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| NWAFW Fall Fashion Week! Photo by Joshua Koerner. |
I've been so bad and not blogged in months. But I really wanted to share a bit about my experience this year at Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week. This was my 4th time there and the best experience I've had with them which is saying a lot, because it's always been good for me. Anytime people ask me about getting involved in NWAFW I always encourage them to do so, because it is an incredible, fun, bonding and empowering experience with other creative people! It fills up my soul. This was also my favorite collection I've done so far and people really responded to it, and to the diversity of the models in my show. I was so thrilled to get 4 real-deal drag queens, plus one of my male models Shane did drag also, and I also had a transgender model who was fantastic!!!! I can't emphasize enough, she did so well and everyone loved her. I was so happy that it was all well received by the public; honestly it gave me faith in humanity after what's been a pretty gnarly year, haha.
OK so..... Here's the rundown on this collection!!
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Barbarella inspired bodysuit,
model Alexis W, photo by Samanthat
Photograohy/NWAFW |
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| Barbarella movie poster |
INSPIRATION: This collection was called Space Oddity and was inspired by the music & fashion of David Bowie as well as the B52s, retro sci-fi, particularly Barbarella, and all things alien and space-related.
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Model Veronica, photo by
Joshua Koerner/ NWAFW |
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| Hand printed alien linen |
MATERIALS: Heavily sequined fabrics, gold and silver lamé, organic cotton, linen, and upcycled fabrics. I made 3 unique block print fabrics: aliens, ufos, and celestial stars and moons. I did this mostly because I couldn't find the fabrics I was picturing anywhere so I had to make it myself.
OBSTACLES: About 2 months before the show, I dropped a heavy bookcase on my ankle; it cut my Achilles tendon (not all the way, just a little but still OW) and fractured my heel. I had to stay off my foot which was very hard for me, I'm a very busy person, and in fact about a month into the injury I managed fracture my big toe as well, by going off crutches too soon and losing my balance. That was about a month before the runway show. I had been putting off the major sewing of my 25-look collection "until I felt better" but at that point I realized, aching foot or no, I was just going to have to tough it out. I did most of the sewing for the collection on one foot, usually kneeling on a chair or something, or sitting down with the foot elevated. It really was pretty painful and every day I felt like I might be pushing myself too much. I considered sitting down and crying but I never did, I just kept working.
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Gelynda J, photo by Samanthat
Photography/NWAFW |
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Alexis J, photo by Joshua Koerner
/NWAFW |
FAVORITE MOMENT: So this year, one of the awesome new things fashion week added was a huge screen backstage. Sometimes I'm stuck backstage with no way to watch but not this time, I got to watch every minute of the show along with the audience. My absolute favorite moment was when Stereolab came on (if you're not familiar they're a French pop band that has a really groovy, futuristic-retro sound), and my models Alexis and Gelynda both were on the runway at once in matching sparkling dresses in gold and green. There was this perfect breeze coming through, that was giving the dresses extra life and when Gelynda stopped and looked straight at the monitor and the wind blew through her hair, with that beautiful music playing, I said out loud to myself, to no one in particular or anyone who cared---- "THIS IS A MOMENT." I couldn't stop smiling.
Here are a few more photos from the show, enjoy!
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| Amanda, Solskinn Photography/NWAFW |
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| Alexis W, Solskinn Photography/NWAFW |
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| Karen, Solskinn Photography/NWAFW |
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| Ellison, Solskinn Photography/NWAFW |
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| Jen, Solskinn Photography/NWAFW |
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Athena, Phantom Photography
/NWAFW |
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| Rochelle, Joshua Koerner/NWAFW |
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| Lisa, Joshua Koerner/NWAFW |
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| Merrick, Shelby Seaber/NWAFW |
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| Princess Dieanna, Shelby Seaber/NWAFW |
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Did I mention this was all in airplane hangars at Drake Field airport?!?!
It was soooo cool!!
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On a final note, if you haven't seen yet I have switched from Etsy to my own website that I built, which took forever but was totally worth it. Etsy has been on my last nerve for a while, from the 3 day delay of payment processing, to the way they advertise other shops' items on your item pages, NOT COOL ETSY. So anyway, please check out the new website, it has a shopping section where you can purchase my runway looks and other creations, plus lots of other fun things to look at like runway videos and photoshoots! Here's the link:
www.rosierosedesigner.com
