FASHION OMAHA
MAGAZINE 2010
A peek inside
Omaha Fashion Week 2010 Fashion
on My Time
All Dressed Up & Somewhere to Go
on the inside 2
19
R3WIND Get the figures and faces of OFW’s history
SPLASH INTO COLOR Bright accents are the perfect way to update outfits for summer
5
ENTREPRENEURSHIP Never Looked So Good Nick Hudson introduces Omaha Fashion Week
20
ALL DRESSED UP & Somewhere To Go Local talent is ready for mainstream attention
6
STAKING OUT A SCENE OFW paves the way for a local fashion evolution
Peek Inside Omaha 22 AFashion Week 2010 NATURAL WONDER 27 Earth tones for everyday 28 TAKING OFF Omaha Fashion Week tapped
13
RUSTICS REDEFINED The Midwest goes Western with country-inspired trends
14
A BEAUTIFUL CAUSE VIP event raises support for Women’s Fund of Greater Omaha
into a creative community that lacked a dedicated showcase, until now
32
OPPOSITES ATTRACT Black and white combinations make any look a classic one
15
Fashion on My Time Our very own style maven shares her schedule
TOP OF THE WORLD 16 The future is success for
The Art of AN Event Life is full of celebrations
34
Omaha talent
FASHION OMAHA
MAGAZINE 2010
Nick Hudson
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Sara Dreamer
CO-FOUNDER AND FASHION DIRECTOR
Rachel Richards OFW Director
Caroline Moore
Editorial Development Team
Kate Richling Cory McGinn Chrissy Fogerty Cathy Levett
ARTICLES
Leo Adam Biga PHOTOGRAPHERS
AJ Brown Scott Dobry Christina Sloan Nenad Sudar
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Amy Gibbs
FEATURED DESIGNERS
Jennifer Pool Jane Round Ellene McClay Emma Erickson Megan Myers
ON THE COVER
Knitwear by Jennifer Pool. Jewelry by Sarah White. Hair & Makeup by T’eez Salon. Photo by AJ Brown. Model Maggie Dargy.
dress jennifer pool model tori tracy
FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Photographed by AJ Brown
2008: 2,000 2009: 5,000
Expected in 2010: 7,000
Total Feet of Runway 2008 120 feet 2009 180 feet
designer Megan Myers
in a hand-crafted Emma Erickson dress
11,500 stitches
Omaha Fashion Week Attendance
2010 260 feet
R3wind heels broken last year (and 1 sprained ankle)
24
THIRTEEN
Age of the youngest OFW 2010 designer, Kate Walz
90,384
cans of hairspray used at the VIP Runway event at Nomad on March 31
Sips of Martinis during the 2009 OFW Grand Finale... Ok, we have to be honest, we lost track too! It was so much fun!
Thirty five Designers who applied for Omaha Fashion Week 2010
VIP seats already spoken for OFW 2010. Watch for advance ticket sales online!
2
Dan Richters
designers in 2009 who used recycled materials
Claire Landolt
designer Erica White
210
designer Lindsey Solomon-Mohr
designer SuShe by J. Tracy
designer Megan Myers
designer Laci Neal
designer Sabrina Jones
omahafashionweek.com
3
designer JenniE Mason
designer Shamina Wiek
designer Monica Byrne
Entrepreneurship
never looked so good “Omaha Fashion Week is a resource for local talent. Designers, models, stylists, photographers, and artists are given space to thrive. Local artists desperately need more showcases for their work. That artistic forum OFW provides and unlike many other large fashion weeks at no cost to the designer.” hed by
grap Photo
Dale
Heise
Nick Hudson. Many of you have probably heard this name more than once in the Omaha community. That is because Nick stays busy! He has successfully started five businesses under his holding company, Hudson 1869 Group, which includes Nomad Lounge, Omaha Fashion Week (OFW), two beauty brands and his main business, Excelsior Beauty Marketing. One of Hudson’s most recent endeavors has been his collaboration with Creighton University College of Business to create The Halo Institute. Located in the Old Market, The Halo Institute is a big, open warehouse now used as an office space for up to ten companies free of charge. Halo’s goal: “To assist in launching up to 20 viable, high impact businesses a year, and in the process, further establish Omaha as a national centre for entrepreneurial activity and excellence.” Hudson, a native of the UK, has lived and worked in over 50 countries across Europe and Asia. He grew up with the family business in fashion and textiles and then worked around the globe for 13 years doing business development for one of the world’s biggest beauty companies (Boots, the founder of Sephora). Hudson is a big fan of his new home after so much time on the road. “We started Nomad because we believed that an upscale creative center would add something to the community. I was so impressed with the creative talent here that I wanted to create another stage for it”.
