Detroit may be turning into a fashion mecca — or maybe it always has been

Whether you’re a fan of fedoras, fur jackets or gator-skinned shoes, whether you’re high-fashion-fabulous or techno-grunge, Detroit is the spot to study, experience, manufacture and find the fashion you’re looking for.

Some say Detroit is becoming a fashion mecca. Others argue it always has been.

Detroiters have long set fashion trends that have been appropriated around the world. No stranger to globally celebrated brands like Motown and Cadillac, behemoths of the fashion world are now using our downtown shopping corridors and suburban malls to launch new lines of products and retail stores.

For fashinonistas Detroit is simply a great place to be, and major fashion brands finally seem to be noticing.

It’s also a place where fashion professionals are engaging the next generation of designers and building an ever-expanding infrastructure where each generation helps the next crop thrive.

Detroitissimi

This summer, a group of Detroit designers collectively debuted at the Pitti Uomo Show in Italy, in an exhibition titled Detroitissimi hosted by The College for Creative Studies (CCS) and Carhartt.

More: Detroit clothing designers head to Italy for a menswear trade show. Why they got invited

The brands involved, including Detroit Denim, Boswell, K. Walker Collective, B. May Bags and Deviate, understood what Detroit means to the fashion world and established important partnerships with educational institutions and the outside fashion community at large.

“I think that Detroit has historically always had a mysticism about it, especially in Europe,” said Aki Choklat, Linda Dresner Endowed Chair in Fashion Design at the College of Creative Studies. "It’s not just because of the Motown heritage, but also the influence of techno for my generation.

“Detroit has always been a cool and edgy place to go to. When I got the invitation to come to Detroit, I was instantly intrigued. I think these European brands feel the same way. It’s really, really incredible when I mention the word ‘Detroit,’ 100% of the people are instantly curious about it. Detroit has a golden opportunity in fashion to be reborn in that way, and I want to be respectful of the people that say ‘Detroit has always been cool,’ but the world doesn’t know that.”

Detroitissimi highlighted the best of Detroit, including a collection of handcrafted jeans from Detroit Denim, contemporary millinery from Boswell, high-end bags from B. May Bags, unique, sustainable streetwear from Deviate and contemporary menswear from K. Walker, all presented to an international audience in Florence.

“I’m finally seeing the industry start to recognize Detroit as a potential design and manufacturing powerhouse for apparel, especially sustainable apparel,” said Brenna Lane, owner/CEO of Detroit Denim Company.

“There have been so many people in Detroit and Michigan working on making Detroit a viable option for sustainable domestic apparel manufacturing for decades. I feel like it’s just starting to get some traction nationally and now internationally. And I’d be remiss to not mention the crucial work that groups like Design Core Detroit and ISAIC (Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center) are doing to make sure that the attention and resources that come with that are being equitably applied and distributed. DCD’s work with Gucci ChangeMakers to highlight Black designers without exploitation is so important. … Detroit, especially in the fashion community, supports its people. I think Detroit has always been able to parse out the real from the glittery.”

More: 3 metro Detroit retailers say clothing trends are shifting. Here's how

The College for Creative Studies and these five Detroit brands’ efforts weren’t just about turning a profit. It was about seeing the next designer from Detroit shine. That communal mindset may be part of why Detroit is becoming a fashion mecca.

“While Detroit may still be on the journey to solidify its status as a global fashion Mecca, the city's growing reputation as a hub of creativity, innovation, and unique style is garnering attention and admiration worldwide,” said Ken Walker, founder and CEO of K. Walker Collective in Detroit's Midtown. “I’m still blown away that my brand was invited onto a global stage like Pitti Uomo to showcase authentic Detroit style. The experience opened my eyes to how far we have come as a city and the common threads that we have with international markets such as Italy.”

Keeping Michigan talent in Michigan

There’s supporting your student's dreams, and then there’s what Loren Hicks did for her fellow designers with the creation of Michigan Fashion Week, which completed its 11th year this summer.

Photo gallery: Fashion lovers crowd the Eastern Market for 2022 fashion show

Hicks said there was so much unbridled talent that she became committed to a New York Fashion Week-style showcase for which she held open-call auditions for hundreds of emerging designers and models.

“My goal has always been to keep those talented fashion students from leaving Michigan,” said Hicks, founder and CEO of Michigan Fashion Week.

“My goal for Michigan Fashion Week has always been to keep the fashion talent here,” Hicks said. “We produce events, access resources and make sure they have what they need to grow as a fashion designer. This year, we have 18 streetwear designers and 16 high fashion designers showcasing their work. I want people to come from all over the world to experience Detroit fashion.”

Michigan Fashion Week has become one of the most in-demand fashion shows in Detroit off the strength of her flourishing Loren Hicks LOJO Boutique and online retail store. Hicks became a fashion entrepreneur and learned to thrive in an industry that is sink-or-swim, and continues to pay forward the good treatment she received from a city that mentors its young talent.

Tracy Reese, founder of Hope for Flowers, whose clients include for first lady Michelle Obama, actress Tracey Ellis Ross, daughter of Diana Ross, and actress Sarah Jessica Parker, returned to Detroit in 2018 to reimagine her approach to making clothes after more than 30 years in New York City.

Hope for Flowers’ vibrant workspace is housed in the city’s YouthVille Center, a facility that’s alive with children participating in academic and cultural programs. With her ever expanding team that handles everything from design to marketing to garment making, the space is surrounded by colorful, mixed-print furniture, collage boards propped against the walls and clothing racks.

Other artists and brands like Tommey Walker’s Detroit vs. Everybody, Brendan Blumentritt,’s Detroit Hustles Harder and Mia Rey’s Glam-Aholic Lifestyle are also inspiring the next generation of Michigan fashion entrepreneurs.

Month of Design

Detroit Month of Design is a citywide collaboration of creatives that gathers designers and the greater community to celebrate Detroit’s role as a national and global design center, returning for its 12th annual edition this September.

Detroit in 2015 became the first U.S city to receive the UNESCO City of Design designation. Detroit Month of Design celebrates that designation with emerging retailers, established brands and institutions of learning coming together to show off their latest works and ideas. These cross-disciplinary events take place in all corners of the city.

Gucci, after opening a 3500-square-foot store on Library Street a year ago, hosted an exhibition during last year's Month of Design at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit called "Building a Lasting Impact," featuring 24 designers and scholars.

This year's vast schedule includes dozens of events, workshops, installations and parties around modes of design ranging from animation and photography to architecture and, of course, fashion.

A full schedule of events can be viewed here.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit may be turning into a fashion mecca