EMERGING DESIGNERS:
The Unfinished Archive | Alex Graff | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
I was inspired to start designing clothing by my friends who worked at a vintage clothing shop and saw that there was a need for repairs. I was interested in the construction of garments and what made something ‘well constructed’ and sustainability in regards to the fashion industry so it all kind of went hand in hand.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
I’m inspired by workwear, repair and reconstruction, especially Margiela’s reworking. I’m also inspired by Virgil Abloh’s 3% philosophy
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
This collection is inspired by flowers and nature, the abstractness of organic matter. Keeping it simple while still subverting expectations.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I’ve really loved working on the production side of omaha fashion week and working with everyone that makes it all happen, it’s really exciting to be a part of it but as a designer now.
K.E.Y. Designs | Kyle Yehle | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
My journey into clothing design has been through the production of stage costumes, primarily for drag performers.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
I love Pierre Cardin’s work. A designer who addresses their inpiration very directly through their work is something that resonates with me. Bold colors and exaggerated silhouettes are something I appreciate as well.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
I have always been inspired by practical movie effects and characters. In particular, Jim Henson’s Muppets. I have explored his characters in this collection.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
The opportunity for self expression on this level is not an opportunity that I have had before. Sharing my work is a story about how I have grown as a deaigner and how my life has changed through the years as I worked my way towards this show.
Jam Jar Clothing | Em Wiltfong | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
I learned to sew from my Gramma when I was really young, and I loved the freedom and creativity it gave me. I kept pursuing fashion through high school and eventually college, and I’ve never been more determined and exited to show the world my designs.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
I love the Schiaparelli house and all of the whimsy they bring to their very classy design style. I also admire Minju Kim’s work a lot. The shapes and silhouettes she creates are very beautiful and I aspire to create art like she does.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My inspiration for this season is 70’s and 80’s athletic wear, as well as pattern mixing. The collection isn’t athletic wear, but I took many elements of that classic look and incorporated them. One look is even inspired by old football uniforms, so keep an eye out for that one!
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I previously showed at the Fall 23 show and loved the experience, so I’m very excited to be a part of something this big and welcoming again.
Floria | Olivia Fiore | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
I started sewing when I was probably five years old with the help of my mother, both of my grandmothers have sewn all their lives, one as a tailor and the other as a quilter. Design for me has always been a way to connect with a tradition of home-sewn feminine expression.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
Schiaparelli is pretty fun, especially their accessories, they create a cool juxtaposition between classy and completely surreal. I’ve also been getting into Romance Was Born recently.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My collection is inspired by the idea of human metamorphosis and a true, unattainable human form. Everything I make or write comes from a feminist viewpoint so I narrowed in on this idea of pure feminine power to create a woman’s wear line.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I am excited to challenge myself as a designer. This will be the first time I make and show a full collection and I can’t wait!
ARNAtheCRAZE | Ze’Naya Hale | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
What inspired me is art. I loved it, Art allows you to express yourself within. You can make it how you envisioned it to look. But i realized that I didn’t want to do simple art, so I journeyed into fashion and that is one of the biggest Forms of art, A human is the canvas.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
My fashion icons are Zelda Wynn Valdes. Zendaya. Don’t try so ard to fit in, and certainly don’t try so hard to be different just try hard to be you.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
What inspired me for my collection is nature and all the colors and textures it has to bring. So my collection is a mix of that but sunset with bright colors.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
What makes me excited for the Omaha show is allowing me to see the dream come to reality.
AJÉAD | Daeja Anderson | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
Designing has been my dream since I was a child and to this day that dream has not changed. Once I went to college and started my brand, I knew I was on the right path.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
One person I look at as a fashion icon is Zendaya.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
This collection is inspired by a painting called Seascape with Sailboat by Candido Portinari. It shows a sail boat on the water and inspiration is taken from both the color palette and the sailboat itself.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I am excited to be a part of this show again because of the people involved. Last time everyone was so kind and I enjoyed the overall environment.