Nick hudson, Founder and Executive Producer Today Nomad Lounge is one of the biggest creative venues in Omaha – hosting over 100 fundraising, corporate and private events each year. “OFW is one of the most exciting events that has grown out of Nomad. The amount of design talent, especially the young emerging talent, coming out of Nebraska at the moment is staggering” says Hudson. What was started with twelve designers, 60 models, Nomad brand and event director Rachel Richards and designer/photographer Dale Heise has grown into a very significant event with dozens of designers, hundreds of models and thousands-upon-thousands of spectators dressing-up and enjoying the fun. Omaha Fashion Week is a resource for local talent. Designers, models, stylists, photographers, and artists are given space to thrive. Local artists desperately need more showcases for their work. Unlike many other large fashion weeks, OFW provides this artistic forum at no charge to the designer. Whether it is artistic fundraisers in Nomad, entrepreneurs in Halo or the emerging designers of OFW, the products of Hudson’s vision are all based on enriching the community by providing places and events for its talented members to display their work, interact with one another and have fun whilst they are doing it!
5
Photographed by Scott Dobry
STAKING OUT A SCENE
Just as Saddle Creek Records framed the indigenous indie music scene as a widely traveled band of original artists sharing Omaha as their home base, other creative stirrings here are making waves. Whether in film, photography, animation, theatre, music, literature, painting, sculpture, graphic design or software, Omaha is producing a veritable flood of creative
Wherever you look there is a dynamic creative class of individuals, institutions, organizations, businesses and venues pushing the envelope. As more opportunities arise in this social networking age, creatives and entrepreneurs are carving out distinct niches for themselves. Now these include a diverse community of fashion forward designers whose couture and
ready-to-wear work is finding an appreciative audience.
Omaha freelance writer and fashion blogger Lindsey Baker, who covers the fashion beat, said, “the fashion scene has developed right alongside” the city’s other cultural scenes. “I think people’s openness to all of the other things has made an openness to fashion appear. People are receptive.” “The fashion scene in Omaha today compared to five years ago is definitely more sophisticated. Omaha has its own community of fashionistas,
6
models tori tracy, maggie darby, carmen stucken
But, like lots of things once considered outside the domain of this Midwestern burb, a relevant music scene for instance, Omaha continues to defy expectations by making a splash in the American cultural stream.
activity. So much so, this “fly-over” city long in search of a marketable image is gaining a reputation as a well-spring of imaginative start-ups and endeavors that intersect art and business.
dressES jennifer pool jewelry sarah white hair and makeup t’eez salon
Not so long ago the idea of Omaha being synonymous with high fashion strained credulity.
Photographed by AJ Brown
STAKING OUT A SCENE and they aren’t just overstyled, super trendy and accessorized to death. They are knowledgeable and savvy about what is happening right now in the fashion industry,” said 89 Talent Management booking director Christie Kruger, whose agency provides models for fashion shows and shoots. The nexus of art and business in Omaha fashion is Omaha Fashion Week, a fall showcase that has become a platform and network for local designers in only three years. OFW, patterned after those more famous events in larger cites, is evolving to connect designers with patrons, boutique owners and buyers. It’s a production with Nomad Lounge, which utilizes an urban valley Old Market setting as the meta style site for a runway finale. The evening gala is aglow with lights and alive with energy as killer fashions walk down the 260-foot runway on tricked-out models to pulsating music, oohs and ahhs and popping flashbulbs. Thousands attend this culmination of a week-long focus on fashion, a must-see on Omaha’s ever-expanding cultural to-do list. “It’s a date that people put on their calendars… we are ecstatic that after only three years, OFW is an event people plan on attending,” said event director Rachel Richards. “The event has really got this huge following,”
said Nomad owner Nick Hudson, who along with Richards and photographer, agency owner, and designer Dale Heise of Omaha co-founded OFW. “We are the biggest Midwest fashion event by a sizable margin, which is an amazing achievement. The community should be proud of that because they’re the ones who’ve done it, they’re the ones who’ve attended.” Hudson said “it’s passion that’s driving this.” That’s true for the designers who make fashion, the models who bring it to life, the stylists and makeup artists who complete the look, the photographers who shoot it, the journalists who cover it and Nick, himself. T’eez Salon owner Thomas Sena, who directs the Week’s runway finale, said social media sites Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are “very important parts of marketing the event and keeping the buzz alive.” With designers, stylists, models and photographers “posting photos and videos all year long,” he said, “the show doesn’t go away.” “We’re starting to get noticed,” said Hudson. “We are getting positive feedback from everyone who hears about OFW. There is a great vibe. The big players in town are starting to notice just how talented the young people in Omaha can be.” What OFW has done is to identify and coalesce a formerly fragmented
omahafashionweek.com
7
STAKING OUT A SCENE design landscape. A cohesive community is starting to develop. As Omaha photographer Chris Machian puts it, “There was a scene before, but it wasn’t organized. Omaha Fashion Week helped organize it a bit by sort of giving it a calendar and a cycle.” Along the way, a deeper talent pool than anyone imagined has been revealed. This comes on the heels of a once subterranean fashion scene moving above ground, into the light of day.
