Omaha Fashion Week’s Season Preview spotlighting local designers

Although Omaha Fashion Week won’t officially take place until mid-September, the organizers of the event are putting on an Exclusive Season Preview tonight to showcase 10 of its local designers. To learn more about the background, organizing team, and designers behind Omaha Fashion Week, an event that first took place in 2008 (photo on left)…

Although Omaha Fashion Week won’t officially take place until mid-September, the organizers of the event are putting on an Exclusive Season Preview tonight to showcase 10 of its local designers.

To learn more about the background, organizing team, and designers behind Omaha Fashion Week, an event that first took place in 2008, I conducted an email interview with the event’s director, Rachel Richards.

If you’d like to attend tonight’s show but haven’t purchased a ticket yet, you’re in luck. Omaha Fashion Week has given us two pairs of tickets to giveaway. The first two people to leave a comment on this post expressing interest in attending will each win a pair of tickets.

Here are more details on tonight’s event:

The fashion show will begin at 7:30 p.m. The Preview is expected to end by 10 p.m.

Location: Nomad Lounge (1013 Jones Street)

Tickets are currently on sale for $100 and include an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, a fashion show and live model silent auction.

Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on 20 one-of-a-kind designs with proceeds going to celebrate the Women’s Fund of Greater Omaha’s 20th Anniversary.

Here’s my interview with Rachel:

Silicon Prairie News (SPN): What is Omaha Fashion Week?

Omaha Fashion Week (OFW): On the inside, Omaha Fashion Week is a talent incubator that seamlessly connects designers, stylists, photographers, artists and models through nurturing platforms and engaging opportunities.

On the outside, Omaha Fashion Week is the highlight of Omaha’s social calendar; spotlighting fashion innovations and celebrating creative excellence.

SPN: Who is the organizing team behind it?

OFW: The people who are responsible for making all of OFW possible include Nick Hudson, executive director, Rachel Richards, event director, Sara Dreamer, marketing director, Dale Heise and Thomas Sena.

SPN: What’s the brief backstory of OFW?

OFW: Nick Hudson, an entrepreneur, is a beauty and fashion expert with a keen eye for hidden talent and it became his mission to create platforms to showcase that talent. He pulled together a team to collaborate ideas and before long Omaha enjoyed their first fashion week.

SPN: What has it done for Omaha’s local fashion scene?

OFW: The launching of Omaha Fashion Week has helped put Omaha on the map as a fashion destination. There is so much intrigue and curiosity in fashion and Omaha Fashion Week works with this interest locally. We have created expectations for the city in fashion and will continue to lure the creative and fashion interested into the world of OFW.

SPN: What has it done for the reputation of Omaha’s fashion scene nationally?

OFW: It has given Omaha a name in the world of fashion. We have made ourselves known for delivering fashion shows with creative designers, innovative ideas, and beaming spirits who collaborate and bring our events to life.

SPN: What impact does OFW hope to have in five years?

OFW: Omaha Fashion week has many goals of growth and prosper in the years ahead. We would like to see ourselves nationally recognized and respected as a fashion-based city. We would also love to see a designer from one of our shows reach a high level of success and publicity. OFW would also like to be recognized as a notable brand in the world of fashion.

SPN: Please introduce us to three of the designers in tomorrow’s VIP Preview show.

OFW: There are 10 talented designers sharing their work with us in the VIP Preview showing. Three of which include Emma Erickson, Ellene McClay, and Kate Walz.

Designer Emma Erickson, Omaha born and raised, is currently working on her design portfolio at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. Among her current projects is a textile collaboration that will be shown in New York Fashion Week September 2010. This summer Emma will partake in a post graduation internship with Hervé Léger by Max Azria (BCBG) in Los Angeles. Emma is showing a sampling of her work at the OFW Season Preview that experiments with draping, construction techniques and fabrics. After graduation Emma intends to focus her style and create a collection that she hopes to show in Omaha Fashion Week in September 2010.

Ellene McClay has earned degrees in fine arts and education, and has taught elementary art for 10 years. Her creative aesthetic was forged out of necessity and resulted in a resourceful nature. Her entrepreneurial spirit was evident early on, and her life experiences have influenced her current success with clothing and accessory sales online. She is inspired by fabrics with beautiful textures and vintage patterns. Her feminine silhouettes are inspired by historical styles with whimsical dreamlike feel. She aspires to make things that express the true beauty of the wearer.

“Just Because” by Kate Walz is a girly and fun collection inspired by tulle Kate has been designing for five years and selling her designs at Bellwether Boutique for one year. Kate is 13 years old and attends Bennington Jr. High. Kate’s line is available at her website JustBecausebyKateWalz.com, in addition to Bellwether Boutique in the Old Market Passageway.

SPN: Can you touch on the work of a clothing designer and the entrepreneurial spirit they must possess?

OFW: A clothing designer must possess a drive to make it in the fashion industry. But to be successful, a designer needs to be creative, have skill in designing and producing, and also know how to run a business. Fashion is a huge industry and it takes special, talented individuals to be successful. A designer’s work also must be unique and stand out in a crowded marketplace.

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

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