The warehouse turned gallery and runway was a first for Austin Fashion Week. It created a space where Austin creatives and style influencers could convene.

Story by Liam Alteneder

Photos by Maya Coplin

As the 10th annual Austin Fashion Week wrapped up last Saturday, ORANGE attended an event showcasing local designers benefiting Dell Children’s Medical Center.

As part of the 4th largest fashion week in the U.S., this year’s Friday show featured a 92-foot runway lined with roughly 400 seats, as well as a surrounding gallery. Matt Swinney, founder of Austin Fashion Week, says that it’s the “non-homogeneous style” of Austin that has made this week so successful.

The runway show starred the likes of Project Runway alumnus, Gunnar Deatherage, Austin crowd favorite, Katie Kime and many more. Deatherage’s collection showed pieces with an industrial feel, while utilizing a shade of orange often seen at construction sites and has been  popular in recent streetwear trends. Kime’s runway pieces made full use of the prints she is so popular for, including a runway backdrop she designed specifically for her collection.

One of the standout pieces of the night was created by designer Dan Richters. The dress featured molded faces on the hips of a dress, nearly resembling a human gargoyle. The design was in white or black and green, and summed up his entire, royal collection.

Notably, designer AmberLeaf featured Tabia Kocks, a model with Down Syndrome, in her three look collection for both Friday and Saturday’s runway shows. With the fashion industry under critique for its frequent exclusion and lack of diversity, it was a testament to Austin and its designers, showing that inclusion starts here.