Even though yours truly wasn’t on the runway this season, my week-long trip to the Midwest was even more exciting than I expected; because of the strong fashion community that Kansas City has cultivated over 22 seasons it is so easy to forge new friendships and connections!
Wednesday evening started not with a mad dash to the venue but instead with a girls night out at The Town Company, a small plates & local produce-focused dining experience located inside the historic Hotel Kansas City – the perfect mini soiree for a group of KCFW Media members with a heart for all things local Kansas City.
The content creators you need to know if you’re in the Kansas City area!
Call of the Styled | Everything Gisele| Sincerely Adwoa | The Petite Pilot
Onto the show! Make sure to use my KCFW 22 Night 1 Spotify playlist I created as the soundtrack to each designer’s set as you read through my recap and browse galleries to get as close to the full experience as you can (and next year, buy tickets)!
Designer Line Up – Wednesday, March 8
- Toree Marie @toreemariegoetz
- Yet.Luxxe @yetluxxe
- Reduce. @reduce_fashion
- Street Caviar @officialstreetcaviar
- Dustin Loveland @dustinloveland_
- Elu by Elon @elu.by.elon
- Sydney Lenox @sydneylenox
- Celeste Graciano
- A.musemixx @a.musemixx
- Sophie Abrey @sophieabrey_design
Toree Marie
Toree Marie opened the show with flowing gowns and separates that transitioned from rich black to gold and cream to white. The simple accessories and natural groomed hair kept the focus on the modest and sleek garments. My favorite look of this elevated minimalist collection is the Pistachio Dress – entirely made of pistachio shells!
View the full collection on CFDA’s Runway360.
Yet Luxxe
Stephanie McIntosh’s resort collection featured statement thick red macrame fringe and animal toile prints in creamy neutrals.
Reduce.
Embroidered bibs, rich velvets, pearl details, dainty ruffles, and sheer fabrics dominated this rich collection by Reduce.
Last season was very heavy on patchwork and bright 70s yellows and denim; this season we saw a more restrained and refined foray into ready-to-wear for the design duo Katie Ciolino and Hannah Kleman.
For this Summer Child collection, they reused vintage tea towels, table runners, and napkins to create crop tops, collars and bibs. They also ventured into beading with pearls.
View the entire collection on CFDA’s Runway 360.
Street Caviar
A streetwear collection for men and women by designer Tommy Love coordinated bold colors and prints with shimmery fabrics and graphic tees.
Dustin Loveland
Fashion is always cultural and sometimes political. Dustin Loveland’s “Wall Yeller” collection of feminine and gender-bending garments was selectively displayed on nonbinary and male models.
Sewn from a place of anger and as a form of therapy, the 8-look collection features combustion elements like swirling stars and flames and clashing colors.
The collection is dedicated to those who are surviving in unwelcoming industries and communities (Startland News).
Elu by Elon
Several positive adjectives came to mind watching Elu by Elon garments on the runway cohesive, structured, and bold. Larger-than-life structural roses and subtle pearl accents adorned a lineup of models of color in this strong collection.
View the collection on CFDA’s Runway360
Sydney Lenox
Australian-American designer Sydney Lenox’s Spring/Summer collection was a fun and feminine pastel party on the runway.
Clowncore was big on the scene at the couture shows in Paris – Chanel’s top hats evoked circus ringleader showmanship, and Armani Privé’s garments were splashes of harlequin patterns and sparkles. Of course, it had to make its appearance on the midwest runway!
View the entire collection on CFDA’s Runway360
Celeste Graciano
Psychadelic swirls and 3D printed accessories adorned Celeste Graciano’s models on the catwalk this season for her “Too Close to the Sun” spring/summer collection.
A.musemixx
Designer Brianna Miller specializes in contemporary womenswear. Her feminine, avant-garde, burlesque collection “Amor” wowed on the KCFW catwalk. Sculptural brassieres, shining fabrics, and sheer dark lace told a story of self-love with contrast and color.
Sophie Abrey
The infatuation with vampires continues forevermore. Designer Sophie Abrey managed to skirt the line between costume and inspiration with her retro silhouettes, traditional black and white houndstooth, and bold red in her KCFW debut collection “Love at First Bite.”
My Red Carpet Ready Look
My inspiration for this runway recreatioin attempt was Antonio Marras’ Milan Fashion Week show this spring.
Check out his full stunning collection in Runway Magazine here!
I selected a floral fabric from Joann Fabrics that immediately caught my eye to create the floral layer under the longline coset-style bra, but should have paid more attention to the scale of the pattern and gone for something a little larger.
I also purchased this sewing pattern to make matching shorts, but didn’t have time to complete that sewing project before fashion week. Instead I went longer with the design of the floral “vest” and skipped the shorts entirely.
Done was better than perfect!
Special thanks to Kansas City Fashion Week for my Spring/Summer ’23 Media Pass and VIP access to this season’s shows!
And further thanks to this year’s sponsors:
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