Nine fashion designers, a variety of clothing and the art of storytelling astonished audience members at the “Threaded Stories: A Runway Show of Distinctive Fashion” show, presented by Evanston-based boutique cloth + home Sunday afternoon.
Co-owners of cloth + home Pam Kendall and Linda Johnston hosted the sold-out event of about 100 guests at the Woman’s Club of Evanston. The show highlighted designers with roots in New York, Japan and Chicago while presenting the latest pieces from their collections.
“This is their passion and their life,” Kendall said at the event. “Your presence here shows that you not only want to be at a great fashion show, but that you believe in supporting the arts. Fashion is art, and it brings all of us joy.”
Audience members paid a $75 fee for entrance. Kendall said a portion of the event’s proceeds will be donated to Bundled Blessings Diaper Bank, an outreach program of the First United Methodist Church of Evanston that supports families in need of diapers. The boutique has supported the program since the shop’s inception in May 2022, as Kendall is a board member.
Fashion designer and MasterChef contestant Tommy Walton said he was thrilled to support and cheer on some of Chicago’s up-and-coming designers.
“If you can make it in Chicago, you can go anywhere you want to go,” Walton said. “And if you can do it here, you can definitely go to New York and eat them up, too.”
Brooklyn-based designer Parron Edwards-Stimola showcased his Parron Allen “Fable” collection that consisted of floral prints, black lace-fabric and a hen-shaped handbag. Edwards-Stimola said he draws inspiration from his Mississippi roots and uses sustainable fabrics to create his looks.
Chicagoan and designer of EFJ Collections Ernestine Fleming-Jones, presented her debut collection, “Urban Allure,” which consisted of denim ensembles, silk outfits and a long, cow-printed skirt.
Chicago-based Japanese designer Nana Okazaki Plotkin presented “Transitory winter sea,” the latest collection from her eponymous label that featured fringe tops, a soft, blue-gray fabric strip dress and wool ensembles.
Other brands that showcased their clothing included Andrea Reynders Design, Lola Élan Studio, The Checkroom, Christy Metz Design and The Blue Passion — all with Chicago connections.
Chelsey Carter-Sanders, founder and CEO of Alex Carter brand closed the fashion event by presenting her “Waves” collection, which featured sculpture-like waves on top of dresses and vests, a ruffled skirt and a black ruffled dress cinched by a long black belt. Carter said she considers herself an “emotional designer” because she adds an abstract flair to everyday clothing.
“Our slogan is bridging the gap between simplicity and edge,” Carter said. “So, I find the most simplistic silhouettes and I keep them up in innovation, shape, motifs, texture or movement.”
As the event came to a close, each ticket was automatically entered into a raffle for three prizes, and the audience voted on three designer awards: Garment Construction, Creativity and Originality and Cohesive Collection. The winners of the audience-selected awards were Fleming-Jones, Plotkin and Carter-Sanders, respectively.
The event wrapped up with a sale for audience members. The clothing is still available for purchase at cloth + home’s boutique located off Chicago Avenue and Grove Street.
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