Avant Garde achieves a perfect blend of emotions between surprise and suspense on the runway both for the audience and the designers. Before the model crosses the runway threshold, the intent behind a look is only known to the designers and models back stage. But it is not until the lights address the audience’s attention to the runway that these fashion+art looks come to life.

The word originates from a French military term translating in the english language as ‘vanguard’ or ‘advancing forward.’ Since the 19th century it has evolved to describe art forms that may go against traditional ways of thinking. One of my favorite designers who is well known for his sense of Avant Garde Fashion is Alexander McQueen because he pushed boundaries like no other!

Meant to be the artistic expression of a theme from the mind of its creator, Avant Garde Fashion has only one goal in mind if it’s done right: take the audience through an experience. This week at Omaha Fashion Week in a vacant lot on 11th and Capitol, I experienced this raven interpretation of catwalk mayhem. As I watched from the end of the stage, I was taken on a carpet ride through the past times of Medieval priestess-hood to the futuristic intergalactic expressway. (Don’t worry, it will all make sense when you see the photos).

All of the five designers for this past Tuesday’s show pushed their audience to think differently about art fashion on the runway. After all, Avant Garde is all about artistic surprise and I must add with strong intentions. I pulled together photos from awesome photographers at the show and titled the themes according to my own interpretation of what the designers portrayed. However, these theme names are solely my own so if you want to know what was really going through their minds, reach out to them!

Jenny Pool – “Medieval Priestess-Hood”

Kristen Vanhessche – “Faerie Heaven”

Sabrina Jones – “Goldmember Rave”

Tiffany Headley (Haus of Donna Faye) – “Midnight Stanza”

Angela Balderston (Get Plastered!) – “SuperNova Kingdom”

As you can see, these images wreak of literary personifications which I like to call art in verse. Just as words are my weapon of choice, the designers chose a hefty weapon allowing their scissors to carve out ideas from their mind onto fabric. I personally enjoyed this show but in order to fully grasp Avant Garde you must experience it live. Open your mind to a new world of fashion.