Local Style Bloggers Review Memphis Fashion Week 2014

April 25, 2014

11:20 AM

Photography by Fomoloop

Memphis Fashion Week 2014

In its third year, Memphis Fashion Week has made some major strides when it comes to venue choice, event line-up, and the designers that were selected for both the regular and Emerging Memphis Designer Project runway shows. Selecting a venue that is truly reflective of the city’s southern charm while still being able to show a fresh, modern perspective is no easy task, but I believe the board did quite well. As our fashion community grows, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve with our events to keep things exciting, but balancing it with our rich history to showcase our fascinating culture will always be a plus-up.

The Annesdale Mansion was the ideal backdrop for the first night of shows. From the lighting, to the cocktails, to the music, the hauntingly beautiful manor gave the presentations an almost theatrical effect. The textured walls with walnut paneling and black and white checkered marble floor were the perfect runway for that night.

On the second night, the General DeWitt Spain Airport was quite a treat, as it was my first time visiting the venue. The floor plan was open, so it was a little easier for the crowd to mingle and see more “Street Style.” With a runway built between WWII planes, and with slightly retro-themed collections from that night’s designers, it really got attendees excited for Spring.

I thoroughly enjoyed both nights, so I reached out to a few other fashion bloggers in Memphis that attended for their perspective as well:

Quaneshia Farris (According to Q)

Both venues were great! The mansion fit those designers perfectly, and the airport was great for the emerging designer collections, [which were] my favorite on Saturday. It was really cool to see some fresh talent and perspective. DJ Cooly was awesome and played some great mixes for us to listen to between shows, and I appreciated the diversity of the models; it was a really nice surprise.

Shelby Stallsmith (The Memphis Jewel)

I thought Memphis Fashion Week was fabulous! The locations were just so perfect and really showed off the cool factor of Memphis. I loved the diversity of the shows. The aspects I loved were the frozen models and also the mini collections for the Emerging Memphis Designer Project. To get to vote for the winner was really exciting. You felt like you were involved in this wonderful event. I cannot wait for next year!

Amber Davis (AC Diaries)

I thought Memphis Fashion Week was a great experience. The designs were absolutely gorgeous. My favorite pieces were probably the gowns from the Olia Zavozina Collection. What I liked most about Memphis Fashion Week was that it brought so many talented people within the Memphis fashion and arts community together and encouraged networking so that fashion can continue to grow in Memphis.

There were a few minor changes that I’d like to see next year, such as better lighting for the runway. The lighting was perfect for ambiance, but it was a little hard for me to capture detail of the garments, even with flash. This put a limit on what I was able to share via the blog and social media, because the photo quality was poor. Overall it is a fantastic event for the city, and I’m excited to see how they top themselves next year!

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