KCFW just announced their line up of designers for next season, so it was time for me to finish this long due post. My second night of Runway shows of
Kansas City Fashion Week Fall Winter'19 was Thursday, and it had a brilliant line up of designers. From having my daughter's annual well visit to braving a thunderstorm, finally made it to downtown.
Before the doors opened, had the most amazing Outfit photoshoot with a rockstar photographer friend -
Sabrina Dunne. Stay tuned for that post, coming soon, on this blog. I love the fact of how KCFW is a platform which brings the best creatives under one roof, twice a year. The sheer amount of talent that is there in Kansas City, is simply exemplary. And I am proud and honored that I have been a part of this KCFW journey, in my own way.
The first designer of the evening was
Duane Topping of Topping Designs. A war veteran, whose PTSD led to his creative side. After retiring from the military in 2012, he taught himself to sew in 2016, to escape the darkness of war. He found peace in the creative process, and his line grew into one of Denver's top design houses. Duane's inspirations are those experiences, and each garment reflects a step in his journey.
Brittany Westbrook is an emerging designer from Wichita, KS. She specializes in women's and children's wear and creates custom illustrations of brides. She strives to create clothing that every woman would feel comfortable in. And for me, as a Mom, who strives for body-positivity, this was a brownie point. Navy's, greys, blacks and she had the perfect Fall palette for us. Shoulders had a moment in her collection. From capes to off the shoulder bodices to cold shoulder dresses, loved her play of retro influences and clean lines.
Hannah Kristina Designs' collection was all about a play of textures, with an interplay of Holiday colors. Think Red, think Gold, and think Sequins. If I had to pick out a Holiday party outfit and a New Year Eve outfit, it's her collection I would be binge shopping from. The fact that Fall-Winter also includes the glitzy holiday season, was super prominent in her collection. Designer Hannah Swanson is a Des Moines, Iowa based designer who specializes in evening wear.
Being a mom to a daughter, I am forever scoping out the latest in kids fashion. So whenever a kidswear designer takes the runway, they have my attention. The beautiful models of Hayden Girls took center stage, and it was very refreshing. Mustard, browns, denim, and neutrals were clearly on trend for kidswear.
Hayden Girls is a Los Angeles based kidswear retail brand which has a large collection for all the tweens looking for the hottest trends.
The next showcase was by
Loft-
Oak Park Mall. Mustard continued to be a theme across collections. From jumpsuits to flowy kimonos, from wrap dresses to culottes, Loft brought in their essentials for the season.
What if I told you that there is a designer in town, who can literally turn a random item, like a piece of twig, or some old buttons, into the most beautiful statement jewelry. While I had seen her jewelry line earlier, this was the first time I had seen jewelry on the runway. Clarissa Knighten is a courageous designer-entrepreneur, who left corporate America to follow her dreams and create jewelry under her label
Rissa's Artistic Design. Her jewelry range from Earthy-to Edgy-to Elegant, and has the ability to transform any outfit into a conversation starter.
Madeline Kim of
Maddie Lucille is a senior at Iowa State University studying creative and technical apparel design. She designs ready to wear garments with an emphasis on contrasting silhouettes and unique textures. Focus on the intricate details of each garment creates one of a kind pieces inspired by nature's elements. Fell in love with the overall boho vibe of the collection. Mustard, browns, and greys maintained their prominence in another collection and just showed how versatile these colors can be styled with.
And with that, it was a wrap of another fabulous season of Kansas City Fashion Week. Stay tuned for my Outfit posts from this season, coming soon to my Blog.
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