After a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Magic City Fashion Week is set to return. This year, the collaboration of art and fashion will run from June 9 to June 12.
Founded in 2017 by Daniel Grier, the mission of Magic City Fashion Week is to cultivate, connect, and showcase the artistic community of Birmingham through fashion.
Now in its fourth season, Magic City Fashion Week has returned with an expanded team and the most robust season of programming in two years. This year’s theme is “The World is Watching.”
Grier described this year’s theme in a live video last month on the the Magic City Fashion Week Instagram account.
“When people have had big campaigns and things and when people have wanted to bring a lot of people together to build community, to have focus and attention to something, they typically used the mantra, “The world is Watching,” said Grier.
Birmingham has been “watched forever” by the world for its history, from its booming iron industry to its competition with nearby cities, said Grier. And with a local news cycle saturated with crime and Alabama Football, the fashion designer and creative director said generating publicity around his projects related to creativity and art has been difficult.
“So, I found that with ‘The World is Watching,’ we would just build all of those things ourselves,” said Grier. “We’ll be intentional about connecting with who we need to connect with and building community partners. And the world will start to watch us for things that are positive.”
Two of this year’s biggest achievements: exhibitions, such as a sari presentation, that showcase fashion culture from all over the world and a new partner– the Birmingham Museum of Art.
“It’s a great thing for me as a Black man at my age to be able to come into the museum, see myself reflected, feel like there is programming and things around me, and feel like there’s that allyship with the museum. I’ve always wanted to have my art there.”
In a series of Instagram live talks leading up to Magic City Fashion week, Grier discussed how the organization places a strong emphasis on the development of emerging designers, finding community partners, and using fashion as a vehicle for change. In addition to the Birmingham Museum of Art, this year’s partners include basic., a slow fashion and ethical design company, Forecast Salon, and community based sew-up, Bib & Tucker Sew-Op. This year, Magic City Fashion Week has partnered with Bib & Tucker and the Birmingham Museum of Art to showcase its Recycle Runway project– a sustainable fashion showcase featuring looks sewn and designed by Birmingham-area students.
Planning to attend Magic City Fashion Week? Here’s what you need to know.
TICKETS
General admission for Magic City Fashion week is free. VIP tickets, which are available for June 9 and 10, are $75 for an individual day, and $125 for both days. VIP grants patrons access to priority seating (general admission is standing room only), a VIP-only lounge, a swag bag, and complimentary snacks and beverages. VIP tickets are available at on the Magic City Fashion Week website.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
(Note: All events at the Birmingham Museum of Art will run from 5 to 8 p.m.)
Thursday, June 9
A Different World, The Birmingham Museum of Art
Season IV of Magic City Fashion Week resumes on June 9 with “A Different World,” an immersive fashion and art collaboration hosted by Forecast Salon and basic.The evening will feature dance performances, runway shows, and a cocktail hour.
Friday, June 10
Emerging Designer Runway Competition/ Art After Five, The Birmingham Museum of Art
In partnership with the BMA’s Art After Five evening series, Splashed by DKG presents the 4th Annual Emerging Designer Runway Competition featuring workshops, shows from previous winners and established designers, fashion pop ups, and grand finale events to find the next top brand. Six designers— Darry Peoples of Heru Ra Collections, Rachel Reilley, Aaliyah Taylor of Exalting Beauty, James O. White, Julie Maeseele, and Pyper of the Pyper Collection– will compete for bragging rights and a prize package worth $10,000 to further their career. The competition will also feature presentations from previous competition winners Kenya Buchanan, the creative designer of Kenya B. Collection and Kelechi Mitchell of Calechie Womenswear .
Saturday, June 11
The 2022 Pride Parade
In partnership with Central Alabama Pride, Magic City Fashion Week will join the 2022 Pride Parade in Lakeview. MCFW encourages attendees are encouraged to wear clothing that speaks to a cause they are passionate about; specifically in regards to inclusivity, equality, and human rights.
Sunday, June 12
Central Alabama PrideFest
Magic City Fashion Week and Central Alabama PrideFest will collaborate to round out a weekend of fashion, art, culture and unity.
