Students to Showcase Work at Fashion Week MN
Minneapolis College alumnus Rina Sands and student Henry Shingobe’s couture designs, created in collaboration with one another, will be hitting the runway at Fashion Week MN September 12-18, 2021. Embracing the “Northwoods Green” theme of the event, Sands and Shingobe are creating a palate inspired by the colors of the forest tumbled with flowers.
Fashion Week MN was founded in 2015 and is a bi-annual event of runway shows, presentations, panels and shopping events used to highlight the current collections of Minnesota-based designers, brands and retailers.
Tasked with creating eight designs for the show, Sands and Shingobe share a vision of well-thought-out, high-fashion designs that flow together seamlessly. “We are not about fast fashion,” said Sands and Shingobe. “We take great care in our designs, from sophisticated concept to finished product. It’s about the details, down to the very last stitch.”
Fit is Her Niche
Rina Sands graduated from Minneapolis College in May 2021 with an A.A.S. in Apparel Design. She entered the program with a wealth of experience from her work as an interior designer with a curiosity about fashion and creating patterns. “Sewing is my passion,” said Sands who first started sewing as a 10-year-old living in Indonesia. “When I moved to the United States, finding clothes that fit my small stature was difficult. This pushed my desire to learn patterning even more.” Sands aspires to learn more about the production, sourcing and theory side of custom design and earn a positive reputation for her couture designs where fit is paramount.
Sewing Prowess and Passion
Henry Shingobe grew up in Brainerd, Minn. and moved to Minneapolis in 2016. Backed by experience as an industrial seamstress and cutter, his textile and sewing prowess and passion for the work led him to Minneapolis College. “The reputation of the Apparel Design Program at Minneapolis College is extremely strong,” said Shingobe. “I learned patience and perseverance in addition to honing my design skills.” After graduating from the program in the Spring of 2022, Shingobe plans to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City followed by a men’s sewing program in Dallas, Texas.
Fall Fashion Week MN
Sands and Shingobe hope Fall Fashion Week MN will provide them an opportunity for networking and recognition as they build their portfolios. “Our experience at Minneapolis College prepared us for the high pressure of creating eight designs in two months,” said Sands and Shingobe, who appreciate the skills and open, honest nature of their collaborative relationship as they prepare for Fall Fashion Week MN. “When you find someone you work well with, the work flows.”
Fall Fashion Week MN is a volunteer-run, community-oriented, not-for-profit organization that organizes two fashion weeks each year—a spring edition in April, and a fall edition in September. Annually over seven days, Fashion Week MN is attended by more than 2,500 people at more than 14 events.
Get tickets to the Northwoods Greene show featuring Rina and Henry’s designs.
