Caitlin: Crossroads Fashion Show “Summer in Spain” Turns Eleven Saturday

Looking for a bit of weekend fun that involves…

a) a well-established, KC actor?  [Walter Coppage, check]

and

b) a local artist/reality TV star? [Peregrine Honig, check]

Did I mention it’s free?

Then don’t miss Kansas City’s 11th annual

West 18th Street Fashion Show

on Saturday.

Nestled between Baltimore Avenue and Wyandotte Street, an impressive outdoor runway and spectator section will pop up. And while stage crews work adeptly at their construction on the street, models and designers will mill in and out of the studio space above, all preparing to showcase their latest art and fashion designs, beginning promptly at dusk.

Dusk, you ask?

Precisely. Not to be confused with twilight or sunset. Regardless, this old English indication of time simply sounds intriguing. Mysterious and enchanting.

Every year, the show features 18 collections, collections chosen by a selection committee for their elements of ingenuity and cutting-edge design. This Saturday’s show, titled Summer in Spain, naturally includes talent that hails from diverse locals— from artists born in Lawrence and Kansas City to Puerto Rico and the Ukraine.

None of the innovative collections are to be missed.

Last year, I saw a multitude of brilliant pieces up-close as a model in the West 18th Street Show, and this year, I am equally excited to watch the show as a spectator, experiencing the full-on, finished product.

So what are some of the collections I can’t wait to see? I recently spoke with co-coordinator Peregrine Honig and Lawrence designer Jenny Hunt for a bit of insight.

Eli Borrowman

Borrowman teaches foundation arts and sewing construction at the Illinois Institute of Art in Schaumburg. “Eli’s collection is really dramatic, almost costumey,” Honig says. “I am excited to feature the work of a Chicago applicant, and Eli’s participation has been thorough—she was able to make it to all of the meetings and rehearsals from out of town.”

Eli’s work is culturally inspired. For this collection, Borrowman has melded her own heritage and personal narrative with traditional activities of Spain, this year’s theme.

Jenny Hunt Katie Coble

Coble, Maryland Institute College of Art Fibers Graduate, and Hunt, University of Kansas Textile Design student, have teamed together for their West 18th Street collection.

“Katie and I first met in Baltimore (Maryland Institute College of Art),” says Hunt. “Initially, we were brought together by our Midwestern connection—Katie is from Kansas City and I am from Lawrence. We would always talk back and forth about our projects, so this collaboration came very naturally.”

The team, influenced by Barcelona’s street art and cultural landmarks, like Park Guell and Market la Boqueria, created a collection that involves structural, felt pieces that will rearrange, shift, and morph on the runway, revealing colorful, bright hand-printed fabric underneath.

“All of the drippy shapes and vibrant colors of Barcelona are present in my patterns,” says Hunt. “For our final piece, I took color inspiration from the deep, natural hues of fruits and vegetables at the marketplace simplified into shapes.”

For additional show and participant information, check out http://westeighteenthstreet.com