Fashion houses from around the globe gathered together in the vibrant heart of Washington, D.C., from February 23rd to 25th, 2024, for one purpose: DC Fashion Week (DCFW). This season’s fashion shows presented Autumn/Winter ‘24 collections from over 20 designers. They were full of glamour, chic streetwear, and avant-garde.
Although the District is known for politics and government, a bustling fashion scene is ever-growing and shaping the culture of Washington, D.C., into an international fashion capital. If you’re a fashion enthusiast living in the District, DCFW events are the places to be. Here’s a recap of the fashion-filled events that happened over the weekend:
Fashion Industry Networking Party
DCFW kicked off on Friday, February 23rd, with a vibrant Fashion Industry Networking Party at St. Yves in downtown DC. Anyone you can think of in the fashion industry, such as fashion bloggers, press, influencers, models, and designers, arrived in their Bridgerton-Renaissance-themed attire, ready to network, strut, and capture photos to remember the exciting night. The party also brought an element of surprise as a pop-up fashion show took place in the middle of the room, with models fiercely cat walking down the runway, which seemed to further excite guests for the weekend ahead.
The exclusive networking party created a hub for industry professionals to connect in the District over their love for fashion. Founder and Executive Director of DCFW, Mr. Ean Williams, explained, “The purpose is to attract those interested in all aspects of the fashion industry, some of which are models, designers, modeling agencies, photographers, makeup artists, publicists, trademark attorneys, fashion bloggers, influencers, fashion show producers, and many more. It gives those behind the scenes a time to be spotlighted and recognized for their talents. Some of the world’s most talented artists originate from the DMV area.”
The DC Metropolitan Emerging Designers Showcase
This year, a total of 12 emerging designers from the Washington D.C. area showcased their collections:
- Bruse Living Art Apparel
- Elizabeth Diamant
- Eyewuh
- Gilani Design
- House of Chelette
- iLorm
- Kavin Todd
- Kouture Kreations
- Quinn Caroline
- Renee France Designs
- Resilient by Abby
- Svperior
The highly anticipated and fully sold-out Emerging Designers fashion show featured a range of uniquely curated collections. Attendees stayed on the edge of their seats as they anticipated the next look. One attendee said, “The collections were stunning! It takes such an immense amount of talent to produce several pieces of high-quality clothing. I can only imagine the work and effort that went into the creative process, so I truly applaud the designers.”
Trends on the runway for this season included feathered trims, crafty patchwork, and bold monochromatic themes. Each piece elaborated on the designer’s artistry and ability to blend trends seamlessly into each design.
Emerging Designer Kavin Reid of Kavin Todd Fashion shared the inspiration behind his collection for this season’s show, “My collection was inspired by social media and how we are bombarded by so much information. I wanted to touch on something relevant to the times. When I created the Kavin Todd original print, it was to show the level of distortion that can happen when information is misinterpreted.”
“The inspiration for my collection was to showcase the range of the brand. In past runway shows, my designs were avant-garde, couture, and very intricately designed. They were truly created from my imagination and also sewn by me. For this season, I wanted the pieces to be more relatable so I designed the “Liminal Collection.” Liminal describes a transitional stage, a place different from where you were and not yet where you will be. So you’ll see themes of that throughout the collection. I designed this with the thought of it being more wearable for my clients, and also indicative of the bold, sexy, timeless moniker that we embody at Elizabeth Diamant.”, shared Liz Diamant, the Founder and Designer of Elizabeth Diamant when asked what was the inspiration for this season’s collection.
The 40th International Couture Collections Showcase
The weekend concluded with a grand celebration of the 20th anniversary of the International Couture Collections Showcase, now in its 40th season! Designers from across the globe brought their best avant-garde to Washington, D.C. Countries and collections present were:
- Djirè’Ma (Burkina Faso)
- Enku Designe (Ethiopia)
- FIATI (Ghana/Canada)
- Andrew Nowell Menswear
- Francesca Lazzari (Italy)
- Shop the Runway (United States)
- Corjor International (United States)
- Franck La Scelta (Italy)
- Artist Webb Design (United States)
- Jah Kente International (Ghana)
- Paaie (India)
- Papino Creations (Senegal)
- Precious by Nasra (Ethiopia)
- Teona Margvlshvili (Georgia)
- Valenncii Ventora (United States)
A diversity of designs ripped the runway, including elaborate tulle dresses, distressed details, and glitzy crystal beading. Each look captivated attention and created head-turning moments for those in attendance.
Corjor International, the fashion label created by Mr. Ean Williams himself, left attendees with a lasting impression of DCFW. His designs incorporated black lace, gold accents, and mesh — telling a story of romance and despair. After the grand finale of Corjor International, Rev. Dr. George E. Holmes presented Mr. Ean Williams with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his commitment to community, fashion, and the greater development of the nation.
Rev. Dr. Holmes shared,“What we witnessed on the 20th anniversary was a culmination of Mr. Ean Williams’s many years dedicated to the D.C. fashion community. He sacrificed and volunteered countless hours to give many Americans an opportunity in the fashion world. Many people benefited from his service in fashion, and this award reflects many Americans like Mr. Ean Williams, who defied the odds and stayed the course while serving others. He gave everything he had to help make other Americans’ dreams come true in fashion; his best is still yet to come! It was an absolute honor to give Dr. Ean Williams the Presidential Lifetime Achievement award on behalf of President Biden because he deserves to be recognized for his contributions to the fashion community.”
About DC Fashion Week
DC Fashion Week was founded in 2004 by Ean Williams, the Executive Director, also known as “Mr. DC Fashion Week”. It’s a full production with many moving parts, from a glam squad to media and press coverage. “My experience at DCFW was amazing. I felt immersed in the fashion world, where many talented people work together as a team to create such a beautiful production. I was on the glam squad doing hair, so it was very fast-paced, but I felt like I challenged myself as a hairstylist and my creativity with hairstyles. The model’s hair/overall looks on both days turned out stunning as they walked down the runway! I’m so happy I was a part of this year’s DCFW!” said Cameron Moore, a professional hairstylist for DCFW and the owner of Bossy Beauty Services.
DCFW is the 5th largest fashion week in the world and continues to serve as an opportunity for fashion enthusiasts to enter the fashion industry. Undoubtedly, after attending, you’ll be exposed to what it takes to make it in fashion, know who’s who, and establish lasting connections. If you couldn’t attend this season’s events, be on the lookout for the Spring/Summer events by following @officialdcfashionweek on Instagram.