Meet the five designers competing at the 2022 Fashion Prize in Shreveport this weekend
Fashion Prize is happening this weekend to help kick off Prize Fest here in Shreveport. Five designers have been chosen to create a unique collection for an independent selection committee to decide on the finalists.
These five designers will showcase their collection in front of a live audience and a panel of nationally-recognized judges for a chance to win the grand prize of $5,000.
Tki Francis (Real Gunkie)
After graduating from Louisiana Tech University with a B.S. in Fashion Merchandising and Consumer Studies, Francis moved to New Orleans to pursue her career in fashion. Since the birth of her brand Real Gunkie, the clothing company has been featured in several fashion shows including New York and Los Angeles Fashion Weeks.
Francis and Real Gunkie were published in 7hues Magazine, Canvas Rebel, CIE Fashion Magazine, The Shreveport Times and Bossier Tribune. Recently, Francis made alterations to costumes for singer K. Michelle. Francis is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and strives to give back to her communities.
Darien O'Neal
O'Neal is a 22-year-old designer from Maryland and is currently in her last year of college at Savannah College of Art and Design majoring in Production Design and Costuming. While she spends most of her time making costumes, she has had a love for fashion from a very young age. Regardless of what she is designing, O'Neal's goal has always been the same: to create some type of fantasy for both herself and the person wearing the final product.
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Sophia Omoro (odAOMO)
Dr. Sophia Omoro is a practicing otolaryngologist, a head and neck surgeon as well as a philanthropist, founder of the Blooming Lily Foundation and owner / designer of odAOMO. Omoro was born and brought up in Kenya as one of eight siblings where her father strictly pushed education as the only way out of poverty. Omoro acquired a scholarship that spring-boarded her journey from Kenya to North America.
Omoro knew from a young age that she had a special life calling and this purpose was three-pronged. Her experiences, hardships and perseverance prepared her for what she now does which is a surgeon by day and a designer by night.
Donna Strebeck
Strebeck is known for her creative and inspired use of unique textures and unusual fabrics when creating whimsical soft sculptures, wall art pieces and original fashion designs. Though considered self-taught, Strebeck credits much of her creativity to the influence of talented artists on both sides of her family. She always enjoys the challenge of creating new fashions from unconventional fabrics and upcycled textiles and is grateful for the chance to participate in the annual Fashion Prize competition.
Amy Treme
Treme is from Shreveport and is a paraprofessional in a pre-K classroom, married to her favorite person and has two great kids. In Treme's spare time, her favorite hobby and side hustle is sewing and designing clothes. She specializes in upcycling unconventional items into clothing.
Treme's collection for Fashion Prize consists of, but is not limited to, cloth napkins, placemats, bed sheets and curtains. She has been involved in fashion shows before, but never in a competitive manor. Treme sews and creates as a way to relieve stress, expel energy and improve her mental health.
Fashion Prize will take place Sunday, October 16 with a brunch at 10 a.m. and the show beginning at 11 a.m. at the Phoenix Nightclub at 400 Commerce St.
For more information, including how to purchase tickets, visit the Prize Fest website.
Meredith G. White is the arts and culture reporter for the Shreveport Times. You can find her on Facebook as Meredith G. White, on Instagram and Twitter as @meredithgwhite, and email her at mgwhite@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Here are the designers competing at the 2022 Fashion Prize in Shreveport
