The complete 2012 Austin Fashion Week Schedule will be released closer to the event, but the following is the basic schedule of events:
AUSTIN FASHION WEEK KICKOFF: Thursday, August 9, 2012; Venue TBD
The Austin Fashion Week Kickoff will be the fashion social event of the year. Mix and mingle with 1000 of your best fashion friends while viewing stunning presentations, drinking cosmic cocktails, and benefiting our wonderful 2012 beneficiary: The Arc of the Capital Area. Come check out designer work inspired by Arc artists and on view for the first time ever. More details to be released, but this is one Austin Fashion Week event you don’t want to miss.
RETAIL & DESIGNER SHOWCASES: Friday, August 10 through Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Join retail and salon locations as they host free and open-to-the-public events from Saturday through Tuesday. Ten of Austin’s most talented Showcase Designers will be featured in larger-than-life trunk shows and catch retailers and salons as they don the latest trends in apparel, accessories, jewelry, hair and makeup.
AFW FASHION FORUMS: Wednesday, August 15 through Friday, August 17, 2012 (daytime hours)
For the first time ever, Austin Fashion Week presents the 2012 AFW Fashion Forums. For 3 days at the historic Driskill Hotel, industry professionals are invited to attend educational speaking engagements, panels and seminars. Get to meet world-renowned industry professionals from inside and outside of Austin in the categories of Retail Management, Manufacturing & Fabrication, Hair, Makeup, Photography, Modeling, Social Media, Marketing and more. More information to help expand your career than you ever thought possible.
DRISKILL RUNWAYS & MARKETPLACE: Wednesday, August 15 through Friday, August 17, 2012 (evening hours)
Austin Fashion Week is proud to once again work hand-in-hand with the Driskill Hotel as we transform this historic space into fashion’s hottest evenings out. This year, we pumped up the number of runway shows, which will be flanked by the first Austin Fashion Week Marketplace.
Each night, up to 8 full collection runway shows will be featured from established and emerging designers from all over the world. One uber-talented Austin-based designer will show a collection each night.
In addition, 8-10 designers will be featured in the Marketplace each evening. The Marketplace offers an opportunity to see work up close and personal while meeting the designers and hearing their design story first hand.
4TH ANNUAL AUSTIN FASHION AWARDS: Saturday, August 18, 2012
Fashion’s biggest night in Austin. Come see the re-vamped Austin Fashion Awards as we crown brand new achievements. Starting in 2012, the Austin Fashion Awards will be split into 2 categories: Trailblazers & Rising Stars. Those iconic in the Austin fashion scene with longstanding contributions will be deemed Trailblazers and Rising Stars will be nominated by the industry as people that are considered our city’s NEXT Trailblazers.
Oh…and there will be runway shows from top designers. And those Mash Up Teams we all love? Those are moving to the Austin Fashion Awards’ impressive runway, so everyone has a chance to be featured on the biggest stage.
Finally, we’ll close the week out with a let-your-hair down Austin Fashion Awards After Party at a TBD location. Stay tuned.
Purchase tickets and badges for all AFW 2012 events and Fashion Forums here.
