Max’s road to happiness was long and rough. In fact, he was to be euthanized at a shelter last year. He had sat for weeks waiting for a new home, and he had several strikes against him — and his time was up.

The eighth year of Fashion Week El Paseo wrapped on a high note Saturday as designer of the week Gilbert Chagoury launched his “Shattered Innocence” collection to rousing cheers and standing ovations from the more than 1,000 people packing the Big White Tent.

Tiered layers, exquisite embroidery, and meticulous detailing dominated the dresses that veteran L.A. designer Sue Wong sent down the runway Thursday night at Fashion Week El Paseo.

Gordana Gehlhausen’s Goga line offered a striking feminine look for spring during Project Runway night at Fashion Week El Paseo on Wednesday.

The last designer of the night was local favorite Michael Costello, who was greeted with loud cheers and whistles, as he thanked everyone associated with Fashion Week El Paseo via a video clip. He talked about the crazy lives he and others in his creative field lead — the drama and the design.

Mondo Guerra went all out on Project Runway night at Fashion Week El Paseo, introducing his “Haute Dog” spring line, featuring a bold, bright mix of prints, patterns, and colors reminiscent of a day at the beach.

Ryan, a cancer survivor who appeared in the ninth season of Project Runway, was the winner of season two of Project Runway All Stars. He also studied in Paris with Jean-Paul Gaultier and other top designers.

Bert Keeter has made his mark with minimalism — simple, modern designs that are sophisticated and timeless.

San Francisco-based designer Elena Slivnyak, a Project Runway season 10 contestant who has since been designing costumes for musicians, brought her ready-to-wear collection, IIMUAHII R2WEAR, to the Fashion Week El Paseo runway on Wednesday.