Omaha Fashion Week is going virtual this season! We are replacing our traditional runway shows with thought-provoking conversations featuring industry experts. Our Omaha Fashion Week fans have spent the weekend guessing who our guest speakers might be…and we have the answer.
James Scully.
On March 24th, we will discuss ethics and fashion with James Scully. With more than 35 in the fashion industry, his career has taken him from retail buyer at Charivari, fashion P.R. to fashion show production, and one last stop as bookings editor of Harpers Bazaar before setting up shop 20 years ago as a freelance casting director. Working with a diverse roster of clients from Todd Oldham, Tom Ford, Stella McCartney, Lanvin, Carolina Herrera and Brandon Maxwell.
Vogue has covered James Scully as the fashion industry's whistle blower. He put his decades-long career in the industry on the line to stand up for models who were being mistreated. He called out some of the biggest names in fashion and the industry coalesced around him, leading the the development of the LMVH-Kering Model Charter that has been adopted industry-wide to protect models. His actions also opened the doors for thousands of models to finally open up about the mistreatment they had experienced in the industry, without fear of repercussion. His advocacy work has addressed age-restrictions, unhealthy beauty standards, white washing, and unfair working conditions for models. If you are a model or designer...or a parent of someone interested in the fashion industry...this conversation is a must-see!
Thakoon Panichgul.
On March 25th, we will host a homecoming discussion with Thakoon, who graduated from high school right here in Nebraska. The Omaha Fashion Week team has enjoyed talking to him about his memories of Nebraska and learning about his favorite haunts in the Old Market. Hint: He got a lot of inspiration thrifting on 24th Street.
Thakoon Panichgul started his career as a fashion editor for Harper’s Bazaar, covering runway designers and chasing style news. Wanting to try his hand at designing, he enrolled at Parsons School of Design in New York City. In 2004, Panichgul created his first ready-to-wear collection centered on pieces that were, at once, beautiful and easy to wear. An overnight success, he was championed by both the press and those in the public eye, appeared in countless spreads of major magazines, and became the go-to designer for many celebrities - including Michelle Obama. He was mentored by Anna Wintour and appeared in the fashion documentary "The September Issue".
Recently, he made a surprising move: he took a two-year break. During that time, he realized that loud and flashy fashion noises were drowning out good, simple, and affordable designs. It led him to relaunch his brand as a direct-to-consumer line of functional, beautiful, and well-designed wardrobe essentials.
Reservations are required to attend both of these fashion discussions, which will be held on Zoom Livestream. Don’t miss your chance to attend!
To stay updated on all of Omaha Fashion Week’s spring plans, follow along on Instagram.
