Above the runway, string lights shimmered over the trees. The sound of light chatter filled Poplar Street. Children squealed along the wide sidewalks. Behind the curtains, designers moved quickly to put the finishing touches on their work. As the night got colder, the crowd only grew, people huddling together for warmth. In front of the crowd sat a large blue sign glowing with the letters “MFW.”
The second-annual Macon Fashion Week flooded downtown with fashion enthusiasts and families alike last Friday. Designers presented their takes on the “Urban Runway” finale to cap off a weeklong celebration of Macon’s fashion scene.
Around 8:20 p.m., MFW producer Susannah Maddox opened the show by saying the production was “fashionably late” for its 8 p.m. start time. Then she revealed the first designer, Diane Jackson. Her crocheted pieces drew awe from the crowd. As the night grew dark, the audience kept chattering as the models kept walking. One group in particular let out piercing screams as their favorite model crossed the stage.
Kiaira Jackson, 30, modeled for the show’s closing
Kiaira Jackson, 30, modeled for the show’s closing designer Quitman Alexander. Jackson started modeling at five years old by doing shows locally. During her college years at Albany State University, she joined Fresh Life, a modeling troupe on campus. It was then that she sought the runway.
“I feel like it’s an amazing honor [to model for Alexander],” Jackson said. “He has an eye for fashion and style.”
Alexander is a Macon native focused on special occasion and formal wear. He told The Cluster before the show that he hopes to inspire local kids to pursue careers in the arts.
A model walks down the runway during MFW’s Urban Runway Presentation on Nov 5.
McKell Bond, 45, has been designing since he
McKell Bond, 45, has been designing since he was 19 years old after shifting his drawing skills from cartoon to fashion design. After getting a degree in Fashion Merchandising and Apparel Design at Georgia Southern University, he moved around before landing in the Macon area. This was his first MFW. His collection mixes vintage and modern looks with an additional flair.
“I wanted to put some Southern soul into it,” Bond said. “It’s like a cross between Creole and things of that nature.”
Yesha Mistry, 18 and a volunteer for MFW, is currently taking a gap year to explore all things fashion. She explained that being backstage helped her realize how much time and effort goes into a fashion show. She couldn’t pinpoint a favorite design, but she did lean towards a specific style.
I do anything that’s flowy, Mistry said
“I do anything that’s flowy,” Mistry said. “All the designers that had something flowy were my favorite.”
As her second time coming to the event, NewTown Macon CEO Jessica Walden said the runway was special for downtown, specifically for Muscogee designer Millie Bigler.
“Who knew that 200 years later,” Walden said, “we would see indigenous fashion go down the middle of Poplar Street in the heart of Downtown Macon in the original land, land in which these fashions were founded?”
Macon’s Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
Macon’s Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park is a core ancestral hub for Muscogee people. Bigler’s feature as a MFW designer paid homage to the city’s heritage.
That was the soul of MFW’s Urban Runway. From local designers to crocheted pieces and Indigenous designs, MFW’s Urban Runway showed that Macon’s fashion scene is as much about celebrating its roots as it is about shaping its future.
