5th Annual Rockland Fashion Week Kicks Off In Grand Style

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Rockland Fashion Week might not have the hype of Milan or Paris, but the Hudson Valley fashion event of the season has a growing reputation — back again this year for the fifth time, it promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Produced by Hope Wade Designs of Nyack, Rockland Fashion Week 2024 “Fashion Inspired by Nature” will culminate with a gala runway show on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Palisades Center mall, located at 1000 Palisades Center Drive in West Nyack.

As a warm-up to the runway event, Rockland Fashion Week will host their Pop-Up Shop event, made possible by a Nyack Tourism grant, on Friday, Nov. 8, from noon to 6 p.m., in downtown Nyack, with 26 participating stores. There will also be an official Launch Party hosted by Hotel Nyack on Friday night at 8 p.m. where designers, models and sponsors will be able to mingle.

The main runway event will showcase the work of 12 local and national designers, including Hope Wade’s own couture line. Entertainment will be provided by VPRecords artist Sugger and MC Qui Talks. The runway will be set up in front of H&M on the first floor of the mall.

Participating fashion industry artists will include:

• Fredlyne Burns – La Painture
• Time To Clothe (Rockland-based)
• So Nyce Designs
• Riddim Driven
• Highly Humble
• J.Love
• Be Merry Designs (Rockland-based)
• Hope Wade Designs (Rockland-based)
• Lady Black Boutique
• Honor and Blume (Rockland-based)
• LaTeffaney – Kurvacious (Rockland-based)
• Lorraine Freeman – Customly Yours (Rockland-based)

“We’re proud to present the amazing creativity of designers and make up artists in this annual celebration,” Wade said. “It showcases the wealth of talent we have right here in our local communities, and inspires all of us, including our young people, to explore opportunities in this fascinating industry. We are even more excited about Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Icon DARLENE LOVE walking the runway for the fashion show.”

Tickets for the show are available here. The VIP ticket option includes an exclusive cocktail hour before the show at Picanha Brazilian Steakhouse, priority seating and a swag bag filled with valuable gifts. Guests are encouraged to dress to show their personal “fashionista” styles.

Rockland Fashion Week is known for having a strong community focus. This year, the show is working with student volunteers from Clarkstown North High School, and exposing them to all that takes place behind the scenes to make a successful show come together.

The event includes a special donation to Jawonio, a Hudson Valley organization that supports children, adults, and families with intellectual/developmental disabilities, behavioral health challenges, and chronic medical needs.

“Fashion Week is about beautiful clothes, but also about the beauty and strength we bring to the challenges we face in our everyday lives,” said Wade.

During this whole week, additional community-focused activities include educational presentations in local middle and high schools, as well as pop-up shops in boutiques around Rockland County and at the Palisades Center.

“We’ll be in the schools engaging students in the ‘business of fashion,’ as well as supporting our retail colleagues around the county,” said Wade.

More information about Rockland Fashion Week can be found here.

Wade has been making a name for herself globally. She designed the gold sequined gown worn by Miss Jamaica at the 2018 Miss World Pageant in China and Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famer Darlene Love (a Rockland resident) wore Wade’s red flute gown on the David Letterman Show.

She opened Hope Wade Designs at 23 N. Broadway in Nyack in September of 2020 while the pandemic was still raging. Since then, she has been creating couture dresses and gowns for women and children. She selects materials, designs, sketches and sews every garment she sells.

Fashion isn’t the only arena where Wade is making a mark.

She recently received the prestigious Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award in August 2024 and currently serves as president of two organizations, the Jamaican Civic & Cultural Association of Rockland (JAMCCAR), a decades-old civic organization that provides a platform for politicians and community leaders to explore and address issues of local concern and awards scholarships to local high school students headed for college, and the Alpha Academy Tristate Alumnae Association (CMAATAA).

Wade also sits on the board of the Arts Council of Rockland and the Cooper Union Alumni Association.

Why Nyack, and why Rockland as the place to pursue her dreams? Wade’s answer: “This place reminds me of Port Royal in Kingston, Jamaica where I grew up. Nyack is a town with special charm. Rockland is a richly diverse community, sophisticated, vibrant, full of possibilities. And the people are beautiful.”

And she has more dreams.

“I want to build a factory so that designers, especially those of color, have facilities to manufacture their clothing,” she said. “I would love to give a scholarship annually to an emerging designer – with no age limit. It would also be fun to create a fashion talk show and a shopping network.”

“I want Rockland Fashion Week to become a staple in Rockland County that not only showcases clothing designers, but becomes a full-time employer and a training school for models and fashion professionals,” Wade added.