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12th Michigan Fashion Week brings splashy color and design to Detroit

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A flurry of color and design will be served up this weekend during the 12th annual Michigan Fashion Week in Detroit.

Multiple events will celebrate fashion, fashion enthusiasts, local and national retail buyers, and up-and-coming designers. More than 30 designers will showcase their collections through more than 60 professional models from across the Midwest.

The 2024 theme is “Glamour Cloud.” It’s a nod to this year’s venue, the Godfrey Hotel’s rooftop lounge, which overlooks downtown Detroit with floor-to-ceiling windows.

“Detroit is growing in the fashion world, and it means business, excitement – it means growth,” said MFW founder Loren Hicks. “The goal with Fashion Week is to really shine a spotlight on the growing industry of fashion designers, fashion photographers, fashion models here in the Detroit area with the goal of making Detroit one of the fashion meccas throughout the world.

“I wanted to create a space so people don’t have to travel to New York or L.A. or Milan to enjoy fashion or Fashion Week. I saw a need for it right here in Detroit.”

A preview event was held at the Godfrey on June 5, with a few designers and models showing new works. One designer who made a big splash was Auburn Hills resident Mary Mbiya, who has only been designing for two years after leaving the corporate sphere. A diversity and inclusion executive and a native of Zambia, Mbiya found herself constantly attending professional events but unable to find the African fabrics she wanted to wear. She began sourcing her fabrics straight from Zambia and designing the looks she wanted.

‘It’s your soul shining through’

“What you wear is an expression of who you are; it’s your soul shining through,” Mbiya said. “And when I wanted to go out to a gala, I was always being forced to wear a certain kind of look. I draw inspiration from diversity, and this year, I got inspiration from sustainability. I wanted pieces that you could wear and then pass that piece along instead of getting rid of the content. I’m encouraging people to really see African fabric as a normalized part of fashion.”

Mbiya is also in the middle of writing a book called “The Invisible Dress Code.”

“At work and sometimes in society,” she explained, “we really emphasize the dress code – how people dress, and we want them to dress a certain way. And if they’re not what we call professional, what we’ve normalized as ‘professional,’ sometimes they’re sent back home, right?

“So the invisible dress code on the flip side is what I’m taking into corporate America. I want to speak on this in making sure that we’re also very cognizant of how we treat others around us. It’s not good enough to just be well dressed – what are we doing day to day to treat people with dignity, respect, equity, and do we create safe spaces for them?”

Another designer who turned heads at the preview event was Takudzwa “T.K.” Chiduma, owner and designer of CBTK, a brand specializing in couture wedding gowns. One of her dazzling creations was arguably the highlight of the night’s show.

“I decided I was going to go into bridal during the pandemic, at a time when I was engaged,” Chiduma said. “It felt so loving, and it felt good … and then the engagement broke up. But I was able to take that love and my tears and make this collection and I’m very, very proud of it. And it doesn’t make me feel resentful. It makes me feel happy for all the women who are going to be getting married, and I have a lot of brides right now getting married in CBTK brand.”

Wedding dresses that actually fit

Chiduma emphasizes functional design in her gowns, something often lacking with wedding dresses.

“I’ve seen a lot of gowns,” she said, “but it’s another thing to actually create something that somebody wants to wear on their special day. So I really try to put myself in their shoes and think, ‘Is putting flowers here going to be okay? If they’re turning around and feeding their husband cake, is this going to be the best design decision?’ I just try to make it as comfortable as I can. Though, I do like a snatched waist, so a lot of my stuff has corsets, but I try to make sure that it’s a functional design.”

Chiduma, who is based in Lansing, plans to open a shop in metro Detroit in 2025.

Anika Kashyp, the model who wore Chiduma’s wedding gown, just began modeling this year as a sophomore at the University of Michigan.

“I’ve always been drawn to the fashion industry,” Kashyp said. “Different aspects of modeling pull me in – not just runway, but also print and commercial, where you get to experiment with different shapes and poses and embody different alter egos for each piece. I’ve always liked that idea. I didn’t realize there was a Michigan Fashion Week, and it’s super cool. Being able to be a part of this has been a really great experience, and I’m excited to go further with my modeling dreams and see where that takes me.”

A percentage of ticket proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to The Fashion for Progression, a nonprofit organization also founded by Hicks.

Fewer iPads, more crocheting

“It’s really geared toward teaching the young people – high schoolers, middle schoolers – the art of fashion design,” Hicks said. “Sewing and crocheting are dying arts, but we don’t want to see that happen. So we are really passionate about teaching children how to tap into that industrial side of themselves with textiles. We really want to see kids dive into that; get off the iPads and into more creativity.

“We just started last year, so right now we’re gaining partners. If anyone wants to partner with us, we’d love to have you!”

On Friday, Michigan Fashion Week will present two streetwear fashion shows at the Godfrey, at 5 and 7 p.m. On Saturday, shows are set for 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. (At press time, the 6 p.m. show was sold out.) Tickets, a schedule of events and more can be found at michiganfashionweek.com.

Lead beauty director Gabrielle Elkins said she’s excited for what this year’s shows will bring.

“I believe in Michigan Fashion Week because I believe empowerment is very important for the community,” she said. “Especially female empowerment. And I love the diversity that the models have year after year, and seeing people express themselves through fashion.”

Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at dbeddingfield@freepress.com.

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