Six months after debuting last September, Fashion Week MN will return in April with a week of stylish events ranging from runway shows to boutique events, panel discussions, and photography exhibits. Following the dissolution of Minneapolis-St. Paul Fashion Week producer MNfashion in 2014, Fashion Week MN was founded last fall by a collective that includes producer and stylist, Sarah Edwards, and choreographer and arts editor-at-large for Lavender magazine, John Mark. (The author of this post is also one of the group’s organizers.)
Highlights include the semi-annual runway show Envision, which showcases spring lines from a dozen top and emerging Twin Cities designers against the stylish backdrop of Orchestra Hall on April 9; Joynoelle: A Study in Color, the fall/winter 2016 runway presentation of local couturier Joy Teiken on April 12; and the annual Black Hearts Ball, a showcase of artful looks by seven local designers presented alongside live operatic and classical accompaniment on April 15.
A handful of smaller events offer a more intimate glimpse into the local fashion industry. The Shoot: Part II is a live fashion shoot produced by Workerby development studio and clothing brand Winsome highlighting spring looks by local clothing and accessories designers on April 16. (Fun fact: Workerby is a new company created by Anna Lee, the founder of MNfashion and a longtime fashion community leader) And on April 10, local designer Luci Kandler launches her new fashion brand, Kandler, with an open house, presentation, and pop-up shop at her Northeast studio. The second annual photo exhibition Black Magik Woman II will spotlight collaborations from 10 local, all-female teams of photographers, stylists, and muses on April 11 at the new Norseman Distillery cocktail room.
A prominent player in this spring’s edition is the W Minneapolis hotel, which serves as the location for three of the week’s events and sponsored Fashion Week MN last fall. On April 13, it will once again host #Minnstafashion, a social-media-themed social event with pop-up shopping from local designers and boutiques co-presented by the Scout Guide Minneapolis. And on April 15, the Minneapolis-St. Paul chapter of style organization Fashion Group International will present a panel discussion titled “What Sparks Your Passion: The Business of Style & Design” at the hotel second-level ballroom. The W also hosts a wrap-up mimosa mixer on April 24, a week following spring fashion week.
Tickets for Envision are now on sale; tickets and additional details for the week’s other events will be announced soon. Follow Fashion Week MN on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and visit fashionweekmn.com for more information.
Fashion Week // MN from acowsay on Vimeo.