“Hudson said ‘it’s passion that’s driving this.’ That’s true for the designers who make fashion, the models who bring it to life, the stylists and makeup artists who complete the look, the photographers who shoot it, the journalists who cover it and nick, himself.” “At some point there becomes kind of a critical mass with the underground movement where there’s an eventual spilling over into mainstream, and I think we’re right in the middle of that happening now,” said Sena. “And I think it really culminated in Nick Hudson recognizing the raw talent in the design scene here. He started putting all these pieces together and recognized it was ready for kind of prime time. I really have to give Nick credit for recognizing that it was valid and it was doable.”
8
omahafashionweek.com
dress ellene mc clay bracelet sarah white model christie kruger
photographed by scott dobry
A Q On My Mind
The Channel 6 News Daybreak anchor tells us what she can’t live without.
Itching to interview Warren Buffet
If I weren’t an anchor
I’d be a judge in the juvenile court system - I grew up working in youth shelters and helping foster children
Beloved book
“Personal History” by Katherine Graham
MAC Studio Finish Concealer (I get up at 3 a.m.) & Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle
In my bag
Burt’s Bees Lip Balm, coupons (I always have coupons)
Favorite fashion items
BCBG dresses, $4 t-shirts from Forever 21, Tory Burch shoes, & my grandmother’s vintage jewelry
I wish
I had the wardrobe of Kelly Ripa, Kate Beckinsale or Natalie Morales
Craving
Raspberry Ricotta pancakes from Amato’s
Can’t get enough
“Millionaire Matchmaker,” Starbucks iced green tea & sleep!
Away from the Anchor Desk CELEBRATING Ann McIntire’s wedding with my husband - I’m wearing a BCBG dress COMPLETE RELAXATION Our honeymoon on the beach in the Riviera Maya WEDDING EVE Wearing BCBG dress the night of our rehearsal dinner
photographed by scott dobry
Malorie
Vital beauty products
Rustics Redefined Rustics Redefined Rustics Redefined Rustics Redefined Rustics Redefined Rustics Redefined Rustics Redefined Rustics Redefined Rustics Redefined Me and Me
J. Crew Francesca’s
Francesca’s
American Eagle
DSW
Photographed by AJ Brown
omahafashionweek.com
13
14
designer Princess Laserstron
Léger by Max Azria (BCBG) in Los Angeles this summer. Ellene McClay’s white collection showcased feminine silhouettes inspired by historical styles with a whimsical dreamlike feel. Thirteen-year-old Kate Walz’s line “Just Because” was girly and fun with tulle detail. The other sneak peak into what Omaha can fabulous and innovative designanticipate for September’s OFW. ers of the night included Sabrina An open bar, hors d’oeuvres Jones Stapp, Jenny Poole, Buf from Stokes and a fashion show Reynolds, Princess Lasertron, made the night one to remem- Jane Round and jewelry designer ber. Attendees were also invited Sarah White. to bid on 20 one-of-a-kind designs in a live model auction, A portion of the Season Preview with a portion of the proceeds proceeds benefited the Women’s going to celebrate the Women’s Fund of Greater Omaha. For Fund of Greater Omaha’s 20th over 20 years, the Women’s Fund has worked to identify critical Anniversary. issues through research, fund Designer Claire Landolt, 17, a innovative solutions and influjunior at Roncalli Catholic High ence dynamic change. Women’s School, integrated untraditional Fund research has examined materials such as newspaper topics such as economic condiinto her designs. Garments by tions, challenges facing girls, doMegan Myers, a fashion mer- mestic violence and the status of chandising and textile, clothing, women’s leadership in Omaha. design graduate from University These findings work for positive of Nebraska at Lincoln, included change, through both Women’s knitting, quilting and sewing Fund initiatives and community techniques she learned from programs. her mother and grandmother. Dresses, experimenting with draping, construction and fabric were shown by Emma Erickson, a student of the Academy of Art in San Francisco who will be interning with Hervé
designer Buf Reynolds
Ten local designers showcased their looks on March 31, in Omaha Fashion Week’s first event of the year, a Season Preview at Nomad Lounge. Over 300 attendees indulged in glamour with an exclusive
from Top, left to right: designers Jane Round, Buf Reynolds, Megan Myers, Ellene McClay, Jennifer Pool, Ellene McClay
Opposites Attract Opposites Attract Opposites Attract Opposites Attract Opposites Attract Opposites Attract Opposites Attract Opposites Attract Opposites Attract White House/ Black Market
Francesca’s
White House/ Black Market
