Spring

2024

The year we sold out two weeks early

The Slow Fashion Festival’s Spring 2024 Fashion Show was a vibrant celebration of craft, community, and conscious creativity, spotlighting a new generation of designers using upcycled materials, ethical practices, and storytelling to reimagine the fashion industry. The evening opened with a panel of local leaders in circular fashion, who explored the intersections of climate action, fiber reuse, social equity, and cultural preservation. This event also marked the release of our second Slow Fashion Festival Zine, a collaborative publication featuring essays, interviews, and visual art that expand on the themes of the show. Every seated guest received a copy, helping us bring the spirit of the festival beyond the runway and into the hands of our community. The runway show that followed showcased bold, sustainable designs rooted in intention and self-expression, challenging throwaway culture and highlighting fashion’s potential as a tool for activism and change.

Our mission has always been to showcase every link in the chain!

Our mission has always been to showcase every link in the chain!

Meet the Designers

76 models walked in this show!

Allie – Avante Ralston – Joseph Daniels – Keelin Saunders – Khammila Shimray – Liam Capobianco – Nmandu Nicole – Precious Speaks – Taeler Kallmerten – Chapin Shay – Terae Collins – Nishay Bradford – Lauren M – Kelsey Marquis – Yuki Brumback – Danielle Pierce – Amarys Dejai – Davin Pham – Jordan Zarahiah – Ashlee Hawkins – Cassie Davis – Chyna Brown – Avery Daniel – Ixchel Castañeda – April Chiu – Janie Samreth – Helena Aburto – Anika Pettit – Breajee McMillian – Ginger Rodriguez – LaClea Miles – Jessica Frye – Jaden Gonzalez – Beca – Jesse – Scotty – Yasmin Champion Evans – Mia Rose – ileana Annie – Martha Ferrer – Kristian – Meeba – Sophie Bachand – Annabelle Gilliam – Gabriele Groberio – Mikayla Fisher – Rachel Hill – Caralynne Jansen – Citlalli Mendoza – Monique – Jasmine Jones – Lala Danielle – Lilly Wylde – Marielle Shalay – Brandon Madyun – Riley J Lewis – Jermaine Ervin – Romina Amat – Alexandra – Swathi Konduri – Helena Roberts – Chloey Baker – Esma Shahin – Sarah Silva – Ariyana Wells – Yanett Heredia – Faith Gordon – Blanche Beohon – Shreya N. – Lauryn Sephus – Vanessa

  • Reclaim. is more than a slow-fashion quilt apparel company. We’re storytellers, educators, and dedicated advocates for the slow-fashion movement. We create repurposed wearable art that’s personal, emotional and unique - handcrafted in Knoxville, TN. Our heritage pieces pay homage to our deep lineage of Appalachian quilt-makers , as we create each piece with respect to our histories and a love for where we come from.

    Our garments are a catalyst for conversation; our pieces to tell a story of history and sustainability allowing our customers to be an extension of sharing that story. Our brand advocates for a circular, accessible approach to fashion, embracing imperfections as a testament to a garment’s history. We blend tradition with a forward-thinking perspective, connecting our work to a future that values sustainability and meaningful narratives.

  • An eccentric, slow-fashion brand that focuses on sustainability by upcycling and made to order pieces.

  • I started Abilitee with one goal: to design stylish adaptive clothing and accessories for chronically ill and disabled people. Over the past few years, we’ve grown our mission to include advocacy, sustainability, and community-building, because we believe all of these to be necessary parts of a changing global industry. Why is this important? Because in a truly inclusive world, ‘adaptive’ won’t be its own separate clothing category, it will be a consideration for all designers to think through, when designing mainstream fashion lines.

  • UglyFlex, where sustainability meets style, is my minds creation. With a passion for transforming discarded materials into wearable art, I handcrafts each garment with meticulous care and a commitment to repurposing.

    UglyFlex is not just a brand; it's a celebration of diversity and individuality. My designs are a fusion of femininity and ethereal aesthetics, embracing the beauty of women in all colors and shapes. Through my creations, I aim to challenge the notion of fast fashion, demonstrating that true beauty lies in sustainability. UglyFlex is a testament to the idea that one person's trash can indeed become another's treasure.

    Join my on her journey to redefine fashion, one repurposed garment at a time. UglyFlex is more than just a brand; it's a movement towards conscious consumption, proving that beauty can emerge from the unexpected, and that style can be sustainable.

  • Prior Waste was founded on the principal of combatting the mass production/waste issue in the fashion industry by creating completely unique pieces using unwanted and damaged clothing and reworking them in by hand into one of one creation. Prior Waste also holds a strong emphasis on creating and strives to bring together the creative community and showcase their talents through photoshoots, runways, markets and more.

