Fashion Takes Over Royal Oak Farmers Market

More than 30 aspiring young models took over the Saturday evening for a casual fashion show designed to give them runway experience and a chance to show off their creativity.

Gina "T" Tamer, the owner of Shades of Essence Modeling Academy in Warren, Mich., organized the event. She said in past years she has held the shows at Detroit public schools.

This year, she chose the market as the venue largely because her daughter Sydney Dowdley, 14, an aspiring fashion designer, asked to host the event in a more general location.

"We liked the market and thought it was a good central place to have the show," Gina T said.

The market regularly is rented out for special events such as weddings, receptions and now, for the first time, a fashion show.

Children and teens who participated are students at the modeling academy who would like to become models or simply are interested in fashion, Gina T said. Professional makeup artist Akisa Lewis of Detroit applied the models' makeup according to their preferences. 

Sydney Dowdley also creates her own fashions under the name "Pink Lemonade" and was excited for some of her friends to show off her looks, which involve mixing and combining materