Celebrating diversity and creativity in fashion

Credit: Kiara Gomes

By Najma Hussein

On Thursday, Sept. 28, Black Fashion Week MN’s stunning Brown Girl Magic Fashion Show, held at The Foshay, captivated Minneapolis. In addition to engaging fashion consumers, this event highlighted the remarkable skills of black designers with a unique twist — it included the creative work of students from St. Kate’s!

The Brown Girl Magic Fashion Show celebrated diversity and creativity in every way. It highlighted black designers, providing them with a deserved platform to present their own designs and perspectives. This event emphasized the power of fashion as a means of empowerment and self-expression in a society where diversity and inclusion are crucial.

St. Kate’s students Maimuna Kolley (left) and Mikayla Roper (right). *Credit: Kiara Gomes*

St. Kate’s student designers Kiara Gomes ‘25 (Fashion Design/International Studies, Sustainability Studies minor) and Victoria Gezel ‘27 (Fashion Design) not only contributed their innovative ideas but also had the opportunity to walk the runway, demonstrating their dedication to pushing boundaries and making a name for themselves in the fashion industry.

The event was a huge success, drawing a diverse crowd and even a full house! “There was a really good turnout,” Gomes shared. “The show was sold out and there were five other designers, including myself, showing in the entire show. And so I think there was a really good turnout for diverse people — it wasn’t just black people there. It was everyone, and I met some cool people, and I met other designers who are in the same boat as me.”

Gomes will now focus on planning for Katwalk in the spring and designing her outfits. “I’m showing my senior line [in Katwalk]. I’m not graduating as a senior, but I’m doing it this year,” Gomes says. “So that [will include] five looks that I’m concepting and designing right now, and I’m going to continue to execute that throughout this entire year.”

The Brown Girl Magic Fashion Show demonstrated how the fashion industry can unite people from different backgrounds to celebrate and appreciate their ability and creativity. It presented an essential message about the unity and power that diversity can bring to the runway, serving as an iconic moment of the importance of inclusiveness and representation in fashion.