanco said. "It's like earth swallowed him."
The red carpet was pulled out from everybody. Hours of practices ahead of the show were rendered pointless.
"It was extremely disappointing, to say the least," Espinoza said.
The dream of Rami Rabioso evaporated at the midnight hour.
"The more I heard, the angrier I got," Blanco said.
Blanco got so angry that he booked a flight back north several weeks later. He wanted to warn others about a $6,000 show that was never delivered.
Lee also talked to CBS 2 – because he doesn't think he did anything wrong. He said he felt like he had earned the $6,000.
"I've earned my money," he said.
Blanco took Victory by the Pilsen building where the fashion show was supposed to happen. It is an unassuming brick building with glass-block windows, but Blanco said he was expecting to go all out there.
"I was supposed to have red carpets, and lights, and a banner," Blanco said. "None of that."
Lee said, "With the show, there were a lot of hiccups."
That seems to be an understatement. For starters, CBS 2 discovered the event space about which Lee texted the team – and for which Lee was given money to reserve – was never even secured.
Victory told Lee she was able to get in contact with the property owner, who said Lee never had a booking at the venue – that he inquired, but never showed up for a walk-through.
Lee blamed an issue with insurance paperwork. But that does not explain other problems.
"The whole thing was just chaos," said Miss Global USA Modeling Manager Suzi Hosfeld.
Lee told models he booked them rooms at the Hampton Inn & Suites in River North – and some even fronted him the money.
But at check-in, Hosfeld said, "They had absolutely no knowledge of us being there."
Victory asked Lee what happened with the hotel.
"With the hotel, here's the thing," Lee said. "Some people are saying that it was for their entire stay - their entire stay - and it was not."
But it was not a stay at all. CBS 2 confirmed the reservations were not in the hotel system – and the confirmation numbers Lee sent people for their hotel room bookings were fake.
Brianna Jackson also feels ripped off – because she was told she could not model in the show unless she sold tickets. Blanco, the designer, said that was not his doing.
Instead, a request to pay $175 to Rami Rabioso came from Lee – who has not given back the money for tickets or hotel rooms, or any part of the show.
"We're all definitely frustrated and upset and angry that we were scammed," Jackson said.
Victory asked Lee why he couldn't refund the models what they paid him.
"That's my salary," Lee replied.
We have seen this Derrick Lee production before. The CBS 2 Investigators found he used pictures of kids and the Lurie Children's Hospital log to raise $3,000 for sick kids at a 2015 fundraiser – but only donated $100 of that to the hospital.
Cook County prosecutors went after Lee for consumer fraud violations for that.
"That case was closed," Lee said.
It was closed after court documents show Lee was forced to turn over the rest of the cash he raked in for sick children.
"I was like, wow!" Blanco said. "Wow!"
Blanco says he did not know about Lee's history when he first hired him. Now, Blanco says he is spreading the word - and it's costing Lee clients.
"The bottom line is, where is all that money?" Blanco said. "What have you done with all that money?"
Lee said, "There's a lot of lying going on right now."
Lee continued to tell us the money he hasn't returned is his – because he earned it.
"How much longer do we have to do this?" Lee asked Victory during that interview.
"I just want to get an answer of why the show didn't happen," Victory said.
We asked that question over and over. But Lee left us hanging. He stood up from his chair and walked out of the interview.
Blanco the designer filed reports with the Illinois Attorney General and Chicago Police against Lee. Meanwhile, Lee reported Blanco to the authorities for harassment.
