Slow Fashion Festival: The Inaugural Celebration
The first annual Slow Fashion Festival took place October 21 to 23, 2022.
The very first Slow Fashion Festival marked the beginning of a vibrant movement dedicated to reimagining how we create, consume, and celebrate clothing.
This groundbreaking event brought together makers, designers, activists, and communities passionate about sustainability, ethical practices, and mindful style. Through workshops, markets, panel discussions, and creative showcases, the festival sparked meaningful conversations and inspired attendees to embrace a slower, more intentional approach to fashion.
Rooted in our mission to foster transparency, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility, the festival aimed to challenge the fast fashion industry’s harmful norms by highlighting the value of quality, craftsmanship, and community. It created a space for education, collaboration, and empowerment, encouraging both creators and consumers to make thoughtful choices that benefit people and the planet. The inaugural event set the foundation for a growing movement dedicated to transforming the fashion industry from the ground up.
Our mission has always been to showcase every link in the chain!
Our mission has always been to showcase every link in the chain!
The 2022
Inaugural Designers
55 models walked in our first show!
Nayeli Crosssdale - Lucy Ngyuen - Lena Lee - Basie - Michelle Humphrey - Mimo Gorman - Yury Carospina - Xena - Laila Imam - Rachel Elaine - Savannah Schoffstall - Tess Ellen - Beks - Alayna Suber - Luis Betancourt - Ikiah McGowan - Daniela Pachon de Stefano - Ciara Birley - Maliabo Diamba - Nala - Yanett - Shorna Haque - Mikel Hamilton - Kursten - Grant Owens - Alacia - Anna - Chloey - Carolina - Hannah - Andie - Brianna Medina - Ash Risinger - Jade Wright - Sooz Knox - Diego Duarte - Fonzy Hernandez - Savee Young
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HarperSage is an ethical lifestyle brand that empowers multifaceted women through both community and style. All of our designs are thoughtfully designed in Austin, but made in a woman-owned factory in Delhi India (that they personally visit at least 1x a year!) The creators of HarperSage met while pursuing careers in fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology and connected over the feeling of being siloed into one identity, one style, and one way of being their entire lives. Together, they unlocked a big idea that became the foundation of HarperSage: modern women need clothing that helps them embrace both their softness and their strength and thus, HarperSage was born! Each piece belongs to one of their signature personas: soft, romantic Harper or strong, adventurous Sage, and each piece is designed to be mixed, matched, and styled according to your mood.
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Soul Studio is a Slow Fashion Label and Natural Dye House known for their ethereal and feminine prints on silk fabric. Each piece is thoughtfully crafted from start to finish by their small team of Women in the Austin area and dyed using plant based dyes and flowers.
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Van Sol came to life from Jeremy Van & Elizabeth Sol’s creative energy put toward living a sustainable lifestyle & achieving future dreams. This ATX creative couple, designs & upcycles clothing & accessories in a way that literally condenses what is currently not being worn in ‘your’ closet into your newest favorite piece!
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Tega is a word for family/community in Telugu; for many indigenous communities in South Asia, everything on this earth is family. Tega Collective co-creates with Adivasi (indigenous) communities celebrating their people's textile technique with each collection.
Tega Collective’s mission is to raise awareness about indigenous culture and craft while helping you add a unique story to your closet that you will cherish for years!
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Virgil Abloh once said if you take a candle and change its location it can be viewed as Art. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, have you ever stepped into a place full of hidden treasures? Well we intend to make that happen. RichesArt Gallery in collaboration with DaDrophet have created 7 looks intended to take you to another world. Coming together Richesart is taking the fashion industry by storm with his Luxury Hats and Designer Boots and Aspiring designer DaDrophet has created one of a kind truly inspiring vest/jackets from recycled fabrics found only in Austin. It’s safe to say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. This is the first look at these one of a kind looks only available at RichesArt Gallery.
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Natural re-inventions inspired by earths tones and curves. Dear Ivy was founded June 2022 after much thought about how the designer could utilize her creative bone to encourage and create slow fashion. All looks are created from a silk chiffon fabric or a thin knit with the last look being an abstract piece created from all of the scrapped fabric.
“I am a firm believer that we, as humans, are an extension of the earth. And as we take care of her, we take care of ourselves. Each cut and fit is inspired by her prominent curves, textures, emotions, and tones. We are surrounded by beauty, however, as a society we remain unfulfilled - similar to the patterns of heavy consumption and fast fashion. My hope is to inspire others to find beauty in sustainable fashion, and design a better future for our planet and ourselves” Julia Read, creator of Dear Ivy
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So Bad Sew Good is a local brand that transforms vintage, worn, pre-loved, trashed, & bad textiles by reworking them into something good. Among their looks tonight, you’ll find a shirt made from a tablecloth and napkin, bottoms made from a bath towel, a top made from a 1950’s children’s duvet, and so much more!
