OFW announces August 2015 Designers

Congratulations to the following designers who will be joining us on the runway in August:

Iconic by Tamu- Tamara Newson, RTW

Sydney Moore, RTW

Kingdom Unlimited- Isabel Muziva, Childrens

alesha.beth- Alesha Johnson, Evening

LeRoy Designs- Caleb Hanner, Bridal

KAIT- Kaitlyn Fitzgerald, Childrens

Molly Elizabeth- Molly O’Brien, RTW

Denise Ervin Designs-Denise Ervin, Evening

Dan Richters, Avant Garde

Amaryllis Designs- Andrea Hurtt, Evening

Christopher DiGiorgio, Menswear

Brave Nouvelle- Ellene McClay, Avant Garde

Wallflower- Erica Cardenas and Bryan Frost , RTW

Jennifer Pool, Avant Garde

Quite-A-Riot- Adrienne Otteman, Bridal

KKINI- Michaela Cawley, Swim

Jessica Lynn- Jessica Lynn Collins, Childrens

Judy Bales, Avant Garde

Alejandra Buenrostro, RTW

Alyssa Koory, RTW

Leah Kareen- Leah Kettelson, Evening

Sabrina Jones, Swim

MDFashions Aspen- Michelle Dunn, RTW

Legalized Rebellion- Samone Davis, RTW

Alison Cloet, Evening

Triple Thread- Kylie Bollwitt, Margi Hanlon, and Ashley Redinbaugh, RTW

SuShe by J. Tracey- Juantiesha Christian, RTW

Nuevintage-Terri Buckner, RTW

Buf Reynolds, Evening wear

Fella- Fella Vaughn, Evening

Thank you again to all who applied!

Watch for the line ups coming soon!

Omaha Fashion Week Evening Wear Recap

The evening was hosted by Pat & JT from our sponsor Q98.5 and had tons of colors, gorgeous gowns and a very happy fairy tale for one of our local designers. The night started off with a collection from Bridget Mahoney's line Bridget Julia from Kansas City. Mahoney, who is a FIM grant recipient, created a collection inspired by Marilyn Monroe called, "I want to be loved by you." The line was full of a sexy but sophisticated elegance that captured the superstar's essence. There were lots of colors, sparkles and fun elements like pieces of boa's and feathers.

The next collection was Spoiled Little Mamma by Berthier de La Cruz. His collection was inspired by Spanish bullfighting and featured lots of fabric and bright colors. Touches of satin on full skirts and lots of pleating. 

Model and designer Lauren Birkentall designs under the label Lauren Nicole. Her collection was inspired by the movie Coraline and Birkentall loved the magical yet sinister element of the movie. There were lots of triangles, patterns and a graphic element to her collection with bright pops of color.

Fella by Fella Vaughn was inspired by the late 1960s and early 1970s for his collection. It featured bright colors and bold patterns and was sophisticated and elegant. There was a disco aspect to some of the designs with tons of oranges and yellows.

Adrienne Anderson for Quite-A-Riot created a line out of mosaics. She hand stitched every piece of the fabric together to create the unique look. It was a very feminine line with elements of the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Elda Doamekpo designed her line Afielda after her native West African routes. She used traditional African fabrics with bright pops of purple and pink and paired them with ornate headdresses to get a really unique line of evening wear.

FIM grant recipient Kate Walz dedicated her line to her idol Jessica Lathem, a local boutique owner who helped Kate get her start in design. Lathem always said, "Practicality is overrated," and Kate used that quote to help inspire her collection. The line was very reminiscent of Old Hollywood with tons of ruffles and satins with a very feminine element and bright pops of color.

At the late show "Phaesporia: Light Bringer" presented by Buf Reynolds, was an inspiring collection of beautiful gowns that showed the metamorphosis from dark to light. The long draped gowns were made with silk and had elements of tapestry and gold leaf. To top off the night, Buf got engaged!

Fella, Bridget Julia and Kate Walz will all compete tonight for the Fashion Cup.

