'It's been an amazing run': Sask. Fashion Week to close with epic final show

Sask Fashion Week is going out with a party. The showcase of local designers is ending after eight years. 

Chris Pritchard, president and co-founder of Sask. Fashion Week, said it started because he and others wanted to do something collaborative, rather than competitive. 

"We were never building just a fashion show. We were creating social change in the community," he said. "We were allowing creative professionals to look at each other and interact with each other in a new way."  

Pritchard said the festival is ending on a high note. To him, it's created that collaborative spirit and engrained it in Saskatchewan. 

"We accomplished what we set out to do, and then some, so we're really celebrating something that was quite ambitious," he said. "This year it's a celebration."

Community Reactions 

Chelsea Patterson, owner of Coda and Cade, said she supports the decision for Fashion Week to "go out on top."

"It is such a fabulous event," Patterson said. "It's been a lot of the same people working on the event for 8 years and I'm excited to see what those creatives will do next because they won't stop creating amazing things."

Patterson said she hopes others will put on their own shows now and that the city will support them. 

Firdausi Yusuf said she was motivated by Sask. Fashion Week to start her own clothing line, Fifi-X. 

"It was a medium for me to showcase it to people," she said. "It is the best fashion show in Saskatchewan and a great place for creatives to build a network." 

Yusuf was sad to hear about it ending, she said but was thankful she was able to take part last year. Fifi-X was launched at Sask. Fashion Week in 2018. 

"It was awesome to be behind the scenes and see the amount of people that come together to make those three days successful." 

"I'm actually really sad to hear that this is the final year," designer Becki Bitternose said. "Chris and his team have been nothing but accommodating and welcoming." 

Bitternose is behind the designs of PlayBuffalo. A highlight for her was her first year in 2015. 

"The crowd and energy was phenomenal. It was a holy shit type of moment walking out on that stage," she said. "The comments hand shakes and hugs and words of encouragement were a drive to continue designing." 

"It's been an amazing run." 

Pritchard says the final Sask. Fashion Week from May 9 to 11 will be "the biggest one yet," full of throwbacks and special surprises to bring the tradition to an epic closure.

"If you've heard about Sask. Fashion Week and thought maybe you might check it out one year, this is obviously the year to check it out."   

The Final Lineup

THURSDAY

• Wascana Rhythmic Dance
• Prahsik Lil Monsters
• The Style Academy
• Lethbridge College
• SS River Designs
• Dauntless Devise Designs
• KAOS
• Manera by Nahid
• Raina Haus
• Noelle Lemieux

FRIDAY

• Spex by Ryan
• FiFi X
• Hauntingly Beautiful
• Edge Model Show
• 22 Fresh
• C Lysias
• Family Business / Vibes
• Coda
• Prahsik

SATURDAY

• Play Buffalo
• Natalia K
• Cade
• Amaranth
• Emily Anns Designs
• INTERMISSION
• Mosaic Bursary
• Kathleen O'Grady
• Bano eeMee
• Laurie Brown