On December 1st, Memphians will be transported to the rainforest as models take to the runway in exotic and elegant looks at Cossitt Library. Some of them will be literary-themed, harkening to genres and books; some will be high-fashion, while others will be streetwear. All will be a part of the third-ever Category Fashion Show, presented by designer Demi Blvck, this year in support of the Memphis Library Foundation (MLF).
Of his choice to partner with MLF, Blvck says, “I felt like I had a different story to tell” — one being that, in between designing for Miss Universe, New York Fashion Week, LA Fashion Week, the upcoming Paris Fashion Week, and the like, he also “low-key, I mean, low-key” writes short stories. One of these stories is set in a rainforest, about a panther, the king of the jungle, whose unorthodox romance with a serpent becomes the center of unwanted gossip, hence the rainforest theme. “I felt like this show was the perfect way to introduce to the world that I’ve written stories for years, but I’ve always kept it to myself,” Blvck says.
The fashion show will also kick off Cossitt Library’s fashion literacy education program that came about from listening to the needs of patrons, says Brian Lyles, director of Cossitt Library. “It will feature a diverse range of fashion-related events and activities, including sewing classes, T-shirt printing workshops, AI-driven fashion design courses, dedicated areas for merchandise entrepreneurship, financial literacy in the fashion industry, and more.”
Blvck will lend a hand in the implementation of the program. With so many experiences under his belt, he says he wants other Memphians to know about the possibilities in fashion and to have access to gaining those skills. Having learned his own design skills from his mom and “YouTube University,” he never imagined having the career he has for himself, especially since his first time “designing” was hand-sewing sleeves on shirts he bought from Walmart to better fit trends, he says.
Blvck’s desire to give back is also how the Category Fashion Show got started. “I wanted to bring a show to Memphis that felt something like the Met Gala. I design couture, and a lot of designers in Memphis don’t do that, so it’s just good to show that side of things,” he says. “But I also wanted it to be a platform for new designers. That’s very important to me because when I first started designing, I really didn’t have those platforms.”
This year’s designers are Maximus Jewels, Fovrce, Unconvent, Brezerk Clothing, and K.O. Designs, with Blvck headlining, of course. Reserve your spot on the wait-list or purchase a VIP ticket at tinyurl.com/433bddpm. VIP tickets include priority seating, a pre-show lounge, a cocktail experience, hors d’oeuvres, a gift bag, meet and greet, and red carpet experience. The attire is high-fashion rainforest.
The Category Fashion Show: The Library Collection, Cossitt Library, 33 South Front Street, Sunday, December 1, 6 p.m., free/general admission, $50/VIP.