The first ever Hartford Fashion Week put Union Station’s woefully underutilized Great Hall into use this weekend, temporarily converting dead space into a showcase for local designers.
Plentitude Design Group, based in Bridgeport, kicked off the show with its evening wear.
Hartford Denim Company, now calling itself HarDenCo, showed its designs on Friday following a ten minute video featuring Fela Kuti. Thirty seconds-to-one minute of it would have sufficed to set the mood. A few minutes in, everyone was looking at their phones or trying to find an exit.
Rounding out the first night: La’Moo Designs from New Britain. Polka dots wove together this wearable collection.
Saturday’s runway included Troy Anthony Fashion, de Muerte, FemmeGod (Hartford-based), and Matthew Reisman (Connecticut-based). Sunday’s afternoon show featured RoundTable, Royal Cuffs, Years Of Progress (Connecticut-based), AER Collections (Hartford-based), Funkenomics, and Saints by SJ.
The International Institute of Cosmetology provided hair and make up services for the three-day event. Leading up to the main event, there was a launch party, panel discussion, movie screening, and mini runway expo.
There are some details to iron out before fashion week returns — namely, ticketing and ushering procedures (number the seats before the doors open, scan the QR code provided on the e-ticket, have more than one usher) — but sold out runway shows for an inaugural event look promising for the future.
The Hartford Fashion Week committee put together a quality production, showcasing current local talent, using an existing facility.