Kansas City Fashion Week veterans steal the 2017 Fall/Winter finale spotlight

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com

It was the final night of the 2017 Fall/Winter Collections edition of the Kansas City Fashion Week (KCFW)!

For the grand finale, Kansas City Fashion Week turned to some familiar faces to close out the season. As the KCFW audience took their seats, they found the latest issue of Vintage KC. This magazine focuses on the most recent trends in home, fashion, and DIY. After an introduction from KCFW President, Teisha Barber, she introduced us to first-time emcee and KMBC 9 News Anchor Emily Welsh.

 

Ms. Welsh introduced Project Runway alum Michael Drummond’s latest collection. I liked Michael’s color palette, which included black, white, and red velvet. Some of the outfits also added sparkles of metallic gold and silver. Several of my fellow fashion bloggers also pointed out that the hair team of Ashley Marie Hazelwood, Alyce Walters, and Lis Harland did a spectacular job with the models’ hair and helped Michael deliver a successful collection.

Tomboy was the next brand to present their collection. Tomboy is an independent designer whose mission is to create sustainable and long-lasting clothing to be wearable for years to come. Tomboy had beautiful color combinations such as black, white, and green & black and lavender.  I thought that Tomboy’s designs were very appealing on the eyes and I believe that any independent woman would be proud to wear these outfits.

 

One designer that blew me away was Barbara Bultman. The Saint Louis designer’s clothes were inspired by stuff “all around her and issues that affect the world.” Barbara’s collection was one of the most collections that have ever appeared on the KCFW runway. I thought it was very thought out, well executed, and she correctly used Earth tone colors that would satisfy fashionistas at all levels. Her collection was the biggest surprise of the season, and it was the first time this season that I got chills from a collection.

 

christianMICHEAL presented two collections at the KCFW Fall/Winter finale. His men’s collection is for the modern man who is either fashion conscientious or adventurous and bold. I applaud some of the designs, and I admit I would wear some of his clothes, but I do not see any of my CrossFit friends wearing several of these outlandish clothes. Hopefully, these designs would take LA, NYC, and the Hamptons by storm.

 

Earlier that evening, I had the opportunity to view Georgina Herrera’s outstanding jewelry set. The metallic jewelry line was made from sterling silver and rose gold. All these stunning pieces that the models wore are red carpet ready, and I think that celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Lady Gaga, and Taraji P. Henson would turn heads with these pieces of jewelry.

The House of Cochon is a longtime Kansas City Fashion Week veteran.  However, I was rendered speechless when I saw their collection. One of my fellow bloggers told me that it was their collection reminded them if the biblical story of Adam and Eve took place on the runway instead of the Garden of Eden.

One designer that does not disappoint at KCFW is Lucia’s Sarto. Every time that Nataliya Meyer brings her custom sewing clothing to the runway, she elevates every outfit to the next level. She debuted her ready-to-wear collection, and it was a great surprise. I could see Ms. Meyer’s line take off in the wealthy suburbs of Johnson County, Scottsdale, the Hamptons, LA, and Orange County. I also thought that her products looked great with Dolyn Bags.

christianMICHEAL closed out the season as he debuted his highly anticipated women’s collection. christianMICHEAL’s designs were made for bad ass women, and I could see some of my generation’s top starlets such as Jessie J, Miley Cyrus, and Rihanna wear these dominatrix-like outfits. Now, would these designs work in the Midwest…possibly? But, I guarantee that if he takes his line to LA, Miami, or Las Vegas, it would instant sell out.

For more of my coverage of the Kansas City Fashion Week finale, head over to my Facebook page.