White House/ Black Market
On Kelli: Coat, Shirt, Pants, White House/Black Market Multiple Necklaces, White House/Black Market and Francesca’s
White House/ Black Market
Photographed by AJ Brown
omahafashionweek.com
15
top of the world
A more economically sustainable scene is the goal and that means finding ways to link more designers with buyers or investors. Designer and shop owner Buf Reynolds said Omaha lacks an infrastructure for designers. “You don’t have somebody who can take a one-of-a-kind garment and turn it into a pattern, then send it to somebody who can do a small scale production of it. If that happened in Omaha I think that would change everything pretty drastically.” Omaha-based journalist and blogger Lindsey Baker sees a need for Fashion Week to facilitate more interaction between designers and those interested in fashion, whether consumers, store buyers, or journalists like herself. “I’d love for there to be a greater opportunity to mingle with the designers and say, ‘I really love that dress -- how can I get it?’ I think it would be great if afterwards there were a couple additional days where the designers would
be available in the location selling their work. I think that sort of thing would help,” said Baker. “I really like to see the work up close and to touch it if I can, to provide a better reference, because sometimes when a model is walking by you don’t necessarily see all of the excellent tailoring details. That sort of thing is lost up on the runway. “ That is why OFW held its first annual Spring Premier runway event on March 31. The private showing of designs by up-and-coming artists is the intimate antithesis of the giant fall runway finale and part of Hudson’s strategy to better connect designers with the fashionista public.
“It takes energy and it takes leadership at lots of different levels,” said Hudson. Everyone agrees there is a bottom line practicality that needs addressing. “Money is energy and money will support the industry and support the people and make a difference here. It’s important for the community to support these artists and entrepreneurs in this way,” said Hudson, who acknowledges the need to expand beyond grassroots support to formal business models. The nonprofit Halo Institute he co-founded with Creighton University College of Business nurtures entrepreneurial companies. He may create an incubator for future designers.
If the fledgling Omaha fashion scene is to become an industry those kinds of relationships need a framework that encompasses all the players.
“Nomad is all about artists, Halo is all about entrepreneurs, and Omaha Fashion Week in many ways is where those two things come together,” said Hudson. “All artistry is a little bit of entrepreneurship. It just has a different mind set. But fashion in particular is very much a combination of art and entrepreneurship. Angel investing is perfectly possible with some designers in a few years. I think that’s the direction we’re going.”
Designer Dale Heise said, “Part of the ball is now in Omaha’s hands in moving it to something where
Hudson senses Omaha fashion is near “a tipping point. I think it’s just unique enough and enough
16
model jessica larsen
level requires putting in place a support system that operates year-round, not just around Fashion Week. Said Nomad owner Nick Hudson, “One of the things the designers asked us to help them with is getting in more stores. I’d love there to be a store that stocked all the designers all the time, so that’s something we’re working on, trying to encourage more stores to stock the clothes.”
people are seeking out local designs and finding designers they become fans of and buying local. It’s a rough industry anywhere, but in Omaha the support is very early stage. We’ve got a design scene that’s outpacing the market for it in Omaha right now.”
dress jane round
According to Omaha fashion professionals and observers, taking the scene to the next
Photographed by AJ Brown
TOP OF THE WORLD rumblings are going on that people are connecting the dots and realizing this great collection of activity going on here is pretty special.” He said fashion writers from national publications are taking notice and may cover this year’s OFW. Some designers, like Heise and Reynolds, are adamant the scene remain edgy in the face of growing pressures to have more mass appeal. “It’s very fragile at this point and one wrong move could spoil it for a lot of people,” said Reynolds. “We have to keep doing things that are very independent and very creative. We have to keep pushing the bar, raising it, and not losing the really independent spirit that the fashion scene has right now.”
