Photos & Words by Carly Sioux

Williamsburg Fashion Weekend, presented by Glasslands Gallery,  is where art meets fashion…and music. Founder and curator Arthur Arbit created WFW as a platform for emerging designers who create hand made, one-of –a-kind garments (or small collections) that emphasize fair-trade and eco-friendliness. The uniqueness of WFW goes beyond the exploration of designers who address social and environmental issues: what’s most compelling  is its presentation and delivery; these high-art threads are accompanied on stage with live music sets, spoken-word, and performance art. The models  are not hangers but instead radiate personality and a rocker attitude. There’s no catwalk, BMW sponsorships, or flimsy girls. It’s a circus with art, music and fashion and at Williamsburg Fashion Weekend one cannot be differentiated from another.

The Talent:

Marcus Hicks’s SDN is a grunge/glam, 1920s hipster inspired line that uses upcycled clothes and vintage fabrics. SDN was joined by a live performance with Brooklyn based Bad Credit No Credit, an Avant-Garde Jazz band. VON exploded on stage with fantastic colors and feathery embellishments. By far the most imaginative, VON models appeared as fanciful birds from a surrealist story tale. Other designers from Friday’s show included Noname Collective, Saddle Tramps Collection and King Gurvy who utilizes recycled artwork to create his spring 2011 line.