Omaha Fashion Week’s Spring 2020 season continued last night with Metropolitan Community College Student Night! Over one thousand students and guests flooded into the building, many of them heading straight to the OFW Red Carpet to snap a photo with friends and family. As they explored the beautiful Omaha Design Center, they were entertained by pre-party music by DJ Angie Spence.
In the Made in Omaha Pop-Up Shop Market, guests shopped an array of goods from local makers and small businesses. Merchandise from the Omaha Fashion Week Pop-Up was a hot commodity as fashion fans shopped onesies, t-shirts, and other goodies. The Capitol Stye Bar powered by Aquage styled hair onsite for guests to look red carpet ready!
Before the show, OFW Producer Brook Hudson hosted a Q&A panel discussion on careers in creative industries such as fashion, photography, design, and more! Panelists included:
Kate Betts, award-winning fashion editor, best-selling author, and Omaha Fashion Week special guest
Demetria Geralds, Re’ChaunStyles fashion designer and graduate of the Fashion Entrepreneurship Program at Metropolitan Community College
Grant Reid, photographer and fashion instructor at Metropolitan Community College
Alyssa Dilts, owner and director of Develop Model Management
Roland Massow, owner of Omaha vintage store Roland Fitz
Keith Rodger, music producer at Make Believe Studios
What does Metropolitan Community College teach designers?
GRANT: We’re trying to get across the diversity of the business of fashion. It shows the spectrum of what fashion can do for you.
What is the best mistake you’ve made in your career?
KATE: Listening too much to other’s opinions and not listening to your own instincts.
ALYSSA: I think you have to fail and not be afraid of it. Allowing yourself to fail only gives you the building blocks to become more successful.
KEITH: Not learning Japanese before I went to Japan. If you’re going to another country you need to spend some time getting to know their culture and language.
What is the hardest part of your career?
ALYSSA: Being taken seriously in the fashion and model industry.
DEMETRIA: It’s a little bit challenging when you need to be creative and it just won’t come.
ROLAND: I struggle with not putting work out because it’s not good enough. No one is looking at your stuff the way you’re looking at it. They just want to see you put it out there.
What is the most surprising thing about your life and career in five words or less?
GRANT: I’m sitting here.
ALYSSA: Community
KATE: Omaha Fashion Week
DEMETRIA: I did it at 50.
Emcee Waverle Monroe of KETV NewsWatch 7 brought the show to life! Lights dimmed and the show began with Joslyn’s Fashion Arts Mentor Program in partnership with Yates Community Center, full of creative looks in floral and iridescent prints. Omaha South High School kept the show going with clean lines and tailored pieces. Nebraska FCCLA hit the runway, mixing minimalist looks with euphoric pieces. Joslyn Art Museum’s Kent Bellows Mentoring Program finished out the first half of the show with bold patterns and statement pieces on the Allure Med Spa Runway to Beauty.
During intermission, students entered to win Metropolitan Community College’s Gift of Learning giveaway, an MCC Fashion Design class. You can learn more about MCC’s Fashion Design program here! The event space came to life as guests mingled and spoke about their favorite looks.
Develop Model Management models styled by the Omaha Fashion Week Beauty Alliance lined up backstage, ready to present breathtaking collections during the second half. Collections from Omaha Central High School captured the audience’s attention with edgy pieces and pops of color. Nebraska 4-H mixed classic business pieces with shimmery formal wear. The final collection from Burke High School closed the show, with funky streetwear and dramatic pops of red!
PHOTOS FROM SUNDAY: THE AISLE
Runway | Heather and Jameson
Omaha Fashion Week Red Carpet | Morgan Jade Photography
TONIGHT: UNL STUDENT SHOWCASE
Produced by Omaha Fashion Week in partnership with UNL's Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design (TMFD), over thirty fashion design students will collectively show almost one hundred original works on the runway and compete for four different scholarships! Additionally, the event will be staffed by student volunteers who will help run the backstage and front of house under the direction of the OFW team. This is one of the most visually interesting shows of the season!