“If people could take their money out of the big box stores and put it back into the local economy, it would help all forms of art in Omaha thrive, not just fashion.”
Whatever direction it takes, the consensus is the artists should come first. “It starts with support for the designers,” said Bellwether Boutique owner Jessie Latham. “I see them put their entire lives into their work but they can’t sustain themselves on it. They give their all to a show and then that’s it, they pack up their garments and go home. It’s kind of a ‘way of life’ or political issue. If people could take their money out of the big box stores and put it back into the local economy, it would help all forms of art in Omaha thrive, not just fashion.” Megan Hunt is bullish enough about fashion’s potential here she’s staking out a debut line of dresses she hopes to premier at Fashion Week. She believes Omaha’s entrepreneurial community will invest in fashion as a growth market. “I think we have the perfect storm here of community support and a culture of risk taking,” she said. Hunt’s further demonstrated her commitment by moving her studio and office into the Mastercraft building, where creatives are taking up shop. She feels she’s onto the next big thing in NoDo, where Mastercraft, The Hot Shops, Slowdown, Film Streams, the new ballpark, the Qwest Center and the riverfront are shaping Omaha’s new image. “We’re really lucky - I think we’re having our Roaring ‘20s here in 2010.”
dress jennifer pool model lauren jeffery
“All that is going on and happening is why I think Omaha is a really exciting place to be,” said Hudson. Fashion is just the latest expression of the city’s creative capital. When Hudson goes to L.A., as he did during Oscar week promoting his Excelsior Beauty line with the help of celebrities, he still gets skeptical looks when he mentions Omaha and fashion in the same breath. The difference now, he said, is that people know Omaha as a place where good art is coming from. “Now we can say it with a wry smile,” he said.
omahafashionweek.com
17
Splash Into Color Splash Into Color Splash Into Color Splash Into Color Splash Into Color Splash Into Color Splash Into Color Splash Into Color Splash Into Color
J. Crew
J. Crew On Tasia: Umbrella, DSW Necklace, Francesca’s Shirt, J. Crew Shorts, American Eagle
Francesca’s
Francesca’s DSW DSW
Photographed by AJ Brown
omahafashionweek.com
19
All Dressed Up & Somewhere to Go Omaha Fashion Week is a catalyst for local fashion finding homes. “Omaha Fashion Week has noticed the growth and interest and created a larger and growing platform for the undiscovered talents in Omaha,” said Bellwether
Boutique owner Jesse Latham, whose Old Market shop carries work by locals. The work of many Omaha designers is turning heads and finding buyers. What are the upper limits for an Omaha fashion designer? At least one, Thakoon, has gone national, although he felt compelled to leave Omaha for New York to do that. The hope is that someday someone will go big here and stay here with a locally designed line that’s sold coast-to-coast, even worldwide. Conor Oberst did it in music. Jun Kaneko in art. Alexander Payne in film. Richard Dooling in literature. “I don’t see why the same thing couldn’t happen with the design scene. I can see these young designers being picked up. The quirky idea of this coming from Omaha will just give it added buzz. It’s a good story,” said T’eez Salon’s Thomas Sena. “I think it’s going to take just one successful Omaha designer to get out there in
Some have caused ripples. Mary Anne Vaccaro makes much-in-demand evening wear gowns. Sabrina Jones has her own lines of bridal and evening wear. Alexia Thiele’s Autopilot Art label reaches a wide audience of 20-somethings. Megan Hunt, aka Princess Lasertron, has nationwide clients for her bridal accessories. She and Joi Mahon of Dress Forms Design are launching a line of bridal and party dresses. Meanwhile, several high fashion shops have opened in recent years, such as Alice Kim’s Trocadero. “She’s successfully introduced people to things. Some of the places that have opened up downtown have been a really good indicator that people in Omaha are interested in having a more metropolitan attitude towards fashion,” said fashion writer Lindsey Baker. Additionally, shops like the Bellwether and Retro Rocket feature local fashion. Even national chains like Urban Outfitter and American Apparel have added a hip new aesthetic. Then there’s the out-of-the-closet factor of television reality shows like Project Runway bringing high fashion into people’s living rooms every day. “That show has done great things for fashion as a whole and Omaha has caught wind of that,” said Latham. As Omaha designer Buf Reynolds sees it, the more
exposure designers like herself have to a big fashion stage, the more realistic a career seems. “Everybody’s starting to understand that it’s something that’s real and it’s attainable at this point.”