Panel Highlights:
Conversations That Inspired Change
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Moderated by Leah BuryIn this 2022 panel moderated by Leah Bury, sustainable fashion leaders Melissa Pierce (Soul Studio), Miranda Bennett (Miranda Bennett Studio), and Zahra Biabani (In the Loop) came together to explore how individuals can push back against the pressure of fast-moving trend cycles. The discussion examined the rise of microtrends, the impact of social media, and the cultural shifts that intensified trend turnover, especially in the wake of the pandemic. Panelists shared personal stories, business strategies, and practical advice for resisting mass consumerism and embracing a more intentional, personal approach to style. From launching rental platforms to challenging the expectations of constant newness, the panel offered thoughtful insights into how both brands and consumers can disrupt the trend cycle and cultivate lasting fashion values.
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This 2022 panel, moderated by Reza Cristián, featured Lucy Nguyen, Melissa O de Leon, and Ashley Gill in a powerful discussion on how individuals can take action on environmental policy. The panelists shared local and national strategies for getting involved, the importance of voting access, and the intersection of environmental justice and social equity, especially for garment workers and BIPOC communities. They also explored the role of social media in activism and highlighted actionable ways brands and individuals can push for systemic change in the textile industry and beyond.
These panels ran all weekend long & brought together thought leaders, creators, and activists who shaped meaningful conversations around sustainability, fashion, and social impact. From slow living to environmental policy, each discussion offered real-world insights and actionable steps that helped our community take informed, intentional action.
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Led by moderator Reza Cristián, this panel brought together Veronica Hood, Loriza Ibarra, Dominique Kirven, and Lauren Young for a conversation on building values-driven businesses rooted in slow fashion. Panelists shared how they approach sustainability, size inclusivity, ethical sourcing, and mindful consumerism, while also navigating the unique challenges of small business ownership. The discussion offered real-world insights and inspiration for entrepreneurs looking to create impact through intentional, community-focused fashion practices.
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This engaging 2022 panel, moderated by Mikaela Friedman, featured Amanda Lee McCarty, Kasi Martin, and Hawa Patel in a candid conversation about what sustainable living really looks like day to day. Rather than striving for perfection, panelists emphasized progress, sharing personal tips, mindset shifts, and media habits that support long-term change. From small daily choices to bigger lifestyle overhauls, the conversation offered approachable strategies for anyone looking to deepen their commitment to sustainability, no matter where they’re starting from.
Gallery Show:
Fashion as Expression
As part of a past Slow Fashion Festival, we curated a visual art gallery that celebrated fashion as a powerful medium for self-expression and intentional living. Through an open call, we invited artists and photographers to submit work, particularly fashion photography and portraiture, that explored personal style, the emotional resonance of clothing, and the impact of thoughtful style choices.
The selected works were exhibited on-site for the duration of the festival weekend, transforming the venue into a dynamic showcase of creativity, identity, and sustainability through fashion.
Thank you to all our 2022 Gallery Artists
Devin Richard – Alexandra Tavera – John Paul – Blake Timmons – Jumana Abd Al Rahman (@1mushrooms, @amethyst.mushrooms) – Joel Carter – Paola Sire (@artxsire) – Shorna Haque, Hayden Sutherland – Steph Kersch | mavenmaintenant@gmail.com – Joshua Oliver – Jade Wright – Rebeka Perales (Website)
Sunday Market
Our Sunday Market showcased 25 local slow makers and artists, offering handcrafted, sustainably made goods from our Austin community. It was a vibrant celebration of creativity, connection, and conscious consumption—all in one place.
Thank you to all our 2022 vendors
POORBABY FASHION – Chiquita’s Clay – Zak The Maker – Daughter's of the Mountain Vintage – Ashley Brown – Jello Mom Vintage – Rosemary's Goods – Not Nice Creations – Lil Lion – Happy Hooker – Bobbie Wilson – Drive Slow Drink Milk – Future Vagabond – Ashdel – Thrift Stitch – Morgan Mars – Impact Vintage – Lucid Voyage – Whiskey River Vintage – All Tomorrow’s Parties – Phebgb – Knot Your Abuela – Ephrance Vintage
The Living Closet at
Slow Fashion Festival
Hosted by GOOD Group ATX, The Living Closet was a free, ongoing clothing swap created for and by Slow Fashion Festival attendees. Open to all, this shared closet invited guests to give and take clothing, proving that everything we need already exists within our own community.
With surprises like handwritten love notes tucked into garments, special donations from local vintage shops, and appearances by photographers and stylists, the Living Closet offered space for creativity, connection, and style exploration. Any leftover pieces were responsibly rehomed, and GOOD group ATX tracked real-time data to highlight the environmental and social impact of swapping over shopping.
2022 Look book ~
2022 Look book ~
Photography by Javi Glz/ @javi_glz