As the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week tents were being taken down by IMG robots in New York, members of the Dallas indie fashion community were prepping for their own runway show -- the stress being on "their own." The Pin Show, a locally produced and run fashion showcase complete with VIP options, tables full of buyers loosened up on pre-show cocktails and sponsorships from big-name local modeling agencies, went down for the second time last Thursday.
The production graduated from its beginnings at The Door Dallas in July to the glamourous Union Station. Including all comers and participants -- retailers, buyers, models, photographers, and the awed general public -- attendance was close to 1200, Pin Show co-founder Rachel Nichelson tells us. Ticket holders saw over 135 looks by 26 budding and established local designers (Tara Tonini and Megan Mucci among them), worn by independent or up-and-coming signed models.
Nichelson, creator of the whimsical clothing line Madeline Wood (and that fierce gold costume worn by Midlake's Eric Nichelson -- Rachel's husband -- on The Trials of Van Occupanther album cover) hopes that the general public who came won't be shy about searching for work by their favorite designers featured in the show.
"It's not like you can go to Dillard's and say, 'Do you carry Madeline Wood?'" Nichelson laughs. But the shops that support local designers, like sponsors Circa 77 in Denton and Dallas' Indigo 1745, are the shops you wanna be at anyway. Nichelson, co-conspirator Julie McCullough Kim and company plan to help Dallas make that point again in September with another installment of The Pin Show.
Join the mailing list to find out how you can get involved. See the featured looks shot on styled sets here.
