Memphis is about to strut its stuff.
The inaugural Memphis Urban Fashion Week (MUFW) kicked off Tuesday and runs through Saturday, Aug. 16, bringing together designers, dancers, stylists and entrepreneurs for five days of runway shows, panels, parties and performances designed to showcase the Bluff City as a rising fashion capital.
Founded by Memphis native and nationally acclaimed designer Prep Curry, in partnership with FUBU co-founder J. Alexander Martin, MUFW aims to shine a spotlight on the cityโs creative talent while fostering business opportunities in the local fashion ecosystem.
โMemphis is a city of soul, creativity and resilience, and fashion is one of the ways we express that,โ Curry said. โMemphis Urban Fashion Week is about more than clothes; itโs about confidence, culture and community pride.โ
Curry knows something about making statements in fashion. In 2016, he left Memphis for California, where his brand gained national traction. Among his career milestones: becoming the first Black man to launch a fashion line with Banana Republic. Despite his success, Curry said he never lost sight of his hometown.
โOne of my core goals has always been to give back to my hometown and create opportunities for Memphis to shine on a larger stage,โ he said. That vision inspired a Saddle Creek fashion show in 2023 โ and now, MUFW.
A week of style and substance
The MUFW lineup blends high fashion with Memphis flavor:
- Tuesday, Aug. 12: Fitness & Wellness Bootcamp + Pop-Up at TrayneFit โ a mix of movement, wellness vendors and athleisure fashion drops.
- Wednesday, Aug. 13: Fashion Entrepreneursโ Panel at The New Daisy Theatre (7โ10 p.m.) โ Memphis-based designers and brand builders share insights on the business of fashion.
- Friday, Aug. 15: Adult Prom at Grindhouse Dance Studio (7โ11 p.m.) โ a night of glamour and self-expression.
- Saturday, Aug. 16: MUFW x FUBU Fashion Show at LeMoyne-Owen College (7โ10 p.m.) โ the grand finale featuring FUBU and top Memphis designers, with a portion of proceeds benefiting St. Jude Childrenโs Research Hospital.
Featured brands and designers include South of Mane Custom Apparel, Ashton Hall, Peer Pressure Apparel Co., Immoral Ink Clothing, FUBU, and Curryโs own label.
Building a fashion future
In addition to Curry, a talented committee powers the week from every angle:
- Cynthia Daniels, one of Memphisโ most recognized event producers, oversees vendor registration, bringing her track record of high-profile, community-centered events to the MUFW experience.
- Chris Joy, a multifaceted creative behind Beard of All Trades, manages media marketing and the official website, ensuring MUFWโs digital presence matches its street-level buzz.
- Patrick Covington, of Patrick C Photography, directs photography and media, capturing the weekโs style and energy through a Memphis lens.
- Tyesha Golden-Rhodes wears multiple hats as volunteer coordinator, designer and model coordinator โ creative vision with flawless execution on the runway.
- Adrienne Jones, a sought-after stylist and founder of Adrienne J. Small LLC leads the hair team, crafting signature looks that help bring designersโ visions to life.
Together, this diverse team blends expertise in fashion, media, beauty and event production to ensure Memphis Urban Fashion Week debuts as a seamless, high-impact celebration of the cityโs style and spirit.
Curry envisions the show becoming a staple on the national fashion calendar, comparable in scale to New York and Los Angeles fashion weeks โ but with Memphis roots intact.
โI want people to come here for MUFW the way they travel to New York or Paris for fashion,โ Curry said. โWe have the talent. We have the culture. Now we have the platform.โ
For tickets and updates, visit www.mufw.net.
