Midwest Fashion Week 2014 Preview

New York isn’t the only place you can spot high-end fashion and the latest trends. Indianapolis is making its mark in the world of fashion during Midwest Fashion Week, which offers seven days of fashion-related events. In sensible Midwest style, its mission is to connect the dots between couture and everyday clothing, says Berny Martin, who launched the semi-annual week of events in 2006. Martin is the creator of fashion line Catou.

Midwest Fashion Week left Chicago last weekend; now, seven days have been exclusively set aside here for designers, fashion photographers, and models to showcase their talents. Starting tonight, models will strut their stuff on the runway during live fashion shows.

This week’s events will feature 14 regional, national, and international designers (some from Nigeria, Haiti, and India) as they show off their 2014 fall and winter collections. Some of the designers have been featured in other shows such as FUSE New York Fashion Week and Emerge! at New York Fashion Week.

Not only will you have a great view of current pieces, they come in a wide variety of styles. Formal wear, accessories, handmade items, and children’s clothing will take the spotlight as models grace the catwalk.

Both spring and fall events donate a portion of their proceeds to local charities. Four years ago, $70,000 was donated to Down Syndrome Indiana.

Monday’s and Tuesday’s events took over the Jazz Kitchen with topics of garment production and runway hair. Wednesday gave the audience a tiny taste of fashion and entertainment during brief runway shows and live music performances. Thursday through Saturday will feature celebrity guests and full-length shows of the designer’s collections at the Artsgarden (above Washington & Illinois Streets). For the full lineup, click here.

Look for our update on Friday’s runway event this weekend.