Potion23's Premiere Runway Collection at Kansas City Fashion Week

Every designer dreams of the day their collection goes down a runway. The energy that builds with the bustling backstage, the lights, the music and the crowd waiting in anticipation as you line up the gorgeous humans that are about to bring your vision to life; that is the magic moment where you realize it was all worth it. All those long hours, the personal sacrifices, the sweat, the tears...

Well, this designer's dream is about to come true, and quite frankly I sometimes have to pinch myself just to be certain it's real. I will be debuting the very first Potion23 runway collection on Wednesday, April 13th at Kansas City Fashion Week and I couldn't be more thrilled to share it!

This collection is a special one, particularly because it shows a side of me as a designer that hasn't yet been expressed. A side of me that embraces both the darkness and the light, a sort of homage to my goth adolescence but transmuted in a way that she's been ushered into adulthood. I've also used this collection as an opportunity to revisit my training in French haute couture techniques, so there is no lack of embellishment or adornment. However, as is true for all my work, there is plenty of whimsy and kitsch scattered throughout, so that any serious notes are immediately softened as a reminder that fashion can and should be fun, not severe and dour.

One morning in the Fall of 2021, I woke up after having what was sort of a dream, but more like an alpha-state meditative vision. The vision was so clear and I was immediately gripped by it and knew that this was the story I needed to tell with my upcoming collection. Here is a little snippet of that story for you to hold in your imagination before the show: 

"There was once an old house that sat in neglect and decay for decades. There was a girl who came across it one day while walking through the woods. She couldn't deny her curious nature as she excitedly approached it's peeling, colonial facade. When she reached its doorstep, she held her breath as she pushed open the ancient, splintered oak door. Once she finally made it inside to see what treasures awaited, there was nothing left but some tattered floral wallpaper, a broken rocking chair and a few cobwebbed pots in the kitchen sink. As she walked further across the creaking floor, she noticed the shape of a narrow doorway seemingly cut into the damask wallpaper on the left side of the room. Using her fingernails, she was able to crack the door loose and open it wide enough to discover what was inside...a strange little doll."

If you'd like to attend the show, tickets are available HERE

Use code POTION22 for 20% off.

*For those who can't attend, you can watch the show live when it airs through our instagram HERE

**We will also be participating in Kansas City Fashion Week market on Saturday, April 16th at Union Station from 1pm to 5pm, where you can shop our collection in-person.