My Weekend at Omaha Fashion Week 2017

This past weekend I attended Omaha Fashion Week. This event went from February 21-26th and took place at the Omaha Design Center which is located in Downtown Omaha. I didn't get to attend the first three nights due to work and school but I heard a lot of great things about them. There was a Kids Rule fashion show where kids ages 5-12 had the opportunity to walk down the catwalk and also a Cancer Survivor show which featured over 100+ survivors as they took over the runway wearing items from local boutiques and shops. 

I attended the Saturday show which was the Designer Showcase III and featured designers such as Michael Drummond who was the headliner of the show, Mitchell Henderson, Madyssen Jean, Hannah Swanson, Mayaklee Gayed, Crystal Brakhage Designs, and Jane Round. 

Before the show commenced, I had some time to walk around and see what else they had going on. They had a variety of cool art pieces and sculptures from local artists, a photo booth area with a red carpet, some pop up shops, and much more. I even got to take a picture in the photo booth!

As I entered the main room, I saw two giant screens with timers to let us know when the show was about to begin. All the guests started filing in as they looked for their row and seat numbers. Every seat had a Omaha Fashion Magazine that guests could take home. 

As 8'o clock hit, the show began and the crowd went wild. Well, not really but they were pretty excited when the models came out on the runway. Below are some photos that I took throughout the show. 

I spotted some of the models after the first half of the show. I absolutely loved the flowery designs on Michael Drummond's pieces and the stitching details on Madyssen Jean's pieces. 

As the second half of the show began, one of the models came out wearing the famous SAC Federal Credit Union, Money Dress. This dress was made entirely out of money, can you believe that!?

Overall, I had a lot of fun attending Omaha Fashion Week. I think my favorite part of the night was seeing the different pieces that each designer put together as their collection and just admiring their work. I love attending these types of events because you get to appreciate fashion as a form of artistry and see the creativity that goes into creating a unique ensemble. 

Shout out to all the models, they did an amazing job working that runway and to the OFW crew for putting on a great event!

For more photos of Omaha Fashion Week, follow them on Instagram at @OmahaFashionWeek or check our their website, https://omahafashionweek.com/blog/

Until next time,

Fati <3

Artist Feature: RL Soul

It's been a while since I have done an artist spotlight but I am happy to get back at it again. This week I am featuring one of my good friends from my hometown of Santa Monica, California. Her name is Raven L. Cole also known as her poet name, RL Soul. 

She is an up and coming artist, poet, and writer and is based in Los Angeles, California. She recently shared with me that she came out with a book called, "Bruises Heal & Again We Feel." It's poetry book that brings together her personal writing as well as personal experiences of finding self-love and acceptance. I had the opportunity to interview her and get to know more about her book and how she got started. Read about it below!

Fatima Alliyani: I see that you came out with your new book called, 'Bruises Heal & Again We Feel.' Congratulations! How do you feel?

Raven L Cole: "I feel accomplished. It's been a long time coming; it's something I always wanted to do and I did it ALL on my own; so I feel amazing."

FA: Can you tell me a little bit about it?

RLC: "The book is about bruising, healing, and again feeling. What that means [is that] we all go through times of hurt, whether this hurt is brought on by a break-up or even by self-infliction (negative thoughts, pessimistic thought, depression, feelings of being alone). The book goes into the healing process: healing oneself, healing another, learning to let go and giving yourself time to heal. 

When we are going through moments, sometimes we wish we couldn't feel. So the last part is about trusting yourself enough to feel again-whether in love, in taking risks, in learning to love yourself again."

FA: Who or what inspired you to create your own book? Do you have any favorite artists, writers, etc.?

RLC: "I've been writing since middle school. It's always been a dream of mine to publish a book of my poetry. I enjoy artists who empower others with their words---I love Warsan Shire, Sarah Kay, Reyna Biddy, Lang Leav, Noor Shirazie, and Tyler Knott Gregson."

FA: Is there a certain poem/passage that is your favorite?

RLC: "I Love Myself Because...", "Abyss of You", and "Live to Exist."

FA: How long was the process like? Did you have any difficulty while putting it together?

RLC: "I began the process in the summer. I had planned to release it before Christmas, but getting the right measurements for the cover was difficult, had to re-do it multiple times."

FA: Is this book for everyone?

RLC: "I would say I think the book is for anyone who has been hurt, but learned to heal. And also, for anyone who has experienced the euphoria feelings of love."

FA: Are you currently working on any projects? Where can readers find your book and follow you to see other poetry pieces?

RLC: "Right now, I am getting back into calligraphy and focusing on my street photography. I will be posting new poems on my art page. You can follow me on my social media at: @aspire2nspire on Instagram and my book can be purchased on Amazon. Link is also in bio on my Instagram page." 

Just as mentioned above, if you're interested in seeing what other projects or poems Raven is working on, don't forget to follow her on Instagram and don't forget to purchase your own copy of her book. Many thanks to Raven for the photo and for answering the interview questions!

Until next time,

Fati <3

Getting Back To It.

Today has been a pretty fun day. I got to be an extra for a friend's music video and I got to spend time with my boyfriend since he's been out traveling for work all week. It's days like these that make me wish our weekends would be a little bit longer so we can enjoy the present moment. 

One of the other things I got to do today is I got to take pictures. A goal that I had set for myself is to work on an art project on a weekly/bi-weekly basis. I know it can be tough with working a full time job while take classes on the side and that time can never be enough, but like how some people have told me, "you gotta make time for the things that you enjoy." 

Below are some shots that I took of myself and my outfit of the day. 

My outfit of the day consists of a leather Jacket, a mustard dress that I bought from UNIQLO, brown tights from Target, black Oxfords, a brown studded belt, and fringe earrings made from a local artist Amaral Jewelry. 

Looking forward to other photo projects and more stylish days to come!


Until next time,
Fati <3