Fashion Week MN Sets the Standard
Where other fashion weeks focus on pageantry, MN focuses on the future of fashion they want to see. “We were never trying to be New York or LA,” Jahna Peloquin, Fashion Week MN co-founder, said.
In two weeks, beginning April 14th, Fashion Week MN’s spring 2024 season will hit the Twin Cities with a lineup of events including fashion shows, presentations, and shopping opportunities. While the fashion weeks of bigger cities focus on designer clothing, celebrity attendance, and tradition, Minnesota’s fashion week focuses on the potential future of fashion itself and strives to correct some of the industry's failings.
Rachel Arthur discusses the sustainability aspect of fashion shows in a piece written for Business of Fashion. As she puts it, “The heart of fashion’s negative environmental and social impact is overproduction and overconsumption. And what do fashion weeks do if not fuel both those things?” Minnesota aims to do it differently.
Created in 2015 by Sarah Edwards and Jahna Peloquin, Fashion Week MN is a reflection of Minnesota itself in that its events revolve around inclusivity and sustainability. The state is known for its natural beauty, support for the arts, and diverse communities, all of which are represented during the week.
Peloquin said that from the beginning, “We were never trying to be New York or LA, we were embracing it instead of trying to be something we’re not.”
Edwards had a background in styling and producing fashion events and Peloquin had a background in styling and journalism. Together, they joined forces to start Minnesota’s official fashion week.
“Fashion events were happening, but there wasn’t as big of a community as there is today,” Peloquin said. From the beginning, the pair was intentional about choosing events that were diverse in style, models and designers.
This upcoming season is the first time that the events will be executively produced by the organization in collaboration with producers. Previously, Fashion Week MN's seasons consisted of independently produced events on a calendar curated and promoted by FWMN. This will not only add a lot more consistency to the show but will allow Fashion Week MN to make sure that all designers, models and attendees are treated equitably.
The week will kick off with “I Am Fabulous,” a show where all the models, both men and women, are over the age of 60, and continues with “Into the Studio Sustainable Style: A Fashion Revolution.” The latter is part of Fashion Revolution, a worldwide movement that promotes sustainability and ethical fashion practices, urging people to think about where their clothing comes from.
“We're so happy that Minneapolis as well as Fashion Week MN has embraced sustainable fashion so much and has brought its importance to the forefront,” said Regena Yu of sustainable brand WAY the Label.
Yu’s sentiments are shared by Danielle Everine, producer and featured designer of the upcoming Into the Studio show. Everine speaks of her experience attending Paris Fashion Week and how dismayed she was seeing the lack of diversity in the collections made by supposedly the best designers in the world. “We have the power to redefine that,” she said of industry beauty standards.
In an article written for Glamour UK, model and journalist Felicity Hayward tallied up just how many plus-size models were included in major fashion weeks across the globe. For New York Fashion Week she reported that 42 out of 3,680 looks on the runway were worn by curve or plus-size models. For Milan Fashion Week it was 13 of 3,200 looks. Everine’s collections range from sizes XS-3X. “I’ve sold my clothing to people from 5 years old to 90,” she added.
Both WAY the Label and Danielle Everine’s collections are designed locally and ethically made in the US with sustainable fabrics. The boutique Ellekin takes a different approach by curating sustainable pieces from various brands.
“I started my online boutique after struggling to find cute, fashion-forward clothes that met my own personal sustainability criteria,” said Keyona Elkins, founder of Ellekin. “I curate affordable, sustainable women’s clothing in sizes XS-3X. The pieces are colorful, fun, bold and all priced under $100. Everything is made with ethical labor practices and low-impact fabrics, giving you fun fashion that doesn’t come at the expense of people or the planet,” Elkins said.
The week continues with “Man Down,” an all-menswear runway show that has partnered with several mental health organizations to bring awareness and reduce stigma with men’s mental health issues. Helping the designers be able to promote and sell their pieces is a major goal of Fashion Week MN.
The final show is Evolve, which features both up-and-coming and well-established designers. The event includes a pop-up market, making it easy for people to shop the designs in real-time. “Through all this experience my conclusion is that sustainable practices are the only way forward for us,” Everine said.
Fashion Week MN will run from April 14th to the 20th and tickets are available here.
Sources
About. WAY the Label. (n.d.). https://www.waythelabel.com/about
Arthur, R. (2023, October 31). Op-ed: The climate cost of fashion weeks is bigger than it seems. The Business of Fashion.
https://www.businessoffashion.com/opinions/sustainability/fashion-week-enviro nmental-impact-sustainability-un/
Danielle Everine. (n.d.). https://danielleeverine.com/
Fashion revolution week 2024. Fashion Revolution. (n.d.).
https://www.fashionrevolution.org/
Fashion week Minnesota. Fashion Week Minnesota. (n.d.).
https://www.fashionweekmn.com/
Hayward, F. (2024, March 7). This is exactly how many plus size models walked during Fashion Month. Glamour UK.
https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/fashion-month-plus-size-models Sustainable, affordable fashion. Ellekin. (n.d.). https://shopellekin.com/
