On Sept. 26, Milwaukee Fashion Week kicked off its jam-packed weekend with a high-fashion showcase at the Milwaukee Public Museum. They transformed the classic Milwaukee venue into a stage for the artistry of eight distinct designers. Each brand sent collections down a four-sided runway that highlighted the diverse backgrounds, inspirations and visions of the designers.
The night was hosted by WISN 12 anchor Gerron Jordan, who kept the energy flowing between shows with warm conversation and humor. He engaged the audience and chatted with designers after their final walks. Milwaukee’s best dressed showed up in support of the city’s emerging talent. Cheers erupted for models as they strutted down the runway confidently, while designers received warm embraces and ovations.
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Fitting for a night at the museum, the showcase followed the theme “The Archive.” Fashion, like history, exists in cycles. It constantly revisits and references the past while imagining new futures. Couture itself, derived from the French word for dressmaking, has always been a dialogue between preservation and reinvention – the preservation of techniques, stories and traditions alongside the creation of something wholly new and specific to a designer’s point of view.
Each of the evening’s collections captured this duality, reflecting Milwaukee’s spirit: layered, multicultural and multifaceted.
One of the standout collections came from designer, artist and entrepreneur Nohemí Chávez Contreras, whose collection drew directly from the history and heritage of Mexico. Bright, bold and storied, her pieces were steeped in tradition yet unmistakably contemporary. Recognizable silhouettes were reimagined with her signature style, blending past and present into something both timeless and fresh. In her remarks following the show, Chávez Contreras explained that she wanted to “pull the best of the best” from Mexico’s fashion across eras, tracing its evolution while honoring the richness of its history. The result was a collection that felt like both a living archive and a love letter to her culture.
“It was important for me to tell this story – to preserve tradition, honor Mexican artistry, and help the next generation understand where they come from,” Chávez Contreras said. “You can be as fashion-forward as possible while still maintaining your roots and identity.”
Similarly, Samuel Graham Jr. unveiled looks from his label Sam Graham Avant-Garde, presenting a menswear collection that radiated confidence and individuality. Each look embodied the spirit of dandyism a style recently highlighted at the 2025 Met Gala, where the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” celebrated the tradition of dapper dressing pioneered and popularized by Black men.
His designs elevated classic tailoring with daring twists: bold matching sets, luxurious fur accents, and silhouettes that challenged convention while remaining rooted in elegance.
Every designer’s collection told a distinct story. Also showcased that night were Faith Finfrock, designer of The Realm, whose work was inspired by ren faire culture; Calleigh Lim of Limitless Designs; Ana Popa, representing her self-named brand; Suzanne Seilers of Zoe Designs; Aspen Sweet with their self-named brand; and Stephanie Schultz of Silversark.
Some mined cultural memory, others reinterpreted traditional craftsmanship, while still others pushed toward futurism. Together, they created a collective narrative of fashion as an archive, and the show proved Milwaukee Fashion Week’s role in shaping a fashion canon for Wisconsin and the region as a whole.
Links to each designer’s socials can be found here.
