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Catwalks and couture in the community: Fashion Week Columbus to kick off Sunday

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Catwalks and couture in the community: Fashion Week Columbus to kick off Sunday

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Contrary to popular belief, runway shows aren’t just for models, designers and others immersed in the fashion culture.

In fact, watching models strutting on the catwalk isn’t that different from watching an actor trod the boards, according to Keira Chatman, executive director of the Columbus Fashion Council.

The nonprofit council produces events year-round, but its flagship program is Fashion Week Columbus, a showcase of local designers and models that Chatman likens to theater.

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“Anybody can come. It’s just like a play: You don’t have to be an actor to attend,” she said. “We want to draw more people (in) who just enjoy creative arts.

“We don’t want (the week) to be just industry-focused. We want to make sure it’s inclusive of Columbus.”

With a theme of “Fashion Forward,” Fashion Week Columbus begins Sunday and runs through Oct. 19 at various venues around the city.

To get the news out beyond downtown Columbus, Chatman embarked on what she called a “guerilla marketing” campaign, even taking to the streets to visit area businesses.

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“I went to a lot of different boutiques and introduced myself in different neighborhoods like Dublin, Bexley and Gahanna. It really helped to spread the word,” she said.

Fashion Week Columbus was founded in 2010 by Thomas McClure to give local designers a forum to express their creativity.

“Columbus has a pretty long history of big-box retailers, so Tommy really wanted to bring the culture to Columbus because it didn’t really have a fashion scene,” Chatman said.

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Elevating the local fashion scene also helps to circumvent the issue of design students leaving the city after graduation to find employment.

“Students from OSU and Columbus College of Art & Design were moving away… Since Fashion Week Columbus was started, they’ve been able to retain a lot of the talent here,” Chatman said.

Fashion Week Columbus is expected to attract about 2,500 people during its entire run, Chatman said, adding that 25 designers will be represented, all originally from Columbus, and about 75% of the event’s 300 models are local.

The week will feature returning favorites like the annual High Fashion Tea Runway Show, plus mostly new designers and two new events, one focused on fall beauty and fashion, the other a plus-size runway show.

Another highlight will be the awarding of $5,000 scholarships to fashion-design students. Since its founding, Fashion Week Columbus has provided more than $55,000 in scholarships.

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One of the biggest draws will be headlining designers Bruce and Glen Proctor, also known as the Fashion Preachers. The identical twin brothers are the founders of BruceGlen, and they are also preachers.

“I’m really excited about our headliner… We’ve had our eyes on these two for a couple of years,” Chatman said. “We also like their story.”

In the Proctors’ rags-to-riches tale, the pair was forced to drop out of college due to financial issues. Shortly thereafter, they interned for Beyoncé’s House of Deréon, which led to them launching brands for the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer, as well as Nicki Minaj and Trey Songz.

When layoffs hit in 2019, the brothers launched BruceGlen and have dressed celebrities including Brandy, Ashanti and Sheryl Lee Ralph.

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“They’re an all-inclusive team. They design a lot of unisex clothing that’s really lively and they put their personality into their designs,” Chatman said.

“The fun, the theater that fashion week can be — a lot of people are unable to connect art and fashion. But they do a good job of doing that.”

Several Fashion Week Columbus events are free, but guests must RSVP online in advance to attend. Here is a daily schedule:

  • Sunday: 15th Annual High Fashion Tea Runway Show, 1-4 p.m. Sunday at Le Méridien, The Joseph, 620 N. High St. — A reception with a cash bar and silent auction will be held, followed by opening remarks, afternoon tea (with tea sandwiches, scones and desserts) and fashion shows by featured designers. Tickets: $85-$106.25
  • Monday: Macy’s Fall Fashion Show, 6-8 p.m. at Easton Town Center, 4141 Easton Loop E — The show will be held outdoors on the top level of the Macy’s parking lot. Seating is first-come, first-served, with the first 50 guests in line by 6 p.m. receiving free gift bags. The fashion show is about 15 minutes long, after which attendees can socialize. RSVP is required.
  • Tuesday: Nordstrom Fall Beauty Showcase, 8-10 a.m. at Easton Town Center, 4000 Worth Ave. — This new event will feature makeup tutorials, fall fashion trends, light refreshments and prize giveaways. RSVP is required.
  • Oct. 16: Recycled Runway Fashion Show and Competition by Nurtur Salon, 6-9 p.m. at the Idea Foundry, 421 W. State St. — The focus is on sustainability and zero waste while showcasing the designers’ creativity in using materials that others might consider trash. RSVP is required.
  • Oct. 17: Philanthropy Meets Fashion, 6-9 p.m. at Columbus College of Art & Design’s Loann Crane Center, 112 Cleveland Ave. — Headlining designers Bruce and Glen Proctor will be interviewed and the recipients of the fashion design student scholarship will be announced. RSVP is required.
  • Oct. 18: FWCurve Premiere Runway Show, 2-9 p.m. at Urban Arts Space, 50 W. Town St. — Celebrating the plus-size community, this event makes its debut with vendor booths, panels, a designer showcase and runway show. Tickets are $40 general admission and $60 VIP, which allows early access (2 p.m.) to vendors, first- and second-row seats, swag bags, a raffle ticket and entry to Curvy After Dark, a private event at Parable Cafe.
  • Oct. 19: 15th Annual Finale Runway Show, 6-10 p.m. in Ballroom A and B at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St. — The FWC finale will be highlighted by a runway show featuring four central Ohio-based designers and celebrity designers BruceGlen. There are several levels of general admission and VIP tickets.

For more details and tickets, visit fashionweekcolumbus.org/events.

bpaschal@dispatch.com

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