September is one of the most important months on the global fashion calendar, beginning with New York Fashion Week, where top designers unveil their spring ready-to-wear collections. In the weeks that follow, the spotlight moves to Paris, Milan, London and other major fashion capitals.
Now, with the launch of the Milwaukee Fashion Foundation – created by the team behind Milwaukee Fashion Week – Milwaukee is making its case to join the conversation and carve out a place on the fashion map.
Milwaukee Fashion Week is launching the new initiative, founded by its former president Francisca Rodriguez, to further invest in the development of local talent working in the fashion industry.
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The fourth annual event since rebooting in 2022 will showcase local designers from Sept. 26-28. Led by a board of designers, stylists, media and more working in and around the fashion industry, the organization puts a spotlight on local creatives by holding runway shows, panels and events to engage and immerse the community in fashion. Now, rather than being an entity of its own, Milwaukee Fashion Week will exist under the Milwaukee Fashion Foundation as an annual fundraiser for its year-round programming.
Registered as a 501(c)(3), the foundation plans to serve as an incubator for up-and-coming designers in the city and as a launching point for more established businesses already working within the industry. Current partners include Stacy Adams, Mount Mary University, the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Potawatomi Casino Hotel and Visit Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Fashion Week board members have spent years cultivating the city’s fashion community and supporting the professionals who live and work here. While Milwaukee isn’t widely recognized as a fashion hub, organizers believe it holds an abundance of untapped potential.
“Milwaukee has so many hidden talents, and we want to help bring them to the forefront, helping them cultivate their disciplines and grow their brands,” board president Jeffrey McAllister says.
The Milwaukee Fashion Foundation board hopes that this fund will provide crucial resources – both educational and financial – to bolster local talent, whether they’re working professionally in the industry already or looking to break in through their own projects. The board also hopes that providing this support will encourage local talent to stay in Milwaukee and expand work opportunities.
This year, Milwaukee Fashion Week events will take place across three venues: the Milwaukee Public Museum, The Rivulet and Milwaukee City Hall. Fashion runways will feature works from local designers, stylists, and models, showcasing both couture and streetwear.
Tickets for the high-fashion showcase on Sept. 26 and the streetwear showcase on Sept. 27 are available for purchase on the Milwaukee Fashion Week website, while the Milwaukee City Hall event, held in conjunction with Doors Open MKE, is free and open to the public.