Ana Orescanin | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
My venture into clothing design is rooted in a profound passion for art, driving me to express my unique artistic sensibilities in the captivating world of fashion. I firmly believe that fashion is a form of art, providing a dynamic canvas for me to weave together color, texture, and design in garments that reflect my individual expression and resonate with a broader artistic narrative. This symbiotic relationship between art and fashion fuels my inspiration, pushing me to explore innovative ways to translate my vision into wearable pieces that transcend mere clothing and become statements of aesthetic identity.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
I am a big fan of Vivienne Westwood, Annie Doble, Christian Siriano, and Kim Shui.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My father and family is my biggest inspiration, he suffered a heart attack October 2nd, and thankfully he is okay, but to spend time together we went fishing! And that’s honestly how this collection began!This collection is inspired by what is under the lake when the water levels have fallen. The intricate tree branches washed up, the different colored leaves, and all the moss. It was grossly beautiful. I want this collection to depict this story, but in a powerful way. Each garment will be different, yet the same, but I want each garment to be powerful, intricate, and art. I have my father to thank for being creative, so I want to use artistic elements in this collection to bring it to life.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I love the environment, the friendships, the memories. If OFW was a person, they would be the KINDEST person, and that’s the best way I can describe this fashion week! I am most excited for the kindness.
Yet Luxxe | Stephanie McIntosh | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
Inspiration to start designing came from a need to be comfortable, yet lux.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
A favorite fashion icon is definitely Iris Apfel! Her eclectic style mixed with the subtle but powerful designs of Carolina Herrera and Georges Hobeika have all be inspirations for Yet Luxxe
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
Spring 2024 is all about Water Signs. Their characteristics of fluidity, attitude and sex appeal.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
What makes me excited is being able to show what I’ve worked hard creating and others enjoying what they see.
Sommer | Le’Mario Sommerville | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
The woman who raise me, and seeing the role fashion played in their lives. As well as my love for nature and art.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
Donyale Luna, Donyale Luna, Terry Mugler, Madame Gres, Vionnet, Halston, Christy Turlington, Azzedine Alaïa
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My relationship with sleep and the night. 20’s, 60’s, and 90’s minimalism
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
Being back on the runway after taking a year off. Further building my brand identity.
Style Ari | Arial Cohen | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
My inspiration to start designing clothes came from the lack of diversity I found for modest clothing. I wanted to feel beautiful in the clothes I wore while still sticking with my belief. Sewing my own garments gives me the freedom to create colorful and elegant designs that fit me well, I never have to settle for “too big” or “too baggy” again.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
Teuta Matoshi has been one of my biggest inspirations since getting into fashion design. I’m inspired by her whimsical designs. She creates pieces with the prettiest embroidered florals!
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My upcoming collection was inspired by my visualization of women’s beauty and strength captured in a garment. The collection has a deeper meaning to show that empowerment of a woman comes in more than one form. One woman can show strength through softness but another shows their strength through boldness. The red and blue colors in my collection represent boldness, the pink and white colors represent the pure and soft side.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I am beyond excited to experience my first runway show. This is the start of something beautiful for Style Ari. I am blessed and grateful to show my designs to an entirely new set of people.
Cora Varland Design | Cora Varland | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
From a young age I have had the strong inclination to create and design. I began creating and wearing my own clothes in high school and that was all it took for me to fall in love with fashion.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
I draw a lot of inspiration from designers like Harris Reed, Bob Mackie, and Elsa Schiaparelli. All three of these fashion icons have created beautifully complex collections with boundary pushing silhouettes that are incredibly inspirational to me.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My Spring 2024 collection is titled, Invisible String, and was inspired by the 2020 Taylor Swift Album Folklore. This album has heavy romantic and melancholy themes that are reflected in the mixture of harsh and soft silhouettes, colors, and textiles in my collection. Each look is representative of a song from the album that I have connected with and feel illustrates the growth from adolescence to adulthood.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I am so excited to come out to Omaha and present my looks because I have never had my designs shown on such a large platform! I am also excited to meet more people in the Fashion Industry and grow my connections within the Midwest Fashion Community.
