Style & Culture: Detroit Fashion Week

Style&Culture's Ivy Prosper with Brian Heath,
Producer of DFW

  The Royal Oak Farmer's Market was transformed into a fashion hub for the final show during Detroit Fashion Week. The couture fashion showcase featured designers from Metro Detroit proving why this is a place where fashion also lives. In it's 6th year, each year Detroit Fashion Week gets bigger and better. Organizers were excited to have media from CNN and Time there to cover the events

  Brian Heath, producer of DFW, was excited to see how big the event has become since it began in 2005. I have also seen the show grow from humble beginnings. I was a model for one designer in the the first Detroit Fashion Week. It was exciting to see the production of the event along with the talented designers featured.

  Of course Detroit is a city full of culture and style influenced by the inner city. It's only natural that a label like Uneek Collections was in the finale showcase. With a collection of clothing made for men, the company's mission lies in the acronym of it's name; "Unifying Nationalities by Encouraging Education and Knowledge."

  Leslie Austin has been designing clothing for over 35 years. Her label Lezley Anne, combines femininity with a retro touch creating a sense of fun and youth. Ariel Taub studied design at Parsons School of Design in NYC. Her bridal gowns are influenced by her love of vintage while still adding that modern feel. Lela Bocci naturally fell into the fashion world having grown up with an Haute Couture designer for a mom; Katarina Bocci. At the tender age of 14, Lela Bocci, the youngest designer at DFW, made her mark on the runway for her debut collection.

  Beulah Cooley is an accomplished designer who was presented with the "Spirit of Detroit Award" in 2004 for her many achievements. Regularly featured in the Ebony Fashion fair and countless other shows and events her work is highly respected in the community. Her work is available online at http://beulahcooleycollection.com/
Overall the show was a huge success and the fashion scene in Detroit is looking forward to continued growth and to see what's in store next year.