Featured Designers
Future of Fashion 2020. March 13-14, 2020!
Each will present a mini collection of 5-10 looks
Photos and bios bellow
Showing on Friday March 13, 2020
Photo by Tatiana Aristizabal
Sarah Jane Estes is the founder and creative director of Storyteller. The brand blends her background in apparel design and production with her family legacy of textile art. She is originally from Danville, Kentucky and is a wife, and mother of two with a passion for sustainable design.
She studied design and art at the University of Kentucky which led her to meeting Soreyda Benedit Begley. Sarah Jane showed her first collection of women's fashion at the first ever Future of Fashion show in 2009. She went on to become a co-chairman of the board of directors of the Lexington Fashion Collaborative and with her team of collaborators began organizing events for the LFC. Planning for the Future of Fashion as well as the Neighborhood Series gave her the biggest boost in the industry imaginable and prepared her with the skills to move forward in her career in fashion. After relocating to Los Angeles she became part of the design team for The Elder Statesman, a luxury lifestyle brand based in California. With her newest endeavor, Storyteller, she wishes to continue to build on these experiences and design a brand that answers the call to reforming the fashion and textile industry.
Website: www.shopstorytellerstudio.com
Instagram: thestorytellerstudio
Models: Tiffany Escobedo, Christie Perez, Ciara Johnson, Linda Kana, Megan Rainwater, Connor Perry and Esmeralda Cedillo
Sarah Jane Estes
Showing on Friday March 13th, 2020
Polly has been making and selling hats for over 26 years. What started as a hobby to relieve the stress of working in the music business, blossomed into an international business! While living in New York City, Polly studied Millinery at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She graduated with a degree in Millinery Design. She makes each hat by hand, using wooden blocks and all natural materials. She loves working with each client to create a stunning work of art. Her hats have been featured in USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Victoria, Forbes and Town and Country. Her hats appear in the Winner's Circle at the Kentucky Derby as well as events all over the globe.
Website:
Models: Tiffany Lewis, Sharon Chen, Elizabeth McCrary, Kyara Taylor, Amanda Villareal and
Adriana Esparza
Polly Singer Early
Showing on Friday March 13, 2020
Photo by Tatiana Aristizabal
“Fashion is the passion, and my goal is to spread that passion as much as I can. Whether it be styling a person in a garment that makes them feel special, photographing someone to make them feel beautiful, or designing an article of clothing that excites others. Design wise, I have had many experiences in life and I want my designs to really express who I am as a person.” Brent Brashear
Instagram: brentbrashear
Models: Victoria McQuery, Chris Boarialco, Chalyn Colwell, Pedro Reyes and Ciara Johnson
Brent Breshear
Showing on Friday March 13th, 2020
Photo by Tatiana Aristizabal
Soreyda Benedit-Begley moved to Kentucky 20 years ago from a small village in Honduras. Even though she has stablished herself as an evening wear and conceptual designer, she is her happiest when she uses her work to share her Afro-Latinx heritage and to bring people together.
Website:
Models: Marta Reyes, Tiffany Escobedo, Roshawn Geateskill, Lovelace Ebu, Willam Begley, Kyara Taylor, Shannon Billups and Linda Kana
Soreyda Benedit-Begley
Showing on Friday March 13, 2020
Photo by Tatiana Aristizabal
Krista Elvena Shah is an emerging fashion designer from Richmond, Kentucky. She has been designing since her high school years and now holds a degree in Apparel Design and Merchandising from Eastern Kentucky University. She has created everything from bow ties and mens shirts to bridal wear. Her label, Elvena is a plus size womens clothing line now being shown for the first time.
Website: www.kristaelvenashah.carbonmade.com
Models: Zuri Jonhson, Ellie Beltran, Desiree Willis, Awa Nicole Thorton, Shuntella Whitfield, Michelle Cherie Paredes, Grace Wilson, Racha Haffar
Krista Shah
Showing on Friday March 13, 2020
Photo by Tatiana Aristizabal
Mary Violet Woosley is a fashion designer and visual artist based in Nashville, TN. A graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York City, Woosley’s work is a marriage of organic shapes and hand crafted elements.
“As a designer, my goal is to create objects that establish a relationship with the consumer. I execute this goal by applying fine art and textile manipulation techniques to the fabrics used within each garment; fabrics composed of natural fibers or vintage/dead-stock materials. Tactile and visual textures are continuously present within my work. My current inspiration stems from multiple spaces: the antique linens from my grandparent’s house, the different shades of black developed from a roll of Ilford HP5, cubist of the 20th century, fluid movement, and an interest in juxtaposed elements.”
Website:
Models: Elizabeth McCrary, Linda Kana, Sharon Chen, Connor Perry, Quin Smith, Karmari Boyd, Shannon Billups and Cherry Zhai
Mary Violet Woosley
Showing on Friday March 13, 2020
Photo by Tatiana Aristizabal
Lovelace Fanyinka was born in Ghana, where she graduated from a fashion school. She has been in America since 2005 and making clothes since she has been here. She started in New York and then moved to Kentucky. Lovelace says that she loves making clothes for people and when people wear it, it makes her very happy to see the smiles on their faces.
