Yvonne Fields Designs (Photo Credit Ashleigh Wingfield)
As Designers get closer and closer into presenting their Fall 2015 collection, they are becoming mad about fashion. On Saturday, August 15, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. Baltimore Fashion Week Presents “Mad About Fashion & Africa Art Collective” will take place at the War Memorial in Baltimore.
Designers from Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Illinois will be showcasing their designs. A couple of designers like Omobonike Odegbami, 42, of UNICAS and Ashleigh Wingfield, 24, of Yvonne Fields Designs gave The AFRO an inside scoop on what to expect at the event and their interpretation of being mad about fashion. “Nigerians are mad about fashion,” Odegbami said. “We may not have money to eat, but we look good.”
Wingfield, of Yvonne Fields Designs, said, “It’s something that you eat, sleep, and breath,” adding a paraphrase of the famous line from The Devil Wears Prada, “Fashion is so great because you live your life in it.”
Baltimore Fashion Week, an annual event since 2008, focuses on the theme “Wonderland of Fashion” from August 11-16, as they let designers be in control on what inspiration to bring in their designs. Walt Disney Characters are plastered on the flyers as well as for the fashion show “Mad About Fashion & Africa Art Collective,” as they expect designers to bring their creative energy onto the runway.
“This will be our first launch in Maryland,” said Odegbami from Michigan. Odegbami is a hand-made jewelry designer, who specializes in making ‘French-style’ influenced statement necklaces called UNICAS, which is derived from the Portuguese language meaning unique. She also partners with her close friend Sade Adegboyo from Columbia, MD, as they both opened their online collection in Maryland and Michigan, called UNICAS.
Yvonne Fields Designs (Photo Credit Ashleigh Wingfield)
Odegbami hand makes all of her designs in a way that brings them to life. “We have 10 items that we have not shown anywhere else,” Odegbami said. “It’s going to be very colorful.” She uses a type of fabric called, soutache that allows the quality beading to fall directly along the center of the chest.
She mentions that all of her inspiration comes from life experiences, and what’s captivated her in modern day society. “I’ve never had a traditional wedding,” said Odegbami. “I created this piece called ‘Dream’ because it has always been my dream to walk down the aisle in all-white.”
Odegbami will have her jewelry designs available for purchase at the event. UNICAS custom-made necklaces and sets start at $150.They are also on available on her website unicasfashion.com.
Yvonne Fields Designs (Photo Credit Ashleigh Wingfield)
Ashleigh Wingfield of Yvonne Fields Designs specializes in making custom-made women’s clothing that are sold on yvonnefields.vpweb.com. “I kind of took my inspiration from the new Cinderella movie…manually from the wicked step-mother…I like that she wore a lot of cape dresses. It’s still a very colorful line with a lot of prints that I use as well as drapery.”
Wingfield is from Upper Marlboro, MD. She has a knack for making women feel young, no matter what age they may be. The colors she uses are vibrant, full of leather materials and lavish prints. “I don’t want to put myself in a box, because my mom is in her 50’s…it’s a lot of pieces that she likes, but at the same time my friends are like, “Omg! I love this outfit, I wanna buy that”.”
Yvonne Fields Designs will be available for purchase at the event and start at $45.
The Fashion Umbrella Foundation, an organization that connects the arts community with educational institutions, is putting on Baltimore Fashion Week. Tickets are available for purchase at baltimore-fashionweek.com. Prices range from $30-$60. The show will take place at the War Memorial, 101 N Gay Street, Baltimore, MD.