New York Fashion Week is coming to Danbury… kind of.
Thanks to Workspace Collective, there will be fashion in the heart of Danbury Saturday.
Meagan Cann, the founder and creative director of Workspace Collective, explained in a press release, “(W)e are taking the opportunity to align with New York Fashion Week, an event that I have taken part of over the last 15 years, from production, to PR to modeling to being a guest. We are taking the cultures of our designers, from Uganda to Peru to across America to right here in Danbury, the melting pot with over 42 different languages are spoken, and sharing the mindfully made fashions with our community.”
In a press release, Cann wrote, “What is culture without sharing? Whether you express your culture through food, music or fashion, it is meant to be shared. At Workspace Collective, we take on the aspect of sharing culture through fashion.
“Through my experience of working with artisan workshops in various countries, from Vietnam, to Ecuador to Jordan, my passion flourished when working with the humans of the world, utilizing natural resources such as tagua, acai, bullhorn and sisal grass to make beautiful jewelry. I’m so inspired by the social impact of these jewelry lines, and also some clothing brands that are in the store because as the curator of the shop, I can pass along the story behind the hands who made each piece. Some of the artisan made brands you can find using ethically sourced materials with life changing stories behind it are Liz Alig, Same Threads and Songa Designs,” said Cann.
“On the local side of things,” Cann explained, “Workspace Collective works with local designers who follow the same process as the global artisans by taking on hand-made methods, upcycling materials and adding an element of love into the design + creation processes. Although I can talk to and share the story behind the locally made pieces, these designers can also use their own voice. Opening up Workspace Collective has provided opportunities for our local designers to work from the bench, that is incidentally the key focus of the shop. Here, customers can come in, connect with and ask questions to the designers while they are mid-process. Customers can ask designers about their inspiration, their choice of materials, what they ate for breakfast.. To take the connecting process even further, the local designers use the space to host workshops, engaging and educating the customers on how their purchases are made.”
As for Sunday’s event, Cann said “The Workspace Collective Fashion Show will go beyond the fashion + lifestyle pieces representing all corners of the world that will be modeled by members of our beautiful community. It is a mode of being, questioning and evoking change.”
Workspace Collective Fashion Show will take place Saturday, Feb. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. Makeup will be provided by Pamela Miles of LimeLight Makeup/Wisdom of Within. Live DJ will be present – also designer of Workspace Collective, Xoli Ngcoza/Handknit by Xoli.
Soul Threads, upcycled and made in Thomaston (File photo by Mike Chaiken)