Fashion Week Columbus 2021 Concludes with Sold-Out 12th Annual Finale Runway Show

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Oct. 5, 2021 - PRLog -- Not even rain could keep 365 guests away on Saturday, October 2nd, as 5 local & emerging fashion designers and 1 headline celebrity designer, Alex Vinash, gathered together to enjoy a fully sold-out show and a positive fashion experience that could not be contained. What was supposed to be a fully outdoor show found its new setting underneath Gravity's covered open-air front courtyard, and while the rain attempted to put a damper on the Fashion Week Columbus Finale Runway Show, much like last year's pandemic, it did not stop Thomas McClure and his Fashion Week Columbus Team from making sure the show goes on!

"For 12 years Fashion Week Columbus has been a staple in the community supporting designers, industry professionals, volunteers, students, and more achieve their dreams!" said Fashion Week Columbus Program Director Nia Noelle. "I want to congratulate all on another successful week of events and thank everyone that helped make this year possible."

This year's Columbus Fashion Council Scholarship was awarded to Maria Mendoza, an incoming senior fashion design student at the Columbus College of Art & Design. Celebrity designer Alex Vinash also contributed to her scholarship.

Before the designs were shown on the runway, Thomas McClure and Lubna Najjar also announced the winners of 5 Columbus Fashion Awards. The awards and recipients are as follows:

• Outstanding Achievement Award - Lubna Najjar
• Sustainability Award - Celeste Malvar-Stewart
• Design & Innovation Award - Gerardo Encinas
• Impact Award - Janelle Coleman
• Positive Change Award - Columbus Fashion Alliance

"The mission of our organization is very clear, and this year we made it our commitment to bring together our community to celebrate Central Ohio's growing fashion businesses, our champions for the cause, and those that are helping move the industry forward through Columbus Fashion Awards," said Lubna Najjar. "We can look forward to celebrating this award ceremony for years to come as the Council and its membership continues to grow and provide programming year round."

Local & emerging fashion designers started their collections with interview videos featuring snippets of their pieces and then showcased various collections from ready to wear to couture and formal gowns. The 12th Annual Finale Runway Show was concluded by celebrity designer Alex Vinash, culminating with the gown worn by Billy Porter at the 2020 Golden Globes.

"Our 12th Annual Fashion Week Columbus (https://fashionweekcolumbus.org/) Finale Runway Show was nothing short of spectacular!" said Thomas McClure, Founder and Executive Director of the Columbus Fashion Council. "The Fashion Week Columbus platform brings together designers, models, makeup & hair professionals, photographers, and more, who are all small businesses, to help launch and/or continue their brands regionally and nationally."