Taken together, there’s a synergy around Omaha fashion as never before. “I keep being asked, what is the future of the fashion industry in Omaha” said Nick Hudson. “It’s a hard to predict precisely and we are obviously still at the early stages. But there certainly is real potential here and it’s getting more recognition. We want OFW to keep bringing people together and nurturing the talent. The intimate March show was a great success, linking designers and potential customers. This Fall we will announce the next stage, plans supporting designer retail and manufacturing - it’s exciting - watch this space!” “The other initiative is this magazine, which is going to hair salons and boutique stores where it will help in bringing the fashion community together.” No one is pretending Omaha has anything like a sustainable fashion industry. Yet. But those immersed in the nascent scene see the potential for a breakout phenomenon akin to what happened with indie music here. When it does, OFW will almost certainly be involved as a facilitator.
20
model dakota moody
As more and more Omaha designers emerge, the need for sufficient area outlets to get these artists’ work noticed, talked about, bought and sold, whether in stores or at shows, becomes paramount.
front and be picked up on a national commercial basis -someone who really gets out and kills it.”
dress jane round
Creating fashion is one thing. Having somewhere to display and appreciate it is another.
Photographed by AJ Brown
dress and outerwear nicole brown
photographed by chris machian
8 PM Runway Show 10 PM OFW Dance Party
6 PM Fundraiser Event for Women’s Fund of Omaha 8 PM Runway Show
FRIday9.17.10
8 PM Runway Show
8 PM Runway Show
6 PM Cocktail Reception
thursday9.16.10
6 PM Cocktail Reception
6 PM Cocktail Reception
wednesday9.15.10
OFW Opening Night
Tuesday9.14.10
MONday9.13.10
A Peek Inside Omaha
6 PM Cocktail Reception 8 PM Runway Show with Featured Designers 10 PM OFW VIP Social
models sarah meyer, taylor tracy, alyssa clough, christie kruger, alex heng, tori tracy, tasia belmont and jamie kullman at 89 talent management Photographed by scott dobry
22 omahafashionweek.com
Fashion Week 2010
saturday9.18.10 GRAND FINALE 6 PM Gates Open VIP Cocktails inside Nomad Beer garden, food, vendors, live music 8 PM Runway Show on Jones Street
Mon. - Fri. $5 at the door, 21 and over. Sat. Tickets available online. All ages. All events will be held at Nomad Lounge (10th and Jones), apart from the Grand Finale, which will be held on Jones Street, between 9th & 11th in Downtown Omaha. omahafashionweek.com
23
coming soo
Photographed by nenad sudar
CO L L E CT I V E
Hallie Mae Iverson, Megan Swanson, Cyndi Griffin, Marissa Reiling, Virginia Beck and Tori Tracy.
The best in local fashion and wearable art
www.NomadCollective.org
Natural Wonder Natural Wonder Natural Wonder Natural Wonder Natural Wonder Natural Wonder Natural Wonder Natural Wonder Natural Wonder
Francesca’s
Caché
American Eagle
DSW
J. Crew
Francesca’s
Photographed by AJ Brown
omahafashionweek.com
27
taking off
No one anticipated an Omaha Fashion Week would reel in
so many participants. Twelve designers were part of Fashion Week 2008. Twice as many made lines for Fashion Week 2009. Heading into year three thirty five are vying for the coveted Saturday runway slots. As local designer Dale Heise put it, “designers are coming out of the woodwork.” Clearly, organizers tapped into a creative community that never had a dedicated showcase like this until now.
dress jane round model emerie gifford
Buf Reynolds, owner of Retro Rocket, has been part of the scene for a decade. She’s stunned by how much growth there is in the number and quality of designers.
