Photo courtesy of Dammel Photo; apparel courtesy of Glam Diggers Vintage
FWMN hires local talent and models to walk its biannual collection of runway shows.
FWMN hires local talent and models to walk its biannual collection of runway shows, including Rose + Bull's 2021 "Welcome to Wonderland" vintage fashion show (pictured above).
Twice a year in Minnesota, an array of runway shows and events populates the calendars of the local trend set as part of Fashion Week MN (FWMN). The volunteer-run organization was created and founded in 2015 by Sarah Edwards and Jahna Peloquin, two longtime supporters of the local fashion design scene. When it came to the mission of the work, the pair wanted to reflect and shine light on all the talented, passionate, and creative people—designers, makers, retailers, and artists—who work so hard to foster a thriving fashion network.
“We both knew the local fashion community was filled with some amazing talent, but fashion shows were scattered, everyone was doing their own thing, and we were missing that sense of community,” says Peloquin. “I remember hearing people scoff at the idea of a fashion community existing in Minnesota, and we thought by creating a ‘week,’ it would make a bigger splash to bring more visibility to our talented creators while also serving as a one-stop hub for information on shows and tickets.”
The effort only continues to grow and evolve—today, Edwards serves as the CEO, Susan Leppke sits as COO, and Chandler Weir is marketing director. In addition, the three have built an advisory board (Peloquin continues to serve a role) and a rotating team of producers, makeup artists, photographers, and models that helps bring each event to life.
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Photos courtesy of Natalie Morrow
Natalie Morrow, founder of BFWMN
Natalie Morrow, founder of BFWMN
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Sarah Edwards, co-founder and CEO of FWMN
Sarah Edwards, co-founder and CEO of FWMN
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BFWMN runway
BFWMN runway
It’s important to note that Edwards and her team of volunteers work purely on passion and don’t take home any swag. “I think a lot of the creatives and designers really depend on FWMN as a connection hub,” says Edwards, whose day job is owner of Some Great People, a Minneapolis-based marketing agency (many in town think of her as a hyper-connector).
Edwards, Leppke, and Weir spend most of their time behind the scenes networking to help elevate local designers—from finding the right venue partners, hair and makeup teams, and musicians to making sure the shows are well marketed and attended so that the artists can focus on creating. “Our job is to amplify them,” Edwards says. For the most part, budgets are slim, so selling the sizzle and creative collaboration is the name of the game.
For the spring 2022 season, FWMN received over 70 applications from earnest local designers. “We are taking time to listen, learn, and evolve so we can best show up for our community with the goal not to be bigger and better but more thoughtful and strategic,” says Edwards.
That means constantly leaving room for improvement—especially in the inclusion space. “We continually strive to cultivate a more representative and equitable fashion ecosystem in the Twin Cities area, fueled by a vibrant, engaged, welcoming community,” adds Edwards, who, along with the rest of her team, has completed extensive and thorough diversity and inclusion training. This initiative means showcasing a diverse group of talent and nailing down the right producers to carry the mission forward.
And the outreach extends beyond the metro. Delina White, for instance, is a Native designer from the Great Lakes of Anishinaabe, Leech Lake, and producer of Native Star Light, a show spotlighting various Native designers. “I represent the Native entrepreneurs and Indigenous-owned businesses that support the fashion industry. I’m here to help create equity in opportunities and accessibility for inclusion and collaboration, expanding the reach throughout Minnesota and beyond,” White says.
FWMN is also set to debut a new show, Coalesce, which is a collaboration of AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) designers and hair and makeup artists that explores how cultures have influenced their work and visions.
Designers and creatives like White rely heavily on FWMN for exposure and making noise in their home state. Kimberly Jurek-Valanzasca, owner of local design label Alma Mia and of The Fitting Room, a boutique curated with locally designed and produced clothing and accessories, has been involved since its inception. “The platform really helps the designers with exposure
and growing their clientele,” says Jurek-Valanzasca, who’s approaching her third season as producer of runway show EVOLVE—this year, in partnership with the Aveda Institute—which will highlight works of more than 20 veteran and new-to-scene local designers.
The spring roster is as robust as ever, with 10 events lined up. But Edwards doesn’t want to stop there—her team sees it morphing into an ongoing initiative. “Keep your eye out for a new website including a calendar of local events—runway shows, shopping parties, education panels, and more—to help keep the excitement and focus on local all year round.”
But there’s more to the fashion scene than that. Enter Black Fashion Week MN: a separate effort creating serious style and popular culture buzz in its fifth year of operation. While it has no official tie to FWMN, the organizations support one another and their respective missions. Leading BFWMN is Natalie Morrow, who in 2018 brought her vision of establishing this platform for people of color to display their talents and dedication to their craft to life.
BFWMN may be young, but Morrow's no stranger to the local creative scene—she also owns Twin Cities Black Film Festival (an organization celebrating 20 years this September), boutique integrated marketing agency The Morrow Group, and brings two decades of experience producing fashion shows and events for Super Bowl LII, W Minneapolis, Mall of America, and more.
Next month, BFWMN will be bigger than in previous years, with six events slated, including fashion shows at the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery, Mercedes-Benz of St. Paul, and the legendary soundstage at Paisley Park—the first-ever fashion show at the property, where 10 local designers and over 30 models will come together to showcase collections inspired by Prince.
“I want Minnesota to be the talk around the country with regards to fashion,” says Morrow. “BFWMN is only gaining more attention, and as we are growing, we attract new audiences and followers, beyond just people of color.”
FWMN, April 24–30
- 10 events
- 8 venues
- 50+ participating designers
- fashionweekmn.com
BFWMN, May 11–20
- 6 shows and venues
- 20+ participating designers
- bfwmn.com
Editor’s Note: Details as of press time; see individual sites for updates.