  • Faire Sauvage is a sustainable brand for the woman who wants something she’s never seen before. By using scraps and upcycled materials, we create one-of-a-kind products for the creative woman. We hope our designs make our clients feel their most confident and sexy while wearing them. We are for the artists, the dreamers, the edgy it-girls. Our brand is centered around sustainably, creativity, and fashion.

  • YvieStyleIt is an ever-growing brand centered on expression and culture. We consistently incorporate African influences and cultural materials like unique fabrics to design dresses reflecting diverse personalities. This brand aims to captivate youth culture by interconnecting art, emotion, and self-expression. We bring realness to fashion by redefining creativity for today's generation.

    Starting with retro fashion, we have explored streetwear, corporate looks, upcycling, and more with the purpose of fostering inclusion and empowerment. Our designs break the box, transitioning across eras and styles while maintaining our core values.

    As a profit for charity brand, all of YvieStyleIt's proceeds support the community work done through our nonprofit arm, YvieDODEQ. From summer tech camps for displaced youth to sexual health education initiatives, YvieDODEQ empowers underserved communities in Nigeria and beyond 15+ countries in Africa. YvieStyleIt allows us to spread this impact even further.

    Our team has a bold vision - to revolutionize fashion as a vessel for change. By interweaving African heritage with boundary-pushing designs, we seek to tell unique cultural stories that inspire confidence in wearers. Our philanthropic model enacts real social change. At our core, we believe fashion should make you feel seen, uplift communities, and open minds. We're on a mission to spark that universal impact - one custom dress at a time.

    Additionally, our founder with a Nigerian heritage is a scientist pushing a mission for sustainable environmental technology. This goal translates to their fashion, sourcing, and design choices as they work towards representation and sustainability.

  • Dear Ivy, established in June 2022 by Julia Read, is a visionary brand dedicated to fabric circularity. My approach involves crafting each piece from the remnants of local fashion brands and those committed to using recycled and biodegradable materials. For the upcoming 2024 collection, I've collaborated with Proclaim, a socially responsible lingerie brand in LA known for its sustainability and inclusivity, and Pa Pe Studios, a brand originally based in Austin that champions earth-friendly fabrics and dyes. Our palette, materials, and designs draw inspiration from the landscapes and moments from our daily lives on this planet.

  • Defizm started as my own self exploration and quickly turned into a way for me to show up for my community. Defizm says- this is what it means to show up as oneself with no fear. What started as “resist spillage” turned into “resist repression”. Def can conjure up the parts of you that you long to have back. Every garment, every painting, every piece is intentional & blessed. Sourced as ethically as possible from family/friends hand-me-downs, leaving no thread or fabric scrap to go to waste. Def is by the people, for the people. What’s your izm?

  • At Junkyard Dog, we breathe life into discarded threads and forgotten objects. We are not just a fashion brand; we are a movement, a testament to the power of creativity, sustainability, and individuality.

  • KIZMET is a brand that creates one of one pieces using preloved second hand materials. The goal for my brand is to provide people with unique, one of a kind pieces. In a world full of mass production everyone is walking around in the same micro trends that go out as quickly as they came in. My mission is to create a handmade product that is yours and only yours. Everyone deserves the luxury of having personalized unique clothing and accessories, and I have made it my business to make that happen.

Opening Panel Spotlight:

Embracing Circular Living in Austin

4oSlow Fashion Fest Spring 2024 opened with a dynamic panel titled Embracing Circular Living: A Guide to Sustainable Living in Austin, featuring three local leaders in sustainability: Anne Drane, Founder of SAWA SAWA; Amanda Mortl, Environmental Program Coordinator for the City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability; and Kelley Rytlewski, Founder of Heartening. This discussion explored practical and community-centered approaches to living more sustainably, with a focus on circular fashion, local food systems, and climate resilience. Aligned with the City of Austin’s strategic goals to achieve net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions, foster a healthy and just local food system, and build a climate-resilient and adaptive city, the panel served as a grounding moment for the festival’s broader mission. By connecting culture, sustainability, and community engagement, the opening event set the tone for a weekend dedicated to education, inspiration, and action.

Volume II

The second annual Slow Fashion Festival Zine served as both a companion to the Spring 2024 runway show and a deeper exploration of the values that shape our community. Filled with art, essays, and heartfelt messages, the zine celebrated fashion as a vehicle for sustainability, eco-justice, and collective action. Each copy invited readers to dream bigger, act boldly, and stitch together a more conscious future—one choice at a time. Every seated ticket holder at the show received a copy, making the zine not just a publication, but a shared moment of connection and inspiration.

Spring 2024 Look Book

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Spring 2024 Look Book ~

Photos by Jacob Gonzalez / @colorsxj

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Photos by Jacob Gonzalez / @colorsxj ~

Spring 2024 Look Book

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Spring 2024 Look Book ~

Photos by MadisonDee / @Madison._.Dee

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Photos by MadisonDee / @Madison._.Dee ~

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