Instagram: benelovefany
Models: Tiffany Escobedo, Pedro Reyes, Cherry Zhai, Christie Perez, Lovelace Ebu, Shannon Billups, Chris Boarialco, Kyara Taylor, Connor Perry and Milo Yang
Love Lace Fanyinka
Showing on Friday March 13, 2020
Qi Zhou is an Engineer by training. Originally a Shanghai native and current American citizen for past 30 years, Qi’s designs display her fondness and pays homage to both her eastern and western influences. Her early inspirations are attributable to a nomadic childhood, one that exposed her to the vibrant range of China’s diverse and colorful culture. Qi has long aspired to integrate her distinct Chinese background with influences from her American home into a singular aesthetic showcase. She hopes to share her passion for fashion design and illustrious journey for the communities. “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” “Coco” Chanel once said. Qi hopes that her designs reflect our increasingly globalsociety’s much needed unification of eastern and western visionaries, philosophies, and artistic expressions.
Website:
Instagram: designer.qi.zhou
Models: Victoria McQuery, Linda Kana, Tiffany Lewis, Chalyn Colwell, Serena Fister-Mesh, Shannon Billups, Connor Perry, Kora Scott, Yanya Yang and Keagan Poole
Qi Zhou
Showing Saturday March 14, 2020
Plato's Closet are gently used clothing retailers for pre-teens, teens and young adults. They will pay you cash on the spot for your clothing, shoes, accessories and more.
Website:
Models:
Plato's Closet
Showing Saturday March 14, 2020
Once Upon a Child are gently used clothing retailers for babies, toddlers and children They will pay you cash on the spot for your clothing, shoes, toys, furniture and more.
Website:
Models:
Once Upon a Child
Showing on Saturday March 14, 2020
When Andrea Junca thinks design, her first thought is melting pot because it mirrors her own life. Born in New York, raised in Memphis, TN and Atlanta, GA by her Colombian parents and later she married a man of Indian heritage. She received her Bachelors in Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing at American Intercontinental University and decided to go into Retail Buying out of college. Her desire to continue designing led her to be a part of multiple fashion competitions and shows. In 2014, she left her career to have her children and raise them but is now ready to jump back into the fashion world.
Her favorite designers include Roberto Cavalli and Alexander McQueen. You can describe her designs as Avant Garde while using unconventional materials. She hopes to bring her artistic vision to Future of Fashion 2020.
Facebook:
Instagram: @ajunca82
Models: Elizabeth McCrary, Connor Perry, Kunsong Zhang, Zoe, Zoey Rainwater and Christie Perez
Andrea Junca
Showing on Saturday March 14, 2020
In 2004 Laverne received her MFA in writing from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. She studied Shibori silk dyeing with Arturo Alonzo Sandoval at the University of Kentucky. Her fiber art and artist books have been exhibited at The Friedman Chapman Gallery in Louisville, KY, MS Rezny Gallery, The Singletary Center for the Arts, University of Kentucky, Carneigie Center for Literacy and Learning and Artsplace Gallery, Lexington, KY, and Claypool-Young Art Gallery, Morehead State University, KY. Creative non-fiction essays and poetry have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including: The American Voice, High Performance, The Sun, Now and Then, and Southern Exposure. "The Garden Girls' Letters and Journal," her memoir, was published in 2006 by Wind Publications.
Website:
Models: Yanya Yang, Chrys Zsyle Allen, Kungson (Sandy) Zhang, Chris Boarialco, Lovelace Ebu and Esmeralda Cedillo
Laverne Zabielskie
Showing on Saturday March 14, 2020
Josh Samples is a nationally acclaimed Garden and Floral Designer. He study Horticulture at University of Kentucky. After being away for some time, Josh moved back to London, Kentucky and created Oak Hill Gardens event space; hosting wedding and special events.
He has a passion for creating, he cares about the environment and about making a positive impact.
Website:
Models: Connor Perry, Sharon Chen, Christie Perez, Shuling Fister, Abigail Hartge and Bethany Whitaker
Joshua Samples
Showing on Saturday March 14, 2020
River Hill Ranch exists to promote living simply, with quality before quantity, making everyday decisions to positively impact our world. Using regenerative agriculture techniques, Alvina Maynard cares for an alpaca herd to produce sustainable clothing. River Hill Ranch shares this joy of being close to and caring for nature by inviting the public to explore, shop, and connect with both our farm and each other. Alvina is also the President of the Kentucky Alpaca Association and an active member of several organizations such as the Southern Appalachia Fibershed. Prior to alpaca ranching, Alvina was Active Duty U.S. Air Force. She continues to serve as a Reservist, spending the past two winters overseas.
Website: www.RiverHillRanch.us
Models: Elizabeth Mcquery, Chris Boarialco, Yanya Yang, Esmeralda Cedillo, Sarah Crumbie and Quin Smith