New York Fashion Week has been a flurry of fringe and furs, and we couldn’t be more excited. One designer in particular has caught our attention: Carrie Hammer has, for the second year in a row, replaced runway models with “role models,” embracing and empowering women everywhere. Twenty-one CEOs, entrepreneurs, writers, and actresses walked Hammer’s line; among these was American Horror Story actress Jamie Brewer, the first model with Down Syndrome to walk the runway.
“I think it’s important that women understand that beauty comes from power, personality, and accomplishments,” Hammer said.
It helps that Hammer’s line is straight-up sexy—custom fit to the women working it, and features bold confident colors meant to bring out the boss-lady in all of us.
Models this year included The Daily Show Co-Creator Lizz Winstead, “The Muse” CEO & Co-Founder Kathryn Minshew, Psychologist Dr. Danielle Sheypuk, Miss USA Nana Meriwether, and Bustle.com Senior Editor Maria Ospina. And Hammer isn’t just featuring these kinds of women on the runway: she’s created a program featuring career advice and inspiration for women everywhere.
When it comes to her own business, Carrie Hammer isn’t shy about her goals. “CARRIE HAMMER is going to be one of the largest brands in the world. We are just at the beginning of the journey and we have huge aspirations!” Talk about practicing what you preach—she totally deserves to be a “role model” in one of her own shows.
We hope this whole real-people-as-models thing gains popularity in the fashion world, because seeing women we admire and aspire to be on a runway is huge. HUGE.
Images c/o bustle, ktla, buzzfeed
