The “Threaded Stories” fashion show presents Evanston with nine designers

Nine fashion designers, a variety of garments and the art of storytelling surprised the audience at “Threaded Stories: A Runway Show of Distinctive Fashion,” presented Sunday afternoon by Evanston-based boutique Cloth + Home.

Pam Kendall and Linda Johnston, co-owners of Cloth + Home, hosted the sold-out event with about 100 guests at the Woman’s Club of Evanston. The show highlighted designers with roots in New York, Japan and Chicago and showcased the latest pieces from their collections.

“This is her passion and her life,” Kendall said at the event. “Your presence here shows that you not only want to be part of a great fashion show, but that you also believe in supporting the arts. Fashion is art and it brings joy to all of us.”

Spectators paid an entry fee of $75. Kendall said a portion of the event’s proceeds will be donated to the Bundled Blessings Diaper Bank, an outreach program of the First United Methodist Church of Evanston that supports families in need of diapers. The boutique has supported the program since the shop opened in May 2022, as Kendall is a board member.

Fashion designer and MasterChef contestant Tommy Walton said he was thrilled to support and cheer on some of Chicago’s up-and-coming designers.

“If you make it in Chicago, you can go anywhere you want,” Walton said. “And if you can make it here, you can definitely go to New York and eat them.”

Brooklyn-based designer Parron Edwards-Stimola presented his Parron Allen “Fable” collection, which featured floral prints, black lace fabric and a hen-shaped handbag. Edwards-Stimola said he draws inspiration from his Mississippi roots and uses sustainable fabrics to create his looks.

Chicagoan and EFJ Collections designer Ernestine Fleming-Jones presented her debut collection “Urban Allure,” which consisted of denim ensembles, silk outfits and a cow print long skirt.

Chicago-based Japanese designer Nana Okazaki Plotkin presented “Transitory Winter Sea,” her eponymous label’s latest collection, which included fringed tops, a soft blue-gray fabric stripe dress and wool ensembles.

Other brands showcasing their clothing included Andrea Reynders Design, Lola Élan Studio, The Checkroom, Christy Metz Design and The Blue Passion – all with a Chicago connection.

Chelsey Carter-Sanders, founder and CEO of the Alex Carter brand, closed the fashion event with the presentation of her “Waves” collection, which featured sculptural waves on dresses and vests, a ruffled skirt and a black ruffled dress with a long black belt. Carter said she considers herself an “emotional designer” because she brings an abstract flair to everyday clothing.

“Our slogan is to bridge the gap between simplicity and elegance,” Carter said. “So I find the simplest silhouettes and keep them upheld in terms of innovation, shape, motifs, texture or movement.”

As the event came to a close, each ticket was automatically entered into a drawing for three prizes and the audience voted on three designer awards: Garment Construction, Creativity and Originality, and Cohesive Collection. The winners of the audience-selected awards were Fleming-Jones, Plotkin and Carter-Sanders.

The event ended with a sale to the public. The clothing is still available at Cloth + Home’s boutique on Chicago Avenue and Grove Street.

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