The First Ever Missouri Fashion Week
After looking at several corporate-type buildings around St. Louis, Cillah Hall moved her firm, Xanadu Public Relations, from St. Charles to the CWE over a year ago. She was happy to find a unique studio space in the neighborhood and as she said, “The energy felt right. I’ve traveled around the world and the CWE has that vibe and cultural diversity I find so appealing.” Cillah, who’s from Zambia, went to boarding school in England before returning home to attend an English boarding school there. She was first runner-up in a Miss Zambia contest---the winner went on to become Miss Universe--and though she was terribly disappointed at the time, she says her life would have turned out much differently if she had won. She has been in St. Louis for 17 years and loves the p.r. business, representing a variety of clients such as Mercy (formerly St. John’s Hospital), Cardinal player Matt Holliday’s Golf Classic, and former NFL player Roland Williams, who will appear at Saturday’s show. Cillah also launched a national p.r. campaign for the Pujols Family Foundation. For the past year Cillah and Kristy Lee (KLee Productions) have been working hard to put Missouri Fashion Week together. Cillah said the four-night event (next Weds. through Fri.) is just like putting on four weddings backto-back. Developer Steve Smith’s Moto Museum (the title sponsor of the event) has proven to be the perfect venue for MOFW as it holds up to 600 people and is part of Grand Center, the Arts and Entertainment Center of St. Louis. Cillah’s prior experience with fashion events was at the St. Charles Fashion Week, owned by Streetscape Magazine (media sponsor of MOFW), which she helped produce for four years. She watched the St. Charles event grow to the point that the fashion designers were looking for more, something bigger, and that’s why Missouri Fashion Week was launched. Are you as surprised as I was to learn there are 7 schools in Missouri that have fashion design programs? Every graduate’s dream (of course) is to move to New York or L.A. (Project Runway scouts for talent coming out of these design departments too.) But since living and working in the Midwest is less expensive, and because fashion designers
History Makers:
are now able to find buyers for their creations wherever they live, many stay put. However these artists need encouragement and a platform to show their talents. The more opportunities to do so, the stronger our region becomes as a fashion design center. When word got out that Missouri Fashion Week was taking place in St. Louis applications came from across Missouri, Chicago, Kansas City and as far away as San Diego. The four-night event will feature a total of 20 designers with five showing at least 15 creations each night. Each night has a different theme such as Thursday’s “Street Trends” to Friday’s “Art and Glam,” and also supports a different local non-profit organization---the Meagan Meyer Organization and Connections to Success for example. Saturday’s non-profit, Studio Place, helps children living in difficult situations design their own clothing. Everything is arranged ahead of time so the designers can concentrate on what they do best---presenting their fabulous designs to the public. There are approximiately 50 people behindthe-scenes who will make each evening run smoothly. Cillah’s team consists of 5 interns and 15 volunteers, the runway models have a hair team of 6-7 stylists, there’s a make-up team, dressers, etc. etc. For those who may be unaware that St. Louis was once a major fashion hub (along Washington Avenue downtown), the YouTube video on the following page is full of information about the upcoming event and how Missouri Katrina Bennett earned both a BFA and MA in Fashion Design. Her label is called Fashion Week is helping St. Louis “Katrina Z’Chori,” (above). revisit its history. Peter Kinder, Missouri Lt. Governor, will be attended opening night to present a proclamation recognizing next week as Missouri Fashion Week.
Missouri Fashion Week co-founders Kristy Lee and Cillah Hall receiving proclamation from Lieutenant Governor Peter King (top right)
Story byNicki Dwyer Photography by: Cillah Hall
Pictured: Cillah Hall
Missouri Fashion Week is not affiliated St. Louis native Sherrell Hall started her with Alive Magazine’s St. Louis Fashion line “Adiktion,” above, in 2003 (right) Week.
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www.simplyelevate.com
www.simplyelevate.com
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