Major Fall Success for AFC Leaves Little Time for Spring Showcase Planning

Seyi Amosu is an Athens Fashion Collective intern who
has helped with the past two showcases.

Athens Fashion Collective’s Spring Showcase will not be taking place this April; financial strain is not the reason, but rather a lack of planning time, says AFC’s co-founder and local business owner Sanni Baumgärtner.  

The Athens Fashion Collective was founded as a nonprofit in 2010 by fashion enthusiasts and friends Baumgärtner, Rachel Barnes and Maggie Benoit, with the intention to celebrate the artistic and cultural achievements of Athens’ citizens and students alike.

Each semester, AFC pulls together a runway show that manages to put the previous one to shame.  “The fact that the spring showcase is not happening has nothing to do with the economy,” says Baumgärtner, who also owns the vintage clothing store and sustainable fashion boutique Community in downtown Athens.  

AFC receives its funding for showcases solely from ticket sales.  Each member of AFC, including models, artists and performers are volunteers.  “So far, we have always put on the show without any money, and this time we actually have a very small budget from our successful fall fashion show at the Georgia Theatre,” Baumgärtner said.

The Fall Showcase gained great publicity, including an article in Flagpole and the Georgia Theatre was packed the night of the event. However, it may have been the most exhausting event AFC has faced so far.

“All in all, I think that everyone on the team is still pretty burned out from our last event which turned out to be a huge success,” said Seyi Amosu, a second-year psychology major and AFC intern who has worked on the past two AFC shows. “I think the consensus is just that we will start planning now for the upcoming fall show,” where AFC hopes to educate people on the impact of the clothing industry on the environment, according to Amosu.

“I’m bummed there won’t be a spring AFC Showcase,” said Alley Parsons, whose fall collection was presented at the Fall Showcase.  Parsons will still be doing a spring collection with several other local designers at Community. “I think it will be a good time to focus...and it will be a wonderful creative process.”

Many people are drawn to Athens for its vibrant art and music scenes, and “AFC exists to give fashion a foothold in Athens” alongside other art forms, “not necessarily to gain a profit,” Amosu said.

The AFC exemplifies how important the sense of community is in Athens, according to Gina Yu, a third-year journalism student who has attended several showcases.

“It’s a collaboration between people who are able to convey their passions through the medium of fashion.  I think it’s so cool and beautiful,” Yu said.

Athens Fashion Collective is unique in that it focuses on sustainable fashion, most notably Baumgärtner’s own line Community Service that showcases redesigned vintage apparel.

“It sends the message that people not only care about their fashion, but that they care how their clothing choices are impacting the environment,” Amosu said.

The Athens Fashion Collective is only in its third year, meaning there are still plenty of things the Athens community can do to help out.

“I think that the Athens community is definitely supportive of AFC, but that more support could come from the community choosing to buy local and handmade goods from artists, musicians and business-owners that contribute to making our events great,” Amosu said.  

For more information on Athens Fashion Collective, visit their Facebook page