We Love our Selection Panel!

Have you met our wonderful selection panel? This season always presents us with some tough decisions but our panel is top notch. Here is a bit more about them:

Judy Davis is a two year board member of the Fashion Institute Midwest Board and the Fashion Institute Guild.  She currently serves as treasurer of both organizations.

Outside of the “fashion world”, Judy serves the community as Philanthropy/Event Chair on the American Red Cross Board, Board Development Chair on the YMCA Board, Chair of the Iowa West Educational Advisory Committee, a member of the  Iowa Western Community College Black Tie Committee,  and a board member of the Council Bluffs Guild of the Omaha Symphony.

Judy served as Campaign Consultant for the new Charles E. Lakin YMCA in Council Bluffs and is currently serving as Campaign Consultant for the Council Bluffs Athletic Complex. Judy is married to husband Ron, has three children and six grandchildren.

Meghann Schense is creative consultant & grit of EsotericVelvet.com She is a founding, executive board member for the Fashion Institute Guild, a style ambassador for Harper’s Bazaar, and “Au Courant” trend columnist for Inspired Living Magazine.

Meghann’s expertise includes media production, writing, art direction, styling, graphic design, photography, event planning, market research & analytics, e-commerce, branding, public relations, email marketing, and social media.

Vanessa Barrett has a long history with design and fashion. She began as a window dresser, with many experiences along the way including boutique owner, buyer, interior design, editor of The Scout Guide Omaha, and photographer. Vanessa is currently working in jewelry design and as a fashion/interior stylist.

Autumn Foland leads the sales and customer service efforts at Design Parliament. With over 15 years of retail and wholesale experience, Autumn has solidified a reputation for being a key player in the nation’s designer specialty and department stores. She has purchased at wholesale showrooms across the country, as well as such venues as New York Fashion Week, LA Fashion Week, Dallas Market and Style Max Chicago.

Autumn has developed relationships with hundreds of fashion designers and top retail executives through her various buying and selling activities. Autumn is also very involved in her local community, serving as Board Member of the Midwest Fashion Institute Guild, Member of the Board and Chairperson of the Heart Ministry Center Fashion Show and a Team Captain Volunteer for The ICAN Womens Leadership Annual Conference.

Robyn Kortan was a Senior Buyer for Dayton Hudson Department Stores headquartered in Minneapolis, MN.  She was responsible for managing multi million dollar businesses for several departments. In this position, Robyn also had the opportunity to travel for the Associated Merchant Corporation and was involved with design and development of merchandise for private label to be used by Dayton Hudson/Marshall Field and several other major department stores throughout the U.S. Before retiring from retail, Robyn moved to Human Resources and was responsible for the Merchant Trainee Program and conducted professional and personal training for the Executive Merchant Team.

With these folks on the panel, we have no doubt that the August 2015 lineup will be wonderful!

Get to know our designers: Saturday Edition

Next Saturday night will round out our designer showcase and you don't want to miss these designers, check out a little about them before the show.

Declared Jillian Fellers Erin Tepper Judy Bales Kate Walz Whitney Rorah

Declared is designed by Amy Lynn and Jake Thacker. The brand has been a fixture in our retail booths and our finally makeing their way to the runway this season. Declared be gan with Amy and $20 upcycling denim in her basement. Amy had no background in Fashion Design but had a love for photography. Jake joined the brand and together they create 90's inspired clothes. In the two years since the brand started they have been seen in the page of Nylon Magazine and worn by stars like Hayley Willams.  With their electric group of friends the pair designs for the rule breakers with a street wear vibe.

Jillian Fellers designs wedding gowns for romantic brides who want a hint of the past. She began the brand in 2012. Jillian graduated from University of Nebraska Lincoln with a Textile Design degree. Each of Jillian's gown embody a vintage elegance with an attention to detail. The femininity is perfect for any brides wedding day as well as our runway in the Saturday night show.

Erin Tepper is a senior at Iowa State University. She is studying Textile Design. Erin is Excited about the exposure she will receive by showing her collection at Omaha Fashion Week. Erin hopes to get the word about her brand, Ezradella, out there in the fashion world with the help of Omaha Fashion Week.

With the help of some everyday items, Judy Bales is known for creating "art wear". Judy uses things like wood, metal and other materials to create beauty. Traditionally a painter, Judy branches her art into fashion. She is known for her fiber art most all. This is includes whimsical costumes and plastic couture. Judy's line will take the runway on Saturday and will not lack a WOW factor!

Kate Walz is no newcomer to the Omaha Fashion Week runway that is for sure. The 18 year old has been designing since age 8 and has no plans of stopping soon. Kate's designs have a vintage edge about them. She is constantly wowing us with new and amazing designs. Kate acts as a role model to all the Young, developing designers. She proves to everyone the power you have when you put your mind to something you love.

Whitney Rorah floored us in August with her bridal collection and is back show us some more here in March. Whitney's designs come deep from within to help create beautiful garments. Many of  her designs are influenced by nature, history and most of life itself. Whitney won the 2014 Fashion Cup last year and there is no doubt that she will bring great things to the runway this season!

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Click HERE to get your tickets for 3/14!

Get to know our designers: Friday Edition

As we are only a few days from the beginning of Omaha Fashion Week we thought you should get to know a little bit about the Friday night Presenters!

Jessica Lynn Crystal Hobson Alejandra Buenrostro Elda Doamekpo  Katie Thompson

Jessica Lynn began sewing at the age of five from her grandmother. Jessica studied at the Art Institutes of Colorado. After she gained industry experience by working in a bridal boutique. Eventually Jessica went out on her own to design her how bridal gowns. Her lines are full of detailed, vintage inspired gowns and have been shown on the runway multiple times.