Photographed by AJ Brown
28
“Six years ago we couldn’t find 10 designers to do a show, where now there’s over 30 designers trying to get into a show. It’s pretty amazing,” she said. “The amount of talent out there is astounding. It’s really overwhelming to see all these people. It’s like ‘Oh my God, is my stuff good enough?’ You have to wonder. And it’s great because it challenges you and pushes you forward. It’s really fun.” “In total Omaha has at least 50 designers, all at different stages of course, but talented people doing original, creative things,” Heise said. “You’ve got such a spectrum of designers and diverse designs -- from electric clash punk to formal bridal gowns to evening wear that looks like Armani to razor cut tuxedos with incredible lines. “Then there’s Buf Reynolds with her modern twists on 1920s, 1930s-inspired dresses. Simple elegance.
Very flowing. They’re not the most radical but they’re very interesting, and there’s a solid consistency from Buf. She’s a powerhouse who does several shows a year and designs several pieces for every show.” Heise’s own work features monochrome panel dress designs that expose skin in a sultry peek-a-boo style. Bellwether Boutique’s Jessica Latham shared her take on other leading Omaha designers: “Dan Richters is the example I would put in front of people when I tell them fashion is also art. Alexia Thiele is the queen of reconstruction. She makes unique, adorable pieces for the entire family. “Jennie Mason is sweet as a Gap model, only to throw you off with electric colors, spiked shoulders, computer carcasses, pink tutus and robots. She is the only designer who nailed the market on men’s wear. Amazing tailoring. Every time Jane Round brings me something new it blows my mind. She’s constantly growing as a designer, as much and often more than the ‘scene’ is.”
Before she got plugged into the scene courtesy of Bellwether’s Latham, Landolt said she had “no idea” there were local designers beside herself.
Latham got an insider’s look at the goings-on. “She took me backstage, just holding my hand and dragging me everywhere, so I got behind the scenes. It was crazy back stage.”
“I think it’s very important to make connection with the other designers,” said Landolt, an Omaha Roncalli junior who accessorizes her drab school uniform with high heels and sprays of fabric and color. “We’re not competitive with each other but it kind of makes us work harder. I know I want to be more creative and think of new ideas, so I’m not too similar to someone else. We all have our own distinct looks, but I think we kind of overlap in some areas -- a lot of us like the vintage-inspired clothing.”
The environment whet the young designer’s appetite to be part of the next show. She was and she impressed many with her creative talent.
Landolt was a spectator at the first Fashion Week and thanks to
OFW Fashion Director Rachel Richards summed up some of the exciting potential, “It’s now clear there is an amazing pool of creative design talent here in Nebraska. One of our next steps will be to offer designers professional retail marketing opportunities and for the best of the best, boutique manufacturing as well.” One thing is clear. Design talent from Omaha is not going to remain in the background for much longer.
dress ellene mc clay top and skirt megan myers
dress jane round
Before OFW, Heise said, few designers knew each other. “It’s been this magnet for, ‘Oh, there’s somebody else doing it here, too - I’m not as crazy as I thought.’”
models jasmine fuelberth, brooke hubbard, alyssa clough
takingoff
“It’s also cultivating new talent,” said T’eez Salon owner Thomas Sena, who echoed others in admiring the work of two teenage designers featured at last year’s Fashion Week. One was Jane Round and the other, Claire Landolt, who drew much attention with her playful dresses fashioned from newsprint and duct tape.