Gretter Rodriguez Mejias | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
As a kid, my creative side was always at the forefront—I loved art and getting hands-on with projects. However, my journey into fashion kicked off with Bratz, Monster High, and paper dolls. Their stylish vibes really resonated with me and sparked my interest in the fashion world. Plus, the influence of my grandma, who used to make clothes, added another layer to my passion for creating and designing.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
I don’t have specific fashion icons or designer inspirations. My style is more about personal expression and blending different elements that resonate with me. It’s about creating a unique identity rather than adhering to a particular influence.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
For my OFW Spring 2024 collection, I went for a vibe of femininity and lots of colors. I wanted to step out of the usual and play with bright shades instead of the basics. It all started with thinking about flowers and, naturally, women came to mind. So, my collection is like a colorful nod to the beauty of flowers and women.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I’m genuinely excited about the Omaha Fashion Week Runway as it provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase my designs to a broader audience. The dynamic atmosphere and diverse styles at the event create an ideal setting to reveal my work and connect with individuals who value unique perspectives in fashion.
The Kelby Company | Kelby Robinson | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
I started my own sublimation/embroidery business out of my room in my small college house down in Cape Girardeau, MO. I was studying fashion consumer studies at Southeast Missouri but as soon as this business took off for me via Etsy, I realized I wanted to do more of the design process rather than only the business side. From here I transferred schools and began the Fashion Design program at Lindenwood University.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
One of my fashion icons is Audrey Hepburn. I love her classy, timeless looks and feel that her style represents my brand well. My designer inspiration would be Prada as once again I love their classy, timeless looks as well as the advertisements that they use for their business.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My inspiration for OFW came from 1940 detective films. I love the moodiness and dramatics of these films as well as the 1940 fashion trends. I decided to combine a modern aspect with the 1940 detective vibe to ultimately bring my collection to life.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I am excited for the opportunities that showing on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway can bring. I have always wanted to show my art on a larger stage and this is my opportunity to do so.
Mon | Monika Melika | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
Throughout the fabric of my life, fashion has been a constant thread and in a little bit more of a complex way than picking what to wear each morning. I found joy in experimenting with my style and noticing what excited me when exploring silhouettes and textiles. Even at 7 years old, I wouldn’t leave the house until I was satisfied with my outfit. I never knew exactly where i’d fit in the fashion community. Be it modeling, the business side of it all, or design. I always knew I was going to pick one of these paths however.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
There are so many designers I admire. mugler, vivian westwood, galliano & mcqueen to name a few. There is nothing quite like 90s couture from these designers. Beyond defining trends, these designers helped establish a new visual culture that still resonates today. All had a clear vision with every collection that blended fashion and pop culture seamlessly. I hope to reach their level of brilliance someday. As for fashion icons and my personal style, currently I draw inspiration from bella hadid, designer Sandy Liang, and a few of the it girls of the 60s and 90s.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My debut collection, titled ‘Slavic it Girl,’ draws inspiration from my homeland, Ukraine, and the nostalgia of my childhood in a fashion-forward community. It marries the traditional charm of a Ukrainian grandmother’s headscarf, linen embroidered top, and beaded miniskirt with the contemporary style of a New York socialite, encapsulating my personal identity and design vision.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
the most exciting part of showing at ofw is getting to put on a show. I get to see my silly little sketch come to life and there’s something so magical about that. it is sort of healing for my inner child to watch myself create this collection that partly takes inspiration from where I grew up. To me it’s more than just a fashion show; it’s a journey of self-expression , following my passion and a celebration of my creative evolution.
