Do a little turn on the catwalk

Saskatchewan Fashion Week brings the big city runway to the prairies

Haute Topic
Ashley Kilback
Contributor

Saskatchewan isn’t just the small province on the prairies anymore – it’s a runway of opportunities.

Saskatchewan Fashion Week (SFW) began as a vision for opportunity within the province from Candyce Bakke, Chelsea O’Connell, and Chris Pritchard. They collaborated together to create an event that will have the spotlight shining brightly upon the future of Saskatchewan Fashion.

“It’s about creating a network that will inspire individuals locally,” Bakke said. “Everyone always thinks that in order to be successful in the fashion industry they need to move away elsewhere. Our main vision is to change that by allowing people to recognize the calibre of talent we have and to encourage them to stay here.”

The theme for this year’s show is “Cultivating Creativity.” Inspired by the mindset of Saskatchewan’s rooted culture, it’s about taking what was built here before our time and instead of changing it, taking these opportunities to the next step and working together to grow our fashion industry.

“It’s not about trying to be like Toronto or New York,” O’Connell said. “We don’t want to take away from what our province represents. With SFW, we want to build down the walls of our industry and instead of competing against each other; we can build a strong industry by working together.”

Saskatchewan Fashion Week is scheduled to take place from May 10-12 at the City Square Plaza located in Downtown Regina. There will be 30 local designers showcasing their talents and launching their collections for the spring/summer season.

This year’s show will have a variety of ready-to-wear street wear garments, gowns, couture pieces, and much more. Each night will be based on a specific theme that will showcase fashions for men, women, and children. This event gives individuals the opportunity to come take part in our growing fashion industry and become aware of the local talent that our community has to offer.

Aside from the fashion show, there will also be a number of events that will be going on throughout the weekend. The SWAG Lounge is to host 10 exclusive vendors that will provide patrons with opportunities to shop, experience, or sample their products. This will be bolstered by performances from Saskatchewan Express and other local bands, as well as a live canvas art show that will be taking place during the runway shows.

But unless you think SFW is just about putting on a a good party, the SFW committee said they are dedicated to helping individuals that want to pursue a career in fashion, hair, make-up, modelling, and photography.

“The people that are putting themselves out there to commit to this level of volunteering are amazing mentors,” Bakke said. “If you need a mentor for this industry, we would be happy to introduce you in all the areas.”

Saskatchewan Fashion week is also meant to be an event where you can have the opportunity to showcase your own talent and style. It’s not about showing up in the latest designer piece, but being creative and putting an outfit together that makes you unique in your own way. It was created to be an inclusive event for all to experience the great opportunities that this province has for individuals wanting to pursue a career in the fashion industry.

To purchase your tickets or to find out how to become involved in Saskatchewan Fashion Week, visit saskfashionweek.com.