Abby phillips

UP FRONT Arts, Culture and Personalities

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Fashion Forward Abby Phillips Interview by CASEY HILDER Photo by CASEY HILDER

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Photos courtesy of FOMOLOOP

THE WEEK OF MARCH 27 WILL BE a busy one for Abby Phillips, director of Memphis Fashion Week. This month, she continues the four-year tradition of bringing together the best MidSouth stylists, designers and photographers.

Click Magazine: What inspired you to start Memphis Fashion Week?

Abby Phillips: I ran a talent agency a few years back and we were constantly sending models to other cities. It eventually got to a point when we were sending them all to major Southern cities like Nashville, Mobile, Atlanta and Birmingham – all of which had their own fashion weeks. So I asked myself “Why aren’t we doing this here?”

CM: So what can we expect from Memphis Fashion Week 2014?

AP: This year, we’re focusing on a few unique locations that Memphians and MidSoutherners might not know about.

Our two runway shows this year will be at Annesdale Mansion and the General DeWitt Spain Airport on March 28 and 29. We’re also excited because we’re doing a film series in collaboration with Indie Memphis this year. We’ll also have three documentaries: one showcasing

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a model, one for a designer and one centered around a photographer. These will be shown at Studio on the Square throughout the month of March.

CM: Speaking of which, let’s talk about how you brought together the models, designers and photographers for this event.

AP: We have about 40 models each year. The process really starts in August with PR and promotion. We usually pick about two or three photographers to work with as the official Memphis Fashion Week photographers, though we invite about six more the week of the show from various local blogs and publications. This year, we’ll be using Joey Miller, who shot all of our runway shots last year, as our main photographer. With designers, we group them into two categories: the emerging local designer who submits a series of cohesive looks. From the 30-plus

submissions we’ve got for this category, we’ve whittled it down to 15 designers who run the gamut from high school students to people who have been in the business for years. And then we have seven established designers, most of which come from local boutiques.

CM: After four years of experience in this city, how would you describe a typical fashion week?

AP: They’re so different. My favorite thing about Memphis Fashion Week is the energy that the community brings to it. The shows here are a show, but also a party. You get out, you dress up, you hang out with friends – all while getting a look at these wonderful collections. It really shows people that fashion is art – there’s an idea, there’s inspiration, the garments work together. And when we have 300-400 active participants a night, the energy is palpable. Everybody’s clapping and excited, while other

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fashion shows tend to be a bit more quiet and reserved.

CM: What’s the theme for this year?

AP: Each year we do a very loose theme, and this year is all about Americana/Punk. So we’ll have a lot of red, white and blue accents with a bit of an edge. The runway for Saturday is going to be a red carpet, but it’ll also be spraypainted with graffiti. We don’t usually follow themes to a 'T,' it’s usually more of an inspiration that we start from.

CM: Let’s talk about the two big runway shows of the weekend.

AP: Friday’s show will be at Annesdale Mansion, while Saturday’s show will be held in a private airport hangar downtown. The hangar contains a lot of commemorative Air Force planes that are really colorful and just gorgeous, so it should make for some amazing photos. It’s a big, expansive venue and such a different feeling from Annesdale. While the mansion is very elegant and classic, the airport is very industrial, so that should make for an interesting mix.

CM: How would you describe the fashion scene of Memphis in relation to other cities?

AP: The thing I love about the Memphis fashion scene is the sheer number of styles that work. Many people tend to look at this city as traditional, conservative and Southern but more often these days, you’re seeing a number of new styles that don’t reflect that and the boutiques that are popping up around town reflect that. Take a look at Hoot + Louise downtown and you’ll have a good indicator of where the current Memphis fashion scene is going.

I also feel like the higher end stores like Joseph and Oak Hall are coming around to some of the bigger designers as well.

CM: What about some major Spring fashion trends for 2014?

AP: I’m really loving all the florals this season. They’re kind of across the board in the way that they’re being done: some are very feminine and flirty, while

Billy Frazier, D.V.M. & Associates Preventative Care Plans Now Available! others have a little harsher color but on a cardigan, so it works. So I love the florals and I love big skirts. They make me happy. It’s like a throwback to the 1950s.

It makes such a beautiful silhouette that I’m really looking forward to those.

CM: What about specific fabrics, textures or color schemes?

AP: I feel like leather is still really big right now. One of our emerging designers has done her entire collection in leather and suede. It’s a beautiful collection and I’m really excited to showcase that. This year, we’ll be featuring a lot of chiffons and the flowy fabrics of some taffetas, which are really gorgeous.

CM: Anything you’d like to say to potential Memphis Fashion Week attendees or participants?

AP: I think the biggest thing is that Memphis fashion week is all about celebrating the city and the art of fashion, all while cultivating that locally.

Also, we’ve started something called the Memphis Fashion Fund this year, which is a grant program in collaboration with Memphis College of Art. We’re hoping to start some design classes in the fall and we’re really excited. This is a really fun party and all, but taking it to the next level where people can truly get a lot out of it in the longrun is what we aim to do.

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