Review: With its most eclectic show yet, ‘edify’ marks a high note for 237 Fashion Month

Cedar Rapids’ 237 Collective wrapped up edify, the third fashion show of 237 Fashion Month last Saturday at Groundswell Cafe with one of the most high-quality shows I’ve seen them put on so far. From beachy vibes to social activism, there was something for everyone. “What I really love about the shows like this one is there’s no overarching theme, so you never know what you’re going to see. It’s completely eclectic, and everybody has their own style,” said model Melody Votoire.

The first designer to show a look was divinehelix, whose work featured interplays of texture and a limited color palette that made the pieces shine. Particular favorites were a white corset covered with ribbed tank top material paired with a sheer black and white skirt and a tuxedo-striped tank top with flowy, silky pants.

Next, SADYA showed off an iteration of the sports-themed looks from his previous collection in bold red white and blue. Unique shapes and forms, like stars shooting off of an asymmetrical skirt/apron, paired with screenprinted slogans that felt fresh and witty. A stand-out look was a T-shirt with “TAKE ME OUT TO THE BAAL GAME” emblazoned across the chest, paired with a squarish Cubs hat with a fringe of lace tacked to the brim, concealing the model’s face entirely. It felt eerie and discomfiting, subverting classic Americana aesthetics into horror.

The next designer, Arlyia, sent a collection of 90s throwbacks down the runway. At first glance, a denim vest over a T-shirt looked plain, but on closer inspection patched holes and dark patches where pockets once were gave the vest a deeper visual interest. An empire-waisted dress with a leopard print bodice and stiff red crinoline-like skirt could have been pulled from Jennifer Tilly’s wardrobe circa Chucky’s Bride.

Designer JAHN’s first look, a sheer asymmetrical top and avocado-green pants with a unique shaped yoke, was one of the more structurally interesting looks of the night. Another fabulous look in the same collection was a Vivienne Westwood-adjacent dress which looked to be made from a selection of men’s shirts in various shades of plaid, tied together with a dusty red fabric. A corseted top and drop waist created a shelf-like bust and flowing skirt for a regal punk vibe.

Longline’s collection of upcycled T-shirts in riotous blue and green, paired with handmade bags, would look incredible on a summer beach somewhere hot. With trailing fringes of T-shirt material swinging with every step and gigantic-format flowers, these are looks that make you want to dance in them just to keep the movement going. Even the bags got in on the action, draped in the same fringes.

Capricorn Chic’s collection wouldn’t go amiss in the Harajuku district of Tokyo, especially the first look, a tank and pants striped with lace in blush pink and black with painted knee patches and quirky earmuffs with baby-doll heads peering out from a halo of lace. Between an elegantly prim two-piece in yellow, a fur-collared jacket in electric blue and a lace pastel top, the collection was eclectic but felt cohesive  — like characters walking down a street in the same city.

Sherri’s work felt the most like a branded collection, featuring a three-color screenprint motif of the Statue of Liberty and “Liberty and Justice for Immigrants” dominating the sweatshirts and jean jackets. A highlight was a jean jacket with the Statue of Liberty on the back and the phrase “And then they came for me!” printed on individual patches underneath.

Artivists of Iowa’s collection started with a father and his two children (his infant daughter, impressively, slept through the entire walk despite the cheering and clapping) modeling coordinated looks in denim,. “Denim is a timeless, durable piece that passes on throughout people’s lifetimes,” said Mimi Daoud, 237 Collective’s president and a member of the Artivists of Iowa collective.

“It’s not only the symbolism of the type of fabric, everything down from the fabric to the motifs on the block prints, but the idea that the movement for progress never stops. And, you know, that’s a double-edged sword. Sometimes that’s a positive thing that the movement can be passed down generation to generation… And it’s also kind of heartbreaking that it also never stops.”

Despite the seriousness of the topics that the pieces in the collection reference, (one look featured a press jacket, keffiyeh scarves, and a patch with “Hey everyone, this is Bisan and I am still alive” on the back, referencing Palestinian journalist and activist Bisan Owda) there was a joyous beauty to several of the pieces. In particular was the stunning final look where the model and her grandson swept down the runway wearing matching radiating haloes, a Gaia-esque look with a fantastic twisted root-like belt detail.

“We were talking about the designs and everything, and talking about oppression, [and] a lot of the time, those conversations are rooted in sadness,” said Harold Walehwa, another member of the collective. “But something we wanted to focus on was bringing joy…There has to be ways that we can sustain ourselves by finding happiness, by finding peace, by using love to continue the fight.”

Closing out the last show of a fashion month can be nerve-wrackingly difficult. The challenge to end on a high note after so many other designers have put out their work is a heavy amount of pressure. Phantom, the last designer of the night, rose admirably to the challenge. Glittering sequins and costume jewelry twinkled on the shoulders of a strong-shouldered cropped suit. Skirt and black pearls ringed the bottom hem of a dip-dyed wool jacket.

A couple of Pierrots in blue and red bounced down the runway. And then the finale of it all! A dramatic mound of pearls wrapped to the chin around the model’s neck and draped down her torso, glistening in the runway light, a single strand trailing down the back like Shirley MacLaine’s infamous dress in What a Way to Go, and a pearl-detailed white pleated skirt combined into a look that stunned me when I saw it sweeping past me.

It’s truly inspiring to see how many designers with clear visions, diverse talents and the willingness to work their asses off can come together thanks to 237’s work with these fashion shows. I look forward to more and more of these in the years to come.