Desire is the energy of evolution. We fly across borders to fall in love, embolden our species, refine and complicate the rituals that protect us from the elements. There is a reason it is called Wanderlust. Travel and introspection breed compassion and a bolder understanding of the human experience. This year we ask designers to present us with their heritage, their history, and to re-contextualize the garments of their ancestors. We ask them to please open their door, set an extra plate at the table, present us with the intimate stories of their culture.

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A season inspired by memory, movement, resilience, and transcendence, Summer Migration aims to create an experience where narrative and fashion converge to elevate our dreams, our voices, and our humanity.

This year, with the theme of Summer Migration, The West 18th Street Fashion Show is collaborating with the Kansas City Museum at the Historic Garment District, located at 800 Broadway Blvd. in downtown Kansas City’s Historic Garment District, to present the Show and complementary public programming, and to provide designers access to the Museum’s collection of clothing, textiles, and costumes for research and inspiration. The Kansas City Museum at the Historic Garment District (KCM@HGD) offers special exhibitions that display historical items from the Kansas City Museum’s collections and also present contemporary works by local fashion designers, artists, and entrepreneurs.