FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OFW Announces Fresh Designer Line Up and New Venue for March 2014 Season

Omaha, Neb. October 28, 2013 – Omaha Fashion Week organizers announced the designers who have been selected to show Fall/Winter 2014 collections during the next season of OFW March 4-9 in 2014. The lineup of 15 designers includes six newcomers, two high school students and all are from Nebraska or Iowa. Organizers have also selected a new venue for the fashion shows.

“This was a very entrepreneurial group of applicants.  Several are looking at manufacturing and one has a storefront,” said OFW Producer Brook Hudson. “It’s so exciting to see how far we’ve come as a fashion community in the seven years since OFW began.”  Highlights from interviews:

  1. Hollie Hanash, the designer behind the children’s wear label, Ruffled Runway, is rolling out a line of avant garde pieces for adults.
  2. Wallflower, a label by OFW newcomers Bryan Frost and Erica Cardenas, has a storefront that will be opening on Nov. 2 at 1402 South 13th Street.
  3. Children’s wear designer Aubrey Sookram of MarkoosModernDesign is getting ready to sell 500 dresses on Zullily.com.  She made all 500 dresses herself in her basement studio.

The applicant pool included 30 designers who were narrowed down to the 15 who were selected. Designers applied and pitched their ideas to a panel of industry experts brought together by the Fashion Institute Midwest last week. The experts scored each designer and provided feedback that OFW organizers used to make final selections.

OFW also has a new venue.  The Omar Bakery Building, located at 4383 Nicholas Street, will be the new home of OFW next spring.  “The space is beautiful with exposed brick walls, polished concrete floors and great facilities.  There is plenty of room for expansion,” Hudson said. The 16,000 square-foot event space at the Omar is under construction and will be open for events starting in December.  “We feel very fortunate to be one of the first to book the space.”

A complete schedule of events for Mar. 4-9 will be announced in late November, with tickets going on sale Jan. 15, 2014. Below is a list of designer bios:

High Schoolers

Elda Doamekpo is a high school student with a brand called Élle Inspired.  Her evening wear collection is inspired 1940’s Dior.  Elda is also a runway newcomer.

Kate Walz designs vintage inspired gowns with feminine details and timeless silhouettes. Her Fall 2014 collection is inspired by the Beatles album 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' (1967)

Veterans

Angela Balderston creates avant garde pieces made from plaster and non-traditional materials under the label Get Plastered!

Terri Buckner is the designer of Nuevintage Apparel + Accessories. Her passion is recycling vintage clothing into new one-of-a-kind designs by reconstruction of the original garments and accessories.

Hollie Hanash is the designer of Ruffled Runway, an upscale children’s brand made for the unique kid that wants to stand out. This season Hanash will create a second line of adult avant garde pieces.

Hannah Olson is an 18-year-old designer who loves to make custom garments for all sizes under her label, Hannah Caroline. She is dedicated to improving the selection of plus-sized apparel and helping women feel beautiful in their own skin.

Buf Reynolds has been creating garments for seventeen years. She is self-taught and loves the creative outlet fashion gives her.

Stacey Sipp is a multi-media artist and who specializes in out-of-the-ordinary pieces and specialty dresses for the tweens. She hopes her collection can be a vehicle for young girls to express themselves instead of blending into the crowd.

Aubrey Sookram studied Fashion design and Marketing at the UNL. She designs children's clothing and accessories under the name MarkoosModernDesign.

Fella Vaughn received his degree in Fashion Textiles Clothing and Design at UNL. This will be his fifth year participating in Omaha Fashion Week.

Runway Newcomers

Jessica Collins is a children’s wear designer of modern party dresses who will feature layers of chiffon and lace in purples and pinks with accents of gold and ivory.

Bryan Frost and Erica Cardenas, designers behind Wallflower, will present a collection of ready-to-wear looks inspired by theater, titled “Evening at the Orpheum”.

Crystal Hobson is a UNL graduate with a goal to become a costume designer, either for theater or film. She will show an avant garde collection detailed with quilted elements paired with clear vinyl and sheer chiffon.

Katie Thomspon is a senior at Iowa State University whose designs range from evening wear and menswear, to outerwear and toddler and baby clothing. Her ready-to-wear collection is inspired by Jackie O.

Margie Trembley, Omaha designer of fascinator hats and bridal memory scarves, has exhibited her fiber art at the Chicago Botanic Garden and at her gallery, Springfield Artworks.

###

About Omaha Fashion Week: On the inside, Omaha Fashion Week is a talent incubator that seamlessly connects designers, stylists, photographers, artists and models through nurturing platforms and engaging opportunities. On the outside, Omaha Fashion Week is Midwest’s premier fashion event; spotlighting fashion innovations and celebrating creative excellence. Learn more at www.omahafashionweek.com.

About Fashion Institute Midwest: The Fashion Institute Midwest is a non-profit that nurtures aspiring fashion designer talent by supporting and developing the Midwest fashion ecosystem through programming that provides creative inspiration, training opportunities, resources and business incubation to unlock the creative entrepreneurial potential in our young people. Support the Institute at www.fashioninstitutemidwest.org.