Cardiovascuwhore | Meena Pittman | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
Growing up I was very shy. I found comfort in being able to control how others perceived me, through fashion. Don’t look at me- look at what I’m wearing. Slowly my love for clothes led me to sewing my own.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
I’m absolutely in love with Anna Sui’s work. Her process and the way she uses music inspires me.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My collection works to juxtapose beauty and filth through style and design. I aim to translate the inside composition of the human body, of what we wear on the inside (organs, bones), into apparel worn on the outside. I wanted to thoroughly explore this inspiration, dissect it, and fully conceptualize it. My methods of construction are professional but purposely erratic. The construction mixed with the collection aesthetic is to display anger. Woman are minimized to their bodies. Are we no more than our anatomy?
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I’m most excited to see how all the elements of production accumulate together. The make-up, the music, the lights, all help to invoke a feeling. They tell a story that the collection can’t fully tell on its own. I can’t wait!
PainVSFear | Astro Cesar & Maddie Hake | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
I believe that expression was the main key to why I love designing not only was it a way to make new friends but also show a part of us that our body can’t truly express. I also believe that our body restricts us from who we truly are and Fashion really emphasizes the fact that it doesn’t have to be that way.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
My main icons in fashion would be Tyler The Creator, Virgil Habloh, and myself. When I say fashion designer’s aren’t fashion designers I mean it in the sense of Tyler becoming a rapper before a designer, Virgil Becoming an architect before a designer and myself a mixed media blue collar worker. And that’s what gives me believe I can next in line.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
There was three things that inspired my collection one being the creative art community of Omaha, second kid Super when he made a art canvas drape on a model, and third my curiosity of what would happen and why not?
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I’m exited to see what others bring to the table. I know there’s a lot of talented and skilled designers and since it’s my first time showing I’d love to learn from the others with experience.
I’m Hooked on Stuffies | Elizabeth Bond | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
I’ve always love to draw everything and anything, clothing was one of the things I enjoyed most with giving my characters their own unique designs. My grandmother took my love of drawing clothes into actually creating them through many different ways.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
I’ve never really had a specific icon or inspiration that I look up to in the fashion industry. I more focus on an outfit and what I love about it, what I could take from it to use and rework my own designs centered around 1 or 2 aspects an example being a ruffle sholder line or bell sleeves. My focus has always gone to the design more than the designer themselves.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My collection for this season was crochet. I learned to crochet at a young age, in the past year have started to take up the hobby again more seriously and wanted my collection to reflect how different the things you make with crochet can look even if they’re all done using the same materials.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I’m excited to show on the runway as this is not only my first time showing in a fashion show but also my first collection that has gotten farther than being drawings. Also how unique my collection is going to be with it completely make of crochet other than some metal chains.
House of Chelette | Quinashai Chelette | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
I began creating sustainable, couture ready-to-use New Orleans 2nd line runway umbrellas and fashion accessories from the scraps or remnants of expensive pieces of fabric left over from designs my fairy fashion mother made for her clients. The remnants were too small for her to have any use for them, but she knew it would serve a greater purpose for me so she would save them for me. My first couture fashion accessory was a gift to a friend who was a part of a New Orleans 2nd line court in 2017; giving myself the idea to start a 2nd line umbrella boutique. January 2020, I founded Quinashai Chelette the brand and created a 2nd line umbrella art gallery named the House of Chelette; and a week later, I debuted in runway as an emerging designer in Brooklyn, New York.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
My designer inspirations are but not limited to; my fairy fashion mentor, D the Dressmaker because she saw something in me that I did even knew that I possessed and then she helped me find my way into the fashion world and beyond. Betsy Johnson because she always reminds me with her art and energy to “celebrate the idea that you don’t fit in, find your own and stay unique (J, Betsey)”. My top favorite fashion icons are Rhianna and Zendaya because of their relatability and their inclusion when it comes to representation.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
Fall fashion week sometimes fall on my birthday which did this past fall, so I designed #TheBirthdayCollection; and had birthday party on the runway. This coming spring, I wanted to keep the same energy, but instead throw an “Alice & Wonderland” meets “Tinker Bell” inspired enchanted tea party where the dress code for all attendees is Avant Garde.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I am so excited to show my collection at Omaha Fashion Week not to mention how grateful I am to be chosen as a designer. I love the structure of their executive team, their passion for what they do as well as the support and opportunities that they offer to their designers and models.
