After two years mixed with online-only events, taped fashion shows, and socially distanced runway walks, Minnesota Fashion Week returns fully in-person with its fall 2022 season. Featuring six fashion shows, a panel of experts and an evening of shopping and drinking, FWMN’s focus is on emphasizing the talent, strength and creativity that thrive in Minnesota’s fashion industry.
“Our goals are always to elevate the passion of the North, to elevate our talent, to elevate the work that we’ve done and created,” explained Susan Leppke, FWMN’s director of operations. “Minnesota is known for so many great things, and we should also be known for the types of designers and artists that we have in this space.”
After an eternity of sweatpants and oversized t-shirts, Leppke knows Minnesotans are ready to go out and dress up, and the designers curating this season’s FWMN feel the same way.
“We’re still in a pandemic, but we want to express ourselves more seamlessly through our clothes,” Leppke said. “People are going to be more unique with their style. They’re going to put more embellishments, or style, or more of their personality into the items we see.”
Think silks, lace, detailed suits. A tribute to the 1920s with a splash of bright color. The correlation between classic and modern will play into the themes of the fashion events taking place in the Twin Cities this week. With a focus on sustainability, inclusivity and accessibility, and the future of fashion, Leppke believes FWMN Fall 2022 will bring to light the power fashion has on both creativity and realism.
“We’re in a tough time, and we really wanted to take a real look at things that are happening in our world right now, and tie that together with what our community is working on within that space.”
To kick off the week, Rose & Bull return to FWMN with Catwalk: A Vintage Fashion Show on Sunday, September 18. Transporting viewers back to the 1980s, the glitter-infused, inclusivity-oriented Rose & Bull Thrift Fashion Show will showcase chic looks. from Glam Diggers Vintage, Frock Queen, Golden Pearl Vintage, Queenie and Pearl, Ragstock, Showstopper Vintage and The Red Eye on the runway at Machine Shop. The grand vintage extravaganza will include shopping styles from Lobster Garden Vintage and Obsidian Pause located in the pop-up market after the show. eventbrite.com
A few hours later at Vandalia Tower in Saint Paul, Into the Studio’s second annual fashion show will highlight the power of design to promote social and environmental change. As a fully sustainable fashion event, from the location of the show to the drinks served, the lineup of local designers and stylists highlights clothing and accessories curated by eco-stylists, sustainable brands and locally conscious boutiques, and gives a behind-the-scenes looks at the design process from a creator’s perspective. Into the Studio ignites the power between fashion and a sustainable future. eventbrite.com
Monday night’s main event will transport visitors to Coalesce: 1922, telling stories of strength and resilience through the eyes and ears of the voices of AAPI and BIPOC. Located at the American Swedish Institute on September 19, Croig founder David Chang will co-produce the production and showcase vintage motorcycles during the show. VIP attendees will be treated to cocktails by Slate & Stone before the fashion show at 7:30 pm eventbrite.com
How do fashion, technology, sustainability and inclusion converge? On Tuesday, September 20, a panel of experts will dive into the connection that the future plays in the fashion industry. Located at the Rand Tower Hotel in Minneapolis, Rem5 experts Amir, Tara Daily, creator of the DressDecode app, and Shelisa Demuth, CEO of Beta.mn and founder of LAUREL Development, will discuss the rungs to where fashion is. today, and how NFTs, clothing lines designed for online avatars, and 3D effects will influence fashion tomorrow. eventbrite.com
Qe’Bella Couture will exhibit Fashion with a Purpose de Luxe Streetwear, a fundraiser focused on combining cutting-edge timeless pieces with the dainty, classic silhouettes overshadowed in fashion history on Wednesday, September 21. The fashion show is a benefit for Lovely’s Sewing & Arts Collective, an arts collective dedicated to helping children learn to sew, and will be hosted by Jason DeRusha, host of “Drivetime” on WCCO Radio and Food Critic for Minnesota Monthly. Promoting eight local fashion designers and two local jewelry designers, Luxe Streetwear will be at The Trailhead on Theodore Wirth Parkway. eventbrite.com
Landrover Jaguar Minneapolis welcomes Fusion, a combination of FWMN’s previous designers Energy Gear and Ramadhan Designs, to its stage on Thursday, September 22. Combining streetwear and couture fashion, Fusion will bring a total of 13 local fashion and accessory brands to create a new genre. of fashionable clothes. eventbrite.com
Wrapping things up, Saturday’s two FWMN events have a little something for everyone to enjoy: drink, shop and watch. Golden Hour, presented by Legacy and Les Sol, combines the designs of local and sustainable designers with vintage looks throughout the decades. Located in Legacy, the store will open its doors at 11 am and allow visitors to fall into the mystique of local and sustainable fashion. Later that night, Evolve returns with a runway show and pop-up event hosted by Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute featuring all of Minnesota’s local designers. The show will showcase ready-to-wear couture pieces that will be available for sale after the show. With 25 designers, Evolve will be FWMN’s biggest fall fashion show of the season. Les Sol, Evolve
Returning to its full glory, Minnesota Fashion Week’s fall 2022 season brings a little something for everyone: vintage, sustainable and local. The shows will take place from September 18-24, with full details available online at fashionweekmn.com.
Source: mspmag.com