A Little Theatrics Introduced to Omaha Fashion Week

OFW is growing this Fall Season, with two off-site showcases! Jenny Pool, local Avant Guard costume designer, has a show entitled "Forêt des Rêves" or "forest of dreams." She will be debuting her collection on the evening of August 20, directly following the Omaha Fashion Week show at a separate venue on 10th and Dodge. Doors will open for the event around 9:30 p.m. and the show will start at 10:15 p.m.

Pool, with local theatre The Witching Hour plan on producing a show that will feature an original fairy tale by local author Timothy Schaffert as well as a theatrical experience of clothes.

"I love immersive artistic experiences," Pool said.  "And I was inspired to create a collection and an experience for the audience that showcases garments that are beautiful, garments that are frightening, and things very much like clothes you did not know clothes could do."

Local designer and Omaha Fashion Week Vetran Buf Reynolds also plans on debuting a collection during a late night show this August. On August 22, Reynolds is debuting a collection called "Phaesporia-Light Bringer."  The collection represents the path of a woman’s metamorphosis from dark to light. Reynolds will present a beautiful new collection that strikes a balance between art and fashion.

"This show is very personal to me. It touches on many aspects of my personal life," Reynolds said of her collection. "But could take on many different meanings for others. There will be a journey to follow on the runway, and in the end it is about freedom."

This event will take place after the Omaha Fashion Week show on August 22 at a separate venue on 10th and Dodge. Doors will open at 9:30 p.m. and the show will begin around 10:15 p.m.

Tickets for these magical late night performances are $20 per person and available for purchase.

Tickets:

Phaesporia-Light Bringer

Forêt des Rêves

August 25 Finale Designers Selected

 

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Designers Selected for Omaha Fashion Week Runway Finale

Omaha, NE, July 20, 2012 – Omaha Fashion Week organizers have announced the line-up for the Runway Finale on August 25.  “This year we have made a big shift in the way we select designers for the Finale,” OFW Producer Nick Hudson said.  “We’ve waited until now to cast Saturday night designers so we could see how their collections are shaping up and select the very best looks.”  This will make the much anticipated OFW Runway Finale a “best of week” show, allowing for a broader selection of designers to be seen by thousands of attendees on the 400-ft runway than ever before.

The Fashion Institute Midwest, formerly the Omaha Fashion Institute, pulled together a selection panel of industry experts to review and evaluate designers’ collections last Saturday at the OFW Hanger Check.  Members of this panel selected 37 designers to show during the week out of 64 applicants in April.  The results have been tallied, with the following 22 designers being selected for coveted Saturday night positions:

Angela Balderston for Get Plastered Audio Helkuik Buf Reynolds Dan Richters Eliana Smith Ellene McClay for FORTRESS Fella Vaughn for Fella Hollie Hanash for Ruffled Runway JHaus Kate Walz for Just Because Jessica Hansen for Jessica Alyse KKini Leggoons Maximillian Suiter for Max Millian Terri Jen Buckner for Nuevintage Apparel & Accessories Tiffany Headley for Donna Faye Erin Thomas for Toxic Sadie

Emerging Designer Micro Collections: Elizabeth Medina Emely Valadez Lauren Birkentall Jeff Hansen Kaitlyn Fitzgerald

*This line up is subject to change as collections are finalized over the next four weeks.

Omaha Fashion Week is set for August 20-25 in Omaha’s Old Market.  Join the organization for its fifth anniversary by purchasing your tickets at www.omahafashionweek.com/tickets.  Ticket prices range from $65-$20 for weeknight seats and $120-$30 for Runway Finale seats.  VIP tables for the Finale are $1,000.

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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, formerly the Omaha Fashion Institute, is a non-profit operating under the Omaha Community Foundation 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 OFI at www.omahafashionweek.com/institute.

Omaha Fashion Week Announces August 2012 Designers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Omaha Fashion Week Announces August 2012 Designers Omaha, NE, Apr. 23, 2012 - Omaha Fashion Week organizers announced this week the designers who have been selected to show collections during the organization's August 2012 shows. They include 12 newcomers, four high school students, two designers who currently live outside of Omaha and two designers who are launching national brands.

