A fresh take on the traditional fashion show is coming to a Brooklyn roller rink next week.
Now in its third year, Reworked Runway showcases local labels, dancers and musicians in one unconventional fashion show. This year’s event will take place at Xanadu Roller Arts in Bushwick on Tuesday, April 22 at 7 p.m., though participants won’t be on skates.
The event coincides with Earth Day and will showcase nine sustainable fashion designers (all but one of whom are New York City-based) through a series of choreographed dance performances set to a live local band. There will also be a vinyl DJ set and a live onstage dressmaking session by the series’ founder, 26-year-old Liv Reinertson.
Xanadu in Bushwick will host the next "Reworked Runway" show.
Reinertson, an East Village native, said she created Reworked Runway to provide an evening dedicated to the city's growing community of indie creators.
“ The ethos behind it is to take these small communities, these little niche indie scenes and puts them in the limelight, all together on the map,” said Reinertson.
As a former preschool teacher, Reinertson used to make dresses to wear in the classroom. She opened her boutique, By Liv Handmade, in Williamsburg a few years ago and committed to the fashion world full time. The store sells one-of-a-kind handmade garments.
The first Reworked Runway took place the following year, at Bushwick nightclub House of Yes. Instead of having models, Reinertson had a dance company showcase the clothing to send a message about its wearability.
“There’s a narrative with handmade clothing — it’s not wearable, it’s fragile, it’s not as practical as something that you’d buy at, like, The Gap,” she said. “When using dancers, we show that the clothing can be worn in everyday life and danced in. Also, it’s just a beautiful way to present it.”
The evening will showcase sustainability, she said, particularly in an era of fast fashion.
“ All of the pieces in the show are reworked, all handmade, sustainable upcycled garments,” she said.
Hence the name: A fashion show that has been modified to include dance, live music and clothing that isn’t necessarily new — it's a reworked runway.
Tickets for Reworked Runway start at around $36.
