Fashion Week Rochester returns in October - Rochester City Newspaper

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Fashion Week Rochester founder Meghan Mundy with Elaine Spaull, president of Center for Youth at a 2019 Fashion Week event. - PHOTO COURTESY CENTER FOR YOUTH / WXXI NEWS

PHOTO COURTESY CENTER FOR YOUTH / WXXI NEWS
Fashion Week Rochester founder Meghan Mundy with Elaine Spaull, president of Center for Youth at a 2019 Fashion Week event.

Organizers of Fashion Week Rochester will roll out the runways in October for the first time in two years.

On Wednesday, organizers announced that it will hold the event at Dome Arena in Henrietta. The Center for Youth’s largest fundraiser was one of many large public events that was canceled due to the pandemic.

Elaine Spaull, president of the Center for Youth, said the annual event usually attracts thousands of people to various locations around the city of Rochester. But having the shows at one location was a safer option.

Spaull said that the Imburgia family, who are co-owners of the Dome Arena, have made adjustments to the facility's air circulation system so that the air changes every 15 minutes. "They've spent hundreds and thousands of dollars to make this the most beautiful and safe place and that’s why we want to be here,” she said.

Having the event at a centrally-located venue will also increase support for designers who lost business during the pandemic, said Meg Mundy, organizer and founder of Fashion Week Rochester.

“When we were at the tent we just didn’t have the room for it,'' said Mundy. “Now we're going to have this amazing opportunity to help drive economic business into our local designers and boutiques, which has been what we were always about.”

The year’s theme is “Light the Way” and will be a celebration of local and global fashions.

Spaull said the event will support young people who have struggled the most during the pandemic, and they’re looking forward to bringing the community together for a good cause.

“Rochester has waited to come out of the darkness and into the light. And that’s what we’re gonna do,” Spaull said. “We’re going to light the way, light the runway, but light the way for our whole community.”

The 12th annual Fashion Week Rochester runs from Oct. 12-16.

April Franklin is a reporter for WXXI Public Media, a media partner of CITY.

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