omahafashionweek.com
29
chrissy
fashion on my time
Photographed by AJ Brown
Current spring fashion trends like the utilitarian look, silhouettes in soft, neutral colors, and over-the-top statement jewelry may be out by fall, but one trend is here to stay. Social media, or the twoway Web, is the new little black dress. Social media includes mediums that offer online communities a space to exchange information, knowledge, and opinions. Unlike styles and trends that are in and out with each passing season, social media is rapidly evolving. Sites including Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Foursquare, and various fashion blogs, including The Sartorialist, are some of today’s hottest picks for communicating online. People are using Facebook to coordinate their social life, following tweets to keep up on news, and finding out
32 omahafashionweek.com
what’s on trend through their favorite style blogs. While social media is quickly becoming an essential component of everyday life for many, the fashion industry has also found great value in these platforms. Social media gives fashion designers, companies, and boutiques a tool to generate publicity and brand awareness. These streams also promote labels effectively for minimal cost. Retailers and designers alike can seamlessly build relationships with their consumers and fans by engaging in conversation through blogs and other streams. Social media gives designers and companies a tool to communicate organically with their targeted audiences. Fashion enthusiasts who can’t afford a subscription to
Women’s Wear Daily or Vogue can keep up with innovative designs online. For those of us living without a Nordstorm or Barneys New York nearby, social media is a simple solution to finding out what styles are in the high end shops this season. Content from New York and L.A. based blogs can be used to translate messages into local activity on Facebook and Twitter streams by Omaha-based designers and retailers. Social media is the ideal method of communicating with audiences and discussing how what’s in trend and being seen on the worldwide fashion scene can be translated to the local level. With social media as fashion’s most revolutionary staple piece, Omaha’s style icons now have worldwide connections! By Kate Richling
Fashion on my time JUNE 30th, 2010 8:00 am Rise and Shine! 8:02 am Twitter @OmahaFashionWk Grabbed my iPhone… checked out what my girls @KateRichling and @Teelurr had to say about OFW’s preview of the 2010 Designers last night. I cannot wait to get my hands on some of Emma Erikson’s dresses! All that fashion talk reminds me that the OFW model casting is coming up! I’ll tweet some details on that. 9:00 am Stepped into the OFW offices, handling heels like a champ, and started reviewing the latest stack of Designer Applications. 9:30 AM Posted on the OFW Facebook discussion board about how I’m wearing the recycled duds I picked from Scout last night. I love places where I can sell clothes back for store credit or cash, college student’s dream! Started following @scoutdrygoods to be in-the-know about sales. 11:00 AM Updated the to-do list for planning the next steps of casting models and creating the schedule for September. 12 NOON Ate lunch at Caffeine Dreams while brainstorming about the logistics of the set up for the outdoor Finale Runway Show on September 18… and tweeting that my large chai tea latte was still not big enough.
blog
people
think
I posted on my OFW blog link where I chat about my random thoughts or spontaneous adventures. Subscribe to me and join the fun!
identity
post
3:00 PM Updated my “fauxgerty” blog.
ite
wr 6:00 PM Ate dinner with friends at Eat the Worm and checked in on FourSquare. Hopped on Designer Ellene McClay’s blog, Deciduous-Soul.blogspot, to get the latest on her and the Omaha Craft Mafia. 8:00 PM Read blog posts and updates from the OFW crew so I could catch up with what is new with them. Today, I loved reading up on fashion and social media trends at www.omahafashionweek.com. 11:00 PM Sent one last tweet before bed about my new, bold, probably too bright, but too amazing for words, hot pink NARS lipstick. 11:30 PM Dreamt of walking the red carpet at Omaha Fashion Week in September. VIP tickets are on sale now!
omahafashionweek.com
33
The Art Of AN
34
omahafashionweek.com
Event Life is full of celebrations Weddings, Receptions, Fundraisers, Bachelorettes, Birthdays, Graduations, Brand Launches, Corporate Parties, Themed Events, Reunions ... when your big event happens, you want it to be a wonderful experience - a unique day that captures the heart and soul of your objectives. One venue in Omaha is starting to gather significant attention for the events it hosts. Nomad Lounge was created to bring a creative and upscale twist to event production and in its three-and-a half years it has now catered to hundreds of clients own unique occasions. Rachel Richards, Nomad’s brand & event director has been helping people plan and design their events for over 10 years. Whether the event is a birthday or bachelorette celebration, a holiday party held by a business firm, an annual fundraiser, wedding or fashion show for 5,000, every single occasion is a special milestone and cause for celebration. Combining the flexibility of Nomad’s 9,000 sq ft luxury warehouse space and the expertise that Rachel and her experienced team can bring, leaves a lasting impression on every guest. Richards loves helping push the creative envelope for every new event that comes to Nomad. “Part of my role is to encourage clients to broaden their vision and engage in the creative process while at the same time easing any fears they may have.” Whether you are hosting a party for two or 450, Nomad is the place. rachel.richards@nomadlounge.com www.nomadlounge.com omahafashionweek.com
35
dress emma erickson
ring cache` necklace cibola model tasia belmont of 89 talent mangement photographed by aj brown
model tasia belmont photographed by scott dobry dress ellene mc clay hair and makeup t’eez salon
Limited Tickets Online VIP $100 Reserved Seating $40 General Admission $20
Also, Don't Miss... August 20 - Idol With Style September 10 - Fashion Night Out
B e th e r e .
Save the date. September 13-18, 2010 www.omahafashionweek.com