The Garment District celebrates Its’ one year anniversary

The Garment District Celebrates Its One Year Anniversary
This Thursday, Feb. 24, will be the one-year-anniversary of the Garment District Boutique. With discounts on clothing, giveaways, VIP goodies and personal styling sessions, The Garment District is celebrating their anniversary in style.

Located in the Power & Light District at 1350 Main St., The Garment District brings the work of many local designers and regional retailers to one place. It is a collective of nine boutiques, and in a three-story building, it’s almost like a shopping mall. In the center of everything is a large concrete bar where guests can mingle. It has a lofty feel, with wooden floors, large windows and stone accent walls. Here, people can check out new collections, purchase clothing, or just chill.

“The Power & Light District was already a destination from an entertainment perspective; now it’s a destination for the entire weekend,” said Randall Schneck, the general manager of the Garment District Boutique. Indeed with tons of designer clothing and a bar inside, the Garment District is a one-stop-shop. Designers represented at the Garment District include: Label, Two Chic Boulevard, Denim Couture, City Girl Boutique, Reign, Imagery, Christian Michael and Zani Guggleman, to name just a few.

“We have accessories for as low as $5, and clothing starts at $25,” said Schneck. With prices ranging from $5 to $500, there is going to be something to match just about anyone’s wallet. And if you want the full experience, the Garment District offers a unique “personal shopping” experience. This entails a full makeover with the assistance of a stylist and complimentary drinks, of course.

“It’s a different concept, certainly unusual for downtown,” Schneck said. But, this “different concept” has fit in well with its counterparts in the Power & Light District. In addition to its normal business hours, the Garment District holds “Fashion Fridays,” similar to First Fridays in the art district, on the third Friday of every month. During these events, people can view various established and up-and-coming designer’s collections. This keeps the public up to date on what local designers are doing and keeps fashion alive in Kansas City.

After World War I, Kansas City’s Garment District was booming. During the 1940s fashion was so prominent in Kansas City that one out of every seven women in the U.S. purchased clothing that was made in Kansas City. Thousands of women in Kansas City were employed in the fashion industry during that time, and it was the second largest employer in the area. The new Garment District Boutique is paying homage to Kansas City’s rich fashion history.


A full list of events for this week are as follows:
February 23rd 3pm – 7pm Happy hour including specialty drinks and 15% off your entire purchase
February 24th 7pm – 9pm The 1 year Anniversary Galla with a VIP after party at Mosaic Lounge
February 27th 12pm – 6pm Hangover party featuring Bloody Mary specials

West 18th Street Fashion Show prepares for another year

Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to live in New York, Paris or Milan to become a noticed fashion designer. The West 18th Street Fashion Show is an annual event here in Kansas City that gives local designers a chance to showcase their work. Named after the street that has become one of the largest fashion and art hubs in Kansas City, the West 18th Street Fashion Show has grown greatly in popularity since its beginnings in 2001.

“Every year the stage gets longer, every year there's better designers and the crowds get bigger,” says Davin Watne of Dig It Panties, “Each year the bar is set higher than the year before.” With only 18 designers from the Kansas City metro area chosen to participate from a sea of applicants, it is a complete showcase of Kansas City's finest designers.

“The show has grown so much over the past 10 years, I'm glad to be a part of it,” says Liz Peters, a local designer. “The show has become really exciting.” With turnouts increasing each year, there is no doubt that the West 18th Street Fashion Show will continue to be a success.

“I think the show is great for the community because it brings a lot of unknown designers to the public of Kansas City,” says Meagan Stracy, a local designer and participant in 2010's show. Along with the designers, local jewelry designers, make up artists, and models also get to shine at the event.

The community also shows its support for the event. Businesses within the Kansas City community fund the entire event while the merchants of West 18th Street host it. During the event, West 18th Street between Wyandotte and Baltimore avenues is shut down. Notably, Birdies Panties and Swim Boutique, located on West 18th Street, have taken the lead on hosting the event.

Although the event is held in June, the producers of the West 18th Street Fashion Show are hard at work planning the event for this year. The team of producers consists of experienced professionals in event planning as well as local designers and business owners who have been around since the West 18th Street Fashion Show's infancy.

It was announced Feb. 10 that the theme for this year's fashion show will be “Summer in Spain.” Each designer must use this theme as a reference for the lines they produce. Past themes have included “Summer in Space,” “Summer at Sea” and “A Summer in Wonderland.”

The 2011 show is to be held on June 11 at 8 p.m. There is an open call for all designers interested in being part of this year's show. All submissions must be in by 7 p.m. March 7. For more information about how to register or how to buy tickets for the event visit the West 18th Street Fashion Show's blog at: http://westeighteenthstreet.com/blog/.