Kids Fashion Week (KFW) returned on Sunday, April 26 in Southeast, D.C., with its latest showcase, “Major League Runway,” bringing together young designers, models, and creatives for a production that works annually to expand in both scale and cultural influence.
“This year’s theme ‘Major League’ not only highlights Major Fashion, but also the Major Impact KFW has made in the fashion community and in the careers of the talented youth and teens in our network,” said Auntea Marie, co-founder and producer of KFW.
Held at Sycamore & Oak, the open-air venue set the tone for a spring afternoon shaped by shifting weather and steady community presence.
From the runway to the audience, there was consistent applause and encouragement following as young creatives took the stage, and between scenes, people connected, networked and celebrated the talented youth.
Now in its eighth year, Kids Fashion Week Network has evolved into a structured creative ecosystem rooted in youth development. Since launching in 2018, KFW has impacted more than 1,800 youth and produced more than 175 programs and events, creating consistent access to fashion, arts, and business education for young creatives.
Through hands-on experience in modeling, design, photography, branding, and production, young participants are introduced to transferable skills that mirror real-world industries. Many are already turning those experiences into income streams, creative services, and early entrepreneurial ventures.
“Being a part of Kids Fashion Week has been amazing. I was 5 and turning 6 when I did the first show,” Gabby Loftin, a Washington, D.C.-based designer and CEO of Gabby’s World Designs, who has been part of Kids Fashion Week since its early years, told The Informer. “Kids Fashion Week helped me book my first celebrity client. I started sewing at 3, but when I was able to say I made a celebrity’s dress at only 7, that helped people to see me as more than just a kid designer.”
In addition to Gabby, the show also featured collaborations with designers such as Kawanna Collins, professionally known as Kavvanna, whose work centers on sustainability and repurposed fashion.
“Being a sustainable repurpose fashion designer for adults rarely allows me to step into the imaginative, playful world of children’s fashion,” Collins told The Informer. “That’s why Kids Fashion Week presents such a powerful and refreshing opportunity—one that pushes me beyond my usual creative boundaries. It opens the door to explore new design perspectives while introducing my brand to an entirely new audience, elevating its reach and impact in ways I haven’t experienced before.”’
For Collins, participating in KFW is personal.
“Because I wasn’t supported as a young creator, now I understand firsthand how powerful early exposure can be,” she said. “Creativity expands when it’s seen, nurtured, and given space to grow. The more opportunities a young model or designer has to be exposed, the more their ideas evolve—becoming bolder, more innovative, and more limitless”
KFW Provides Limitless Opportunities
At the age of 5, Gabby was already showing at major fashion platforms, including D.C. Fashion Week, and later expanding to Los Angeles, Paris, and New York. She thanks Kids Fashion Week for helping in giving her a push to pursue her passion.
“Over the years [thirteen years old] has shaped me as a designer and business owner by pushing me to be better. Literally from 5 to 8 years old I was doing their D.C. show and San Diego show and I did not want to show the same clothes,” she explained. “Kids Fashion Week challenged me to create and find my signature, which is flowers and gowns. Having my collection featured even while I was committed to other opportunities shows me that I have a great support system.”
Further, the 13-year-old said KFW has been able to open multiple doors.
“I have had so many opportunities on and off the runway with Kids Fashion Week,” she told The Informer, “which has helped me to be who I am today: A designer that is conscientious about how my designs impact the earth; intentional about using my designs to give back to my community; and a designer that wants to make everyone wearing my clothes feel young, bold, and the moment so they can feel free to say I AM Creatively Me.”
Behind the scenes, KFW continues to cultivate talent across multiple creative disciplines, including photography and media production.
“Working with KFW has been an amazing experience,” said youth photographer Myles “Minishotta.” “I love being able to work with the youth. I have been there since day 1 as the main photographer, so getting to capture the growth of the show and my peers has been great. I am happy I’ve been able to share my view from my lens!”
For Virginia-based makeup artist Khilia Logan, who professionally goes by Khilia Chantel, KFW has also served as both a launch point and a space for continued growth.
“Kids Fashion Week D.C. supported me at the beginning of my makeup career, providing a platform to showcase my talent and become acclimated to the fast paced environment of fashion shows,” said the makeup artist, who has been working with KFW since the fifth year of the fashion show. “At that point I had launched the Pretty Vital Collection (a seven-piece brush set) and they offered a vending opportunity in exchange for my services. That year I was able to truly connect with the Kids Fashion Week audience and was able to expand my network.”
Further, Logan explained KFW gave her the courage to truly become the face of her brand.
“The transition from behind the scenes to the forefront has been a journey,” she said. “The executives behind Kids Fashion Week have been a part of that journey. They’ve always been warm, inviting and supportive even in the midst of the hustle and bustle required to put on the production.”
As Gabby continues to pursue fashion she also is working toward other goals.
“I also have a dream of playing D1 basketball and going to the WNBA, so I have found that as I grow, I want to show other kids you can live your dreams and follow your passions if you plan properly and have the right support around you,” she said. “Also, I’m looking for a building so I can start giving back to teach other kids how to build their brand and be creatives. It will be called Gather With Gabby. So once I get it up, if they need help, they will always have a place they can come.”
While she works toward her own space for networking, the young designer has advice for other aspiring artists and entrepreneurs.
“What I would say to other creatives who want to start designing or building their own brand is don’t be afraid to be creatively yourself, plan, and ask for help when you need it,” she told The Informer. “I have grown so much from collaborating, asking for help, and staying true to myself.”