The popularity of Sarah Skelly’s collection was felt throughout the event, as her line received high praise from the audience. // Photo by Alex Todd.
If you look up midwest fashion, you don’t get Vogue articles and street style fashion coverage. You get pictures of christian girl autumn-esque, pumpkin spice latte drinking women in skinny jeans, knee high boots, and infinity scarves. Yet, this isn’t specific to just the midwest, as many other regions of the United States are equally unrepresented.
When people hear fashion week, it’s likely that Kansas City is not the city they associate the term with. It’s not just us either, as most people associate fashion capital New York City with, well, fashion in general.
Yet, Kansas City has a lot to offer to the overall fashion industry, and our community has a lot of diversity that people may not be able to get in global fashion hubs. Despite not being the end-all-be-all of fashion, our smaller fashion community feeds directly into these major fashion capitals, and people may be more influenced by midwestern fashion than they might think.
Last week, Kansas City fashion week hosted its finale at Union Station after four days of shows that showcased the collections of over 35 different designers hailing from all over the region. Twice a year, Kansas City Fashion Week allows for us to show the world “We can do couture too!” And we do it well.
“When you are getting involved in fashion in the Midwest, like there’s a lot more opportunities for recognition and also just connecting with other people who are just as passionate as you. In cities like New York, I think it can probably be a lot harder to get your name out there because you’re competing with so many other people doing the same thing as you,” says Sarah Skelly, a St. Louis based fashion designer. “In the Midwest, it feels very supportive, and like other people want to see you grow.”
Sarah Skelly showed her designs at the Wednesday show, a collection of unique fabrics and silhouettes. Her designs seemed like an upscale, couture version of things we see people wear in their day-to-day. A suit, but with bright blue ballooning slacks and a pearl trimmed tie; an evening dress with ruching, pearl details, that reads more Victorian than modern.
“I think what surprised me most was actually how much my brand has grown already, and also just feeling like the amount of confidence that I’m feeling now,” Skelly says. “I gained a lot of new followers on Instagram, and I would even have people like DMing me saying that they liked my collection. Those are always connections that are valuable in that industry.”
One of the connections Skelly has made during her time doing fashion shows is Michael Drummond, a St. Louis based designer and Project Runway alum. “He’s really cool. We just had a really good conversation about the Midwest fashion scene and how it is growing,” Skelly says.
Stxr’s collection was a parade of knitwear and crochet with a dark feminine edge. // Photo by Sophia Lail.
Throughout the week, Kansas City Fashion Week shows lines that are couture and streetwear to even furs and crochet. Stxr by designer Vaeh is a line of completely hand stitched crocheted pieces; different from everything else I saw come down the runway.
“I was taught when I was small, it kind of died down once I got older. When I picked it back up… it just stuck with me,” Vaeh says. “With sewing, I would learn it, but it wouldn’t attract me enough to want to do it more. Crocheting, I would just do more and want to put that out more. I was just scared to be honest, because I would say, comparing it to sewing a garment and sewing some pieces, I would say is faster than crocheting and knitting pieces, because I’m literally creating the material and the whole panel.”
As the models came down the runway in her designs, I could picture myself in them. That’s not something I could say when looking at the photos of the latest Miu Miu Fall/Winter 2025 line. The models ranged in sizes, representing a wide variety of different body types, which is something you don’t see a lot in this industry; gives us a pretty cool leg up.
Kansas City Fashion week isn’t only important for designers trying to make a name for themselves, but for models to get exposure as well. Claire Potts, a Kansas City local, got exposure from modeling for this year’s fashion week.
“I’m pretty sure 700 plus people apply to be models. It’s a lot of people,” Potts says. “I used to do dance and pageants, which I did when I was younger, and now that I’m an adult working a full time job, I was like, I really miss having that creative outlet and doing things like that. So I kind of just went on a whim. I kind of just went for it one day after seeing an Instagram post.”
Claire Potts, among other local models, uses modeling as a creative outlet. // Photo by Kimberly Easter.
Many models in bigger cities are hired through agencies, but the process in Kansas City is a little bit different. “You have to apply on the website to like, send an application with your information so they can identify you when you do make it to the casting… Then casting day, they have over three days, and you can come any one of the days. You do a walk for them, and then they take your picture, and it’s over in like 10 minutes,” Potts said.
In a world where being in an agency is one of the only ways to get booked professionally as a model, this helps open up the door to local independent models to gain exposure. According to Potts, her experience modeling in Kansas City has been much more ethical than other fashion weeks she has participated in.
“I think we’re treated with a lot of respect, and they want us to be comfortable, and that’s a big thing. I’ve walked in another fashion week before, and even that was such a big difference. Kansas City has a lot more organization and consideration for the models. That’s why I keep coming back. It’s like a well oiled machine,” Potts says.
As Kansas City grows, so do the opportunities for individuals in our local fashion industry. Although we aren’t known as a major fashion capital, maybe we don’t need to be.
As designers come through Kansas City, we can find confidence in being a city that gives midwesterners in the industry the confidence, support, and connections they need to succeed. How about that for midwestern niceness?
For more information on Kansas City Fashion Week, you can visit their website or follow them on Instagram.
