Local designers showcased their fall lines at Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week’s coveted runway show which took place at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12 at the renowned Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Doubling as a fundraiser, the event was hosted by the nonprofit organization Interform and brought in $60,000 that was donated to the Arkansas Arts and Fashion Forum.
Along with the ticketed runway show, the exclusive event included educational programming, access to two American fashion exhibits, and an immersive VIP Experience in the Great Hall of Crystal Bridges, said Chief of Staff Cedric Fonville.
Fonville said six designers showcased their lines in this year’s runway show, with around 500 people attending the event throughout the day, and 400 attending the runway show. Tickets ranged in price, with standing room spots going for $40 and front row seats for $150.
“Northwest Arkansas fashion week is one of the most premiere shows in the industry to date,” said Senior Director Richard Cotto. “I’ve been in this industry a long time, and our show is one of the best that I have seen.”
Cotto said the show primarily features designers from Interform’s Designer Residency Program, EMERGE. Participants in the program worked year-round to develop a cohesive series of garments that were presented to the community in the runway show.
Designers were able to express themselves and bring awareness of overarching social issues to the community through their garments, Cotto said.
Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week’s first event was held in 2011, and after a six year hiatus the show was rebooted again in 2017, complete with a biannual runway event that headlined the week.
After several successful shows, the platform Interform was formally founded in 2021, after the merging of the nonprofit Arkansas Arts and Fashion Forum and Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week. While the two organizations were closely connected, they had previously operated independently of one another, said community lesion Rachel Woody Plumford.
Woody Plumford said Interform’s programs are free and open to any members of the community through the communities’ donations to the Arkansas Arts and Fashion Forum.
The Forum works to support growth of the fashion industry within Arkansas by funding aspiring designers and other creative professionals. The Forum also grants them access to skill building programs and a platform to showcase their work, said lab assistant Jessica McClendon.
“I am the most proud of the diverse and unique community we have created through these sewing courses and in the lab,” McClendon said. “Many of our courses and events give designers a platform and a voice that would not have been available to them otherwise.”