Omaha Fashion Week issued a public statement on Thursday, March 20, after a swastika symbol appeared openly on the runway at one of the shows in late February and early March.
News of the swastika began to buzz online with the public calling for an answer from the Midwest’s largest fashion event. Omaha Fashion Week (OFW) producer, Buf Reynolds, issued a statement on Instagram two weeks after the event that ran from Feb. 26 to March 1.
Reynolds, who became Omaha Fashion Week’s producer in 2023, stated he was “appalled at the sight of a hate symbol walking on the runway…Omaha Fashion Week stands against hate.”
The black and white symbol was displayed on the back of a jacket that was part of Kelli Molczyk’s collection. Reynolds’ post then goes on to claim the item was not seen at rack check and was not put on the model until right before she went on the runway.
The item was pulled after its appearance, only having walked in the show once. Reynolds’ post stated “the designer, who was also a panelist, was removed from her position and told she was not allowed to return for the remaining events.”
Molczyk’s Instagram post was released on Friday, March 21, explaining the design came from an “antique pinwheel quilt remnant” that was purchased from a well-known store in Central Nebraska.
Molczyk went on to say that she never believed it resembled a swastika and condemns any form of hate speech. She concluded the post, stating, “to associate me with any such acts of hate or hate groups is reprehensible and defamatory.”
The post does not mention Reynolds’ claim that the coat was not part of rack check and put on the model last minute.
The confusion of this situation has yet to unfold entirely, and pieces are still missing as to how this happened. Was it purely a stupid accident that a swastika clearly walked the runway at the fourth largest organized fashion week event in the country? Or is there a hidden intent bubbling under the surface?
A swastika made an appearance on the Omaha Fashion Week runway.