Crystal Hobson had always had the support of her parents when it came to doing what she loved. Going in to college she began with a Costume Design major. She then found the Textile Design program and fell in love. She graduated from University of Nebraska Lincoln and continues to do what she loves. Crystal showed in the August show and is excited to show here at the March show. Crystal designed pieces for this line that are simple but bring the WOW factor! Look for her designs on Friday night.

Alejandra Buenrostro studied design in Mexico and after college she received a job designing shoes. Alejandra applied to Omaha Fashion Week with the hopes of diversifying herself as well as stepping out of her comfort zone. Alejandra loved the experience and can't wait to expand her lines even more. She hopes to expand in to mens wear as well as continue with designing shoes in the future. This is Alejandra's first show and she can't wait to see what her future holds!

In August, Elda Doamekpo presented a collection that was inspired by her heritage and family. This season Elda will be presenting a line thats inspiration comes from over 100 years ago. She is very excited to present her collection based off the 1920's novel, The Great Gatsby. Elda brings the past and the present together to create beautiful designs. At the age of 17, Elda works to be an example for young designers as she presents her collection at Omaha Fashion Week.

Katie Thompson is anything but a new comer when it come to Omaha Fashion Week. The Iowa State student is constantly presenting fun, elegant, ready to wear collections. Katie works to create business causal clothes that are anything but stuffy. Pieces from Kaite's line are great first impressions and are full of creativity. See what she comes up with next when her models walk the runway.

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Click HERE to get your tickets for 3/13!

Get to know our designers: Thursday Edition

Our first Showcase night is a week from today, get to know the designers that will be showing on before their designs hit the runway!

Andrea Hurtt 

Alyssa Koory

Jessica Collins

Hannah Olsen

Molly O'Brien

Alison Cloet

For Andrea Hurtt, designing started out of necessity but quickly turned to a passion. When Andrea's Daughter was born in June of 1999 she was too tiny for her baby clothes. Andrea then took to the sewing machine to make clothes out of pillow cases for her. For the past three years now Andrea been designing clothes influenced by the late 40's-60's. Andrea also owns her own boutique in the Mid-Town Crossing area called Atomic Bombshells.

Westside High School student, Alyssa Koory, can't wait for her designs to walk the runway on Thursday night. Alyssa is inspired by everything old fashion and vintage. As she took her high school Fashion class her fascination with clothes and Coco Chanel found the perfect outlet. Alyssa's retro inspired line will bring a glimpse of the past to the runway.

Jessica Collins began making clothes for a similar reason as Andrea Hurtt. Jessica needed headpieces that could fit her little girl's head. Jessica began sewing clothes later and had many orders from others moms.  When her and her family moved to Nebraska she got back into designing. She began to create her own patterns and was introduced to runway children's wear. Jessica has now shown multiple times with Omaha Fashion Week and always has something new and exciting.

Hannah Olsen is another young designer who is no amateur to the runway. Hannah designs are created with the real women in mind. Her first collection shown in March of 2013 was the first plus sized collection ever shown at any show in the Midwest. Hannah's brand began as an accessory line and soon evolved to brand it is today. Her line for this show will be full of edginess and dark elegance and was inspired by the singer Lorde.

Molly O'Brien began sewing at a young age much like most of our student designers. At the age of 8 she began sewing and began creating her own patterns at 15. Molly attributes her growth as a designer to her Independent Sewing teacher at her high school. Her teacher is constantly driving her to try new techniques and learn new skills. Molly's first line for Omaha Fashion Week is full of pieces that represent a new vintage. Molly works to create sophisticated pieces that are full of a timeless elegance. Molly's hopes to have her own boutique someday and to be able show in New York.

Alison Cloet began sewing in 4-H when she was 8 and believe it or not, she hated it. As Alison got older she began to get more into it and learned how to make her own patterns. Alison began to realize she could make clothes what she wanted them to be. She was influenced by bloggers and various designers like Dolce and Gabbana and Oscar De La Renta. She loved the detail put into each garment. Alison is most excited to show the community her hard work through her designs.

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Click HERE to get tickets for the 3/12 show!

Get to know our designers: Tuesday Edition

With our Student night quickly approaching we thought you would like to get to know a little bit about the young designers included in the show.

4-H students

Sydney Moore

OPS students

Caleb Hanner

Kent Bellows 

Grace Neary for Grace62 Designs

Sydney Moore began sewing at the young age of eight with her grandmother Kathy. The 12 year old had always received a lot of support from her family and friends, when it came to sewing and designing. Last summer Sydney joined us for Fashion Camp  and was amazed at the fact that there were students just a little older than her getting their designs on the runway. Sydney will be showing in our student night as a first step in her dream of someday making it to Paris with her designs.

Caleb Hanner, a college student at Iowa State University, had not always taken the path of design.  Caleb had began his college education majoring in music, as he grew more and more unhappy with it he knew it was time for a change.  Though he  had always loved fashion, it wasn't until he volunteered at the March 2014 show that he knew his new career direction. Caleb began sketching in the spring and June he began sewing.  By the end of the summer he had made his first outfit and is now ready to show his complete line at  Student night.

As a child Grace Neary drew designs much like she does today but at the time she believed if she took them to the department store they could magically make them for her. Eventually she learned to sew her designs her self with the help of grandmother and her trusty Vogue Sewing Book. The high schooler is inspired by much of the designs from the the 60's and the time of change. As Grace was designing this line she was going through a time of change of her own. The loss of her grandfather played a major role in her designs and can not wait to honor him with her line on Student Night.

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Click HERE to get your tickets to see our Student Night Show!