FEATURED DESIGNERS:
Hawa Couture | Hawa Muya | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
My inspiration for designing stemmed from a personal struggle as a fashio-loving muslim woman. I sought to to fill a gap in the market by creating beautiful evening gowns that embody both modesty and allure. Empowering women to feel beautiful without revealing too much.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
My biggest fashion icon is my momma. I remember being young and always looking up to how fancy and fabulous she always dressed. She is the fashionista I aspire to be.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
This collection was inspired by my love for the elegance and intricate detailing in couture fashion. Each piece is adorned with intricate line designs creating a harmonious blend of glamour and sophistication aims to redefine modest fashion, offering a radiant and empowering expression for those who want in both elegance and extravagance.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I am excited to show on the Omaha fashion week runway because I know this runway will open up more opportunities for me as a designer aspiring to break through to a global wide audience. Hawa couture deserves to be on the grandest runways in the world and to me Omaha fashion week is definitely one of those stages. I am so excited to present my designs and ideas to the world.
Regal Status | Princess Elliot Hopkins | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
The inspiration behind the creation of Regal Status was my own personal style and the frustration of not being able to access it through various shopping platforms.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
My fashion designer inspirations are Ralph Lauren and Louis Vuitton. Their brands are impeccable, timeless and stylish with amazing respect in the industry. Plus the story of how each brand started and stayed the course inspires my journey.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
The OFW collection was inspired by the argyle print and the status of it. Being the print is a diamond, it made sense to create a collection based on a girl’s best friend.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
First of all I love Omaha Fashion Week Production!!! My excitement comes from the fact that I made the cut to be in one of the best fashion shows in the nation. So the opportunity to showcase my brand on this runway inspires the best part of my creativity.
Dominikat | Lee Cunningham | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
Our fashion work began as a necessity, as young adults we couldn’t find the fashions that spoke to our souls so we set out to create our own.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
Fashion icons that I have found inspiring are Alexander McQueen and Iris van Herpen. Though I have to add the work of Drew Bernstein (Lip Service) for inspiring me to become interested in fashion to begin with.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
The collection for this season was inspired by our love for dark fashion and timeless silhouettes, reimagined to bring a fashion forward aesthetic.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
We are very pleased to have the opportunity to show along side other local designers and to reconnect with that community.
Studio Rae | Rachel Hughes | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
Since I was 10 years old, I’ve always dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. But it wasn’t until I taught myself how to crochet that I merged my skill of crocheting with my passion for designing.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
My designer inspirations are Ruth Carter, GiGi Hunter, Bishme Cromartie, and Christian Siriano. They all have their own unique styles that set them apart from any other designer. Whether they are new to the industry or are veteran designers, they continue to leave their marks in the fashion world.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My collection will celebrate women and represent the many hats that women wear in life. I myself am a wife, a mother, a businesswoman, a friend, and most importantly, I am my own woman. I would like to use my collection to tell a story of a woman going through each of these different facets of her life and the looks that she wears along the way.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I am extremely excited to showcase Studio Rae on such a huge platform at Omaha Fashion Week and shine a light on crochet in the fashion industry. With my collection, I hope to change people’s first thoughts when they hear the word “crochet” so they can know that it’s not just for blankets, scarves, or baby booties anymore. Crochet can not only be fashionable, but it can be luxurious as well.
