GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) -- There was plenty of glitz and glamour on hand in downtown Grand Rapids Saturday, as the city hosted its first ever fashion week.
The term fashion week may conjure images of New York, Chicago or London and not Grand Rapids, but show presenter Angie Austin hopes to change that and at the same time give a huge boost to local boutiques.
"I mean we have a lot of fashionistas. It may not seem like it, but a lot of these stores are very fashion forward. They go all over the United States to bring fashions here to Grand Rapids, and I think that is overlooked sometimes. Coming here today, you are going to see these fashions that are all over New York and all over the big cities," said Austin.
Beautiful models strutted across the stage during the four shows, wearing some of the hottest designs around while spectators took it all in.
"It is unexpected but it is exciting. Grand Rapids is such a small town but I think we are ready for stuff like this. ArtPrize proved it and I think we are ready to expand and have exciting things like this," said Jerrad Matthew, owner of the Matthew Model and Talent Agency that had a dozen models in the show. "I've heard a lot of great comments about how real the show feels authentic. It feels like a real New York Fashion Week show. We've got the lights and the set, and it feels real. It's really exciting."
The inaugural event featured a runway show displaying fashions from dozens of local boutiques around West Michigan. Austin says she worked to present the best boutiques in Grand Rapids and along the lakeshore.
"We brought over 30 boutiques here in one place at one time, and people are finding all these boutiques have set up mini shops within DeVos Place, where they can purchase merchandise and do all the stores in one place," she explained.
Grand Rapids fashion week attracted hundreds of potential new clients for boutiques, offering everything from clothes, to accessories, to shoes, even beauty products.
Nicole Dykstra, owner of Lee & Birch Boutique in Muskegon, says she didn't know what to expect but is very pleased with the turnout.
"You always want to get the word out about your store whenever you can get the word out, and this is a great way to do it," she said. "There are still people out there spending the money the way they were before, but there are also those getting nervous and not spending as much as they were before."
Dykstra, who is among the boutique owners who set up a mini shop, says the most challenging part of running a boutique, especially in a down economy, is finding new clients. She is hopefully she will come away from the show with several new customers.
"This has been excellent. I have had so many people ask where we are located and how they can find us. I have had so many people say they are going to come out to the stores so I am very happy," she said.
Austin, who also owns her own store, Renee Austin Boutique in downtown Grand Rapids, says the goal is to get more people to understand what boutiques have to offer and get turned on to shopping in them.
"It is uniqueness. It is customer service. The buyers and store owners go out and pick out these individual items to bring to you to make it special and I think what is going to bring people back in the stores after the show, is they like that customer service. They like that attention. And they like the fashions," she said.
She says boutique owners are beginning to offer more competitive prices to attract more frugal shoppers. Austin says show goers were blown away by Fashion Week and what West Michigan has to offer.
"The women are saying I can't believe I didn't know about this store before. I can't believe what I am finding here. They didn't know these stores existed," said Austin. "I want to see this get to the next level. This is the first year, first step. It is only going to grow from here. Next year it will be even bigger. A couple of years from now we'll have tents outside like New York Fashion Week."
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