For first time in Omaha Fashion Week history, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and OFW collaborated to create the UNL Student Showcase. Over 30 designers showed almost one hundred looks on the runway Wednesday evening, as students competed for four different scholarships.
The Pretty in Patina Pre-Party featured the UNL DJ Club, who provided electronic beats as designers and models prepared for the show backstage. VIP guests enjoyed complimentary hors d'oeuvres from Brandeis Catering in the Nebraska Furniture Mart VIP Lounge, as well as delicious cocktails from Absolut Elyx.
Headliner and OFW veteran Em’s Trends, kicked off the evening with her feminine and graceful women’s Formal Wear line.
Ready To Wear garments hit the runway from various student designers. Diverse fabrics played together like old friends while interesting lines caught the attention of everyone in the room. Semi Formal garments followed, featuring clothing for women and children. Clothing was draped intricately with intentionality. To close out the first half of the show, more Ready To Wear was exhibited, with asymmetrical and eccentric garments finding their way onto runway this time around.
During the intermission, guests shopped Pretty in Patina and an array of other retailers in the Pop-Up Shop Market. Guests snapped photos on the Borsheims Red Carpet and entered to win from #HHBestDressed from H&H Premier Automotive at their selfie station.
Headliner Makaylee Gayed started the second half of the show with her collection featuring diverse patterns and textures, creating an incredibly unique combination.
Models were dressed to the nines during the Formal Wear scene as luxury and glam made its way down the runway. Elaborate and elegant trends caused heads to turn and dazzled the crowd. The Experimental scene took guests on a trip to another world. Three-dimensional draping created individualistic styles, completely unique to the scene. Every color of the rainbow was represented and not a texture sat out.
The final headliner of the evening, Makenzie Lesiak, finished out the UNL Student Showcase with a women’s Dress Wear collection that contained a dark color scheme with a juxtapositional effect.
Winners were announced at the end the show. Congratulations to:
NICOLE RUDOLPH
Photo by Kathy Rae Photography
ALISON CLOET
Photo by Kathy Rae Photography
LEVI BEUTLER
Photo by Kathy Rae Photography
SAMIRAH ALOTAIBI
Photo by Kathy Rae Photography
As the first collaboration of its kind, the UNL Student Showcase was an incredible success. Designers delivered innovative pieces, high construction quality, and intriguing design concepts. Student designers gained professional industry experience with exemplary design and presentation.
TUESDAY NIGHT PHOTO RECAP:
Runway | Heather & Jameson
Behind The Scenes | Kathy Rae Photography
Borsheims Red Carpet Experience | Addie Poe Photography
Omaha World Herald | Julia Nagy / The World-Herald
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram all week for more behind-the-scenes looks at Omaha Fashion Week! Stay tuned for last night's Borsheims Red Carpet photos, runway photos by Heather & Jameson, and behind-the-scenes photos from Kathy Rae and our other House Photographers!
TONIGHT: Methodist Survivor Show presented by Xenon Academy
[featured photo courtesy of Heather & Jameson]