Lucid Luxe | Kristen Clark | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
The first time I ever wanted to sew as a kid, I was doing homework and my mom was sewing. I just knew that what she was doing looked like a lot more fun than what I was doing.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
Right now I’m loving all the 90’s and 00’s trends that are coming back. This collection is inspired by the feeling of being free, being yourself, and having fun.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
I wanted to make this collection more sustainable so I’ve incorporated some vintage fabrics and upcycled denim pieces. I was inspired by the new things I’ve learned in the last few years too, like embroidery and quilting. This collection is about self expression and having fun with fashion.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I’m excited for the energy, and I love to see what other designers are showing. It’s exciting to be a small part of something so much bigger.
Spacecamp Sudios | Rebecca Hollar | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
I’ve always had an eye for fashion. I took action in 2020 and taught myself how to sew so I could bring my ideas to life. I quickly fell in love with the design process and launched my brand about a year later.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
I am heavily inspired by Vivienne Westwood, a true icon in the fashion and punk scene. I also look up to Virgil Abloh, an artist who truly pursued all of his creative passions. Fashion, music, architecture… he didn’t stay in any “box” and I admire that.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My collection, “A Piece of You”, is inspired by the symbolism of mirrors; Beauty, vanity, self-love, & self-awareness.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
I’m thrilled to showcase my work on the OFW runway because it’s an opportunity to share my art. I put a lot of energy into every aspect of this collection. I created each look and produced a soundtrack that ties everything together to make it feel like an immersive experience.
Nuevintage | Terri Buckner | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
It was an accident. All of my vintage clothing was stored in a 12’x40′ outdoor storage unit afer moving from Los Angeles. The humidity damaged all of the garments and in place of tossing; I began to repurpose and upcycle the pieces. That was over 14 years ago. I taught myself how to sew and created my first collection for OFW in 2012.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
Ralph Lauren
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
Refashioned Menswear and fabric paint came first as a courious thought. I then approached Chelsey Petersen, who is a mixed media artist regarding my idea and she agreed to collebrate on this collection.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
Its always thrilling to show in OFW. Its always a new and exciting experience no matter how many collections I have created. The community is absolutely the best!
Tivona Couture | Suzanne Gunn | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
I became a designer with a profound motivation rooted in my mixed family background. My goal is to showcase the remarkable versatility of Ankara fabrics across all genres of fashion. In doing so, I aim to provide a platform where everyone, including my children and future generations, can confidently choose to stand in their unique identity and feel authentically represented in the world of fashion.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
Ruth Carter, Gianni Versace, Zandra Rhodes
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
As a designer who loves science fiction, my inspiration is showing the vibrant spirit of Steam punk culture intertwined with the rich colors of Ankara bold prints. I envision a collection that seamlessly blends rebellion and heritage. You will see unconventional designs where the rebellious energy of punk meets the rhythmic beats of traditional Ankara fabrics.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
Our Theme is; Punk Ankara Fusion: Rebellious Threads with Traditional Beats . I want to Push the boundaries of ankara fabric , embracing the unexpected, creating a Fashion line that is an unforgettable and a celebration of bridging Africa to the world.
ELU by Elon | Elon Kebede | Follow on Instagram
What inspired you to start designing clothing?
I started to learn how to sew from watching my mother at the age of 6. And my learned from watching my grandmother.
Who are your fashion icons and/or designer inspirations?
My all time favorite designers are Schaparelli, Tatyana Kochnova, and Zuhair Murad. I enjoy all 3 designers, all with differnt taste and style.
What inspired your collection for OFW Spring 2024?
My inspiration comes from the flowers that bloom the brightest in adversity. My desire this Fall/Winter season is to remember growth comes forth from discomfort. Life comes after death, for a flower can only bloom after its seed is broken.
What makes you excited to show on the Omaha Fashion Week Runway?
This will be my first time showcasing at Omaha Fashion Week and I am thrilled to share my work with you! I’ve only heard positive feedback from this fashion show event, and I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity!
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