Sustainable Shopping Meets High (and Fun) Fashion

The third annual Traverse City Fashion Weekend

Traverse City Fashion Weekend is a celebration of old-fashioned fashion. Not fast fashion rooted in trends that could change by the next month, but timeless styles sourced with intention.

Creators Katie Asher, Grace Guba, and Lizzie Lane are all passionate about sourcing clothing from consignment and thrift stores, as well as small vendors who handmake their own apparel. They say this dedication to sustainable fashion helps their personal styles shine through, with benefits for the planet to match.

This year’s Fashion Weekend (May 15-17) includes the third iteration of the sustainable fashion show, a handmade and consignment clothing market, and a clothing swap.

Working Together

Grace Guba’s mother, owner of Impres Salon, used to put on popular fashion shows in the 2000s at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa that showcased local businesses and clothing. Growing up helping out with and attending these fashion shows inspired Guba to start something of her own. When she brought the idea to Lizzie Lane, it stuck, and the two began planning.

“We wanted to create an experience that sort of taps into the global fashion industry. Fashion is an embodied experience, and finding unique items can really make a difference. Thrifting is a way to find your personal style,” Guba says.

“I love community events,” Lane says. “There’s so much local talent here, and I really wanted to help showcase how much TC has going on in terms of people who make clothes and our vintage clothing options. I wanted to help inspire people to shop locally and support those small businesses.”

They reached out to Katie Asher, the owner of slip.vintage, who had been toying with a similar idea herself for some time and immediately agreed to join the two.

Asher went to school for fashion design and always thought she’d open her own clothing store. The more she learned about the modern fashion industry, the more she realized how damaging it was to the environment and consumers.

“I realized I probably couldn’t in good conscience open a store that sold new things. I believed we already had everything we needed, fashion-wise. I already collected vintage and secondhand clothing, and one day the thought came to me: what if I just expanded my collection and started buying things for other people, not just for myself? So slip.vintage started, mostly as a side hustle, but then it grew until I was able to get my own storefront,” Asher says.

Celebrating in Style

The fashion show is now in its third year, with a track record of sold-out tickets, growing attendance, and more ways for attendees to explore sustainable fashion. This year, guests are encouraged to wear something in their closet that they can never find an occasion for, whether that’s a fancy cocktail dress, an exotic jacket, or a pair of jeans they’ve been waiting to debut. There will be a photo backdrop and a professional photographer for the guests to showcase their ensembles.

“This event inspires people to dress up in a fun outfit and wear it out! In this small town, there aren’t opportunities for that. I think people are excited to attend an event where they can be creative, authentic, and dress up in outfits they wouldn’t normally get to wear,” Guba says.

Lane’s motivation runs along the same lines. “We really want to promote authenticity and to inspire people to dress up in ways that make them feel good, rather than following trends and buying fast fashion. Most of the fast fashion textiles end up in landfills, and we want to encourage people to wear things that they want to hold on to,” Lane echoes.

The programming reflects that ethos from the ground up. This year’s fashion show features 10 different vendors, each styling six models across categories like avant-garde, swimwear, and everyday wear. Guba will be part of the hair team, helping style the models with looks that are both accessible and fun.

After the show on Friday, Saturday’s market gives people the opportunity to shop the looks they saw at the show the night before, plus check out other offerings from the vendors (vendors from previous years will be in attendance, too). There will also be aura readings from Open Aura, a mocktail bar from MixingMuse, live music from Agnes Su, and more. The market will run from 11am–6pm, hosted in the same space as the fashion show (Front Row Centre Atrium, 121 E Front St., Traverse City).

To close out the weekend, there will be a free clothing swap at slip.vintage, where anyone is welcome, whether they bring clothes to swap or not. Donate your gently used clothes and find something new and fabulous to take home with you! The swap runs from 11am–2pm.

What Fashion Means to You

We asked each of the Fashion Week team members to share how they approach fashion, shopping, or thrifting.

Lizzie Lane: “Grace and I have had a similar ethos when it comes to style. Not caring what people think and dressing for ourselves, dressing in ways that we think are fun. We’re letting our inner child out.”

Grace Guba: “What is your why? When you’re buying for your personal brand, why is that? When you’re choosing clothing, why did you choose that? I’m not saying everyone should shop locally, but what is the message you send when you choose local versus when you don’t? We want to inspire people to feel awesome in what they’re wearing and to encourage authenticity.” 

Katie Asher: “There can be a stigma around thrifting or shopping consignment that things are going to look shabby, and this fashion show challenges that. Thrifting clothing can be sleek, elegant, and timeless. It can be funky and bold, unique, and classic. Shopping for thrifted clothes can be a great way to discover your own individual style; you’re not going to look or dress like everyone else, and that’s a good thing.”

Learn more at instagram.com/tcfashionwknd.

Photo: theslipshoppe look by @vikingsisterphotography

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