Milwaukee Fashion Week Shines Bright

Milwaukee Fashion Week 2018. Photo by Gabrielle Barriere.

The 4th annual Milwaukee Fashion Week had a successful three-night run at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino this past weekend. From Thursday, September 13 through Saturday, September 15, MFW took place in the building’s Event Center and featured over 35 regional designers, along with countless models, hair and makeup artists and volunteers.

The showcase was presented by Kesslers Diamonds, and the entire set sparkled with a crystal-clear quality. The 32,000-square-foot space was brightly lit with iridescent hues of blue and purple. In the center, the pearl runway was backed by a wavy wall of chain-linked rectangular panels, making an eye-catching backdrop, but without taking away from the bright garments with awe-inspiring textures getting showcased.

With a large number of designers comes a large number of styles. Milwaukee Fashion Week showcased clothing for both men and woman of all shapes and sizes, from casual, to business, lingerie and even bridal. The show even featured clothing options designed for children, modeled by children. The models sashayed to a variety of music, all chosen by the designer to heighten the impact of their clothing.

“We want Milwaukee to be aware of all the beauty it has to offer, and that includes fashion,” said Deborah Reimer, President and CEO of Milwaukee Fashion Week. “To be able to provide a platform for designers, stylists and retailers to showcase their designs, while partnering with local charities, is an amazing experience.”

The event was a weekend for fashion, and also for community: 100 percent of net proceeds will be donated to Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, and work towards its mission of helping transform the lives of Wisconsin children. Children associated with the program wore their most fashion-show-ready outfits at the event. The banquet held daily gift-card raffles for Kesslers Diamonds for as much as $500, with all proceeds going to Make-A-Wish Wisconsin. The organizations have not yet announced the total amount donated, but hope to finalize that figure in the coming weeks.

“Fashion is more than clothing, it’s a collective; a collective of fashion, creativity, and community. There is so much potential in this city, and we would love city involvement and support in developing opportunities that lie within that potential,” said Reimer.

Being a member of the audience was also a very awarding experience. There were “swag bags” given away, plus appetizers, bartenders, chocolate bars, on-site vendors, and gift certificates from Potawatomi’s Casino. Milwaukee Fashion Week brought lots of  fun with the fashion.

The event was founded by local fashion industry professionals to provide an opportunity to showcase local creative talents, promote networking between designers and buyers and the public, and partner with local charities. The Milwaukee Fashion Week Board was established in 2014, and has been growing yearly.

Although this year’s event has just come to an end, the creators of the event are already planning next year’s fifth anniversary celebration, to make it even bigger and brighter than this year’s showcase.

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