“We are really excited to have Chad Carr and JLynn Hausmann on board,” said OFW producer Brook Hudson. Carr is reviving the 1980’s swimwear brand, Leggoons, and Hausmann is launching high-end denim brand, JHaus, based out of L.A. during the August shows. Both Carr and Hausmann are Nebraska natives. “It’s gratifying to see that designers view OFW as the ideal platform to launch their brands nationally,” Hudson said.

The applicant pool included 64 designers who were narrowed down to 37 for the August shows. Designers applied online and a limited number were selected to pitch their ideas for their upcoming collection with a panel of industry experts brought together by the Omaha Fashion Institute. The experts scored each designer and provided feedback that organizers used to make final selection decisions.

Designers were placed into categories based on the type of work they do. "Fans can expect a theme for each night of fashion week," Hudson said. “This allows fans to select what types of fashions they see.” The OFW show schedule will have nights focused on the following areas: Children’s wear, avant garde, bridal and swimwear, evening wear and day wear.

One significant change this year is that designers for the Saturday night finale have not yet been selected. “Saturday night will be a ‘best of’ show that includes our favorite looks from the week. We will be working with designers over the summer to see how their collections progress before making final decisions about the Saturday show,” Hudson said. Show organizers hope to feature 80-100 looks at the Saturday Finale, which will be held outdoors on Jones Street. Weeknight shows will be held indoors at KANEKO on 1111 Jones St.

OFW August 2012 is scheduled for August 20-25.  Tickets go on sale June 1 at omahafashionweek.com/tickets. Prices for weeknight tickets range from $65 for a VIP seat to $50-$30 for reserved seats. Ticket prices for the Saturday Finale range from $1,000 for a 10-person VIP table or $120 for an individual VIP seat to $60-$30 for reserved seats.

Omaha Fashion Week: August 2012 Designers

Children’s Wear: Monday Night, 8/20 Aubrey  Sookram for Markoos Modern Design Hollie Hanash for Ruffled Runway Jea Theis for Jake & Lucy Rebecca Robbins for Fit for a Princess Susan Ludlow Yolanda Diaz for Little Miss Fashion

Avant Garde: Tuesday Night, 8/21 Angela Balderston for Get Plastered Audio Helkuik Dan Richters Ellene McClay for FORTRESS Joi Katskee for Joi Joison Mai Do Terri Jen Buckner for Nuevintage Apparel & Accessories Tiffany Headley for Donna Faye

Bridal & Swimwear: Wednesday Night, 8/22 Chad Carr for Leggoons Erin Thomas for Toxic Sadie Jessica Hansen for Jessica Alyse Kendra Morgan for AML Designs Michaela Cawley for Kkini Sabrina Jones

Evening Wear: Thursday Night, 8/23 Bertiher De La Cruz Buf Reynolds Fella Vaughn for Fella Juantiesha Christian for SuShe by J. Tracy Kate Walz for Just Because Lameesha Stuckey for Stylishly Chic Leah Casper for Casper Couture Maximillian Suiter for Max Millian Williams Torres for WILL STYLE

Day Wear: Friday Night, 8/24 Audra McAvaddy for Coriander Daniel Munoz Eliana Smith Kaitlyn  Fitzgerald for KAIT Blu Masey Rost JLynn Hausmann for JHaus Shamina Wiek for Pastel GROOVE House

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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 Omaha Fashion Institute The Omaha Fashion Institute is a non-profit operating under the Omaha Community Foundation 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 OFI at www.omahafashionweek.com/omaha-fashion-institute.

About Kaneko KANEKO is a new kind of organization – not a museum – not a gallery – not a library nor a research center – but an open space for open minds that nurtures and promotes creativity in the arts, sciences, and philosophy. Through progressive exhibitions, performances, lectures, symposia, and innovative programming we encourage people to explore and experience the creative process that is essential to all human activity. Learn more at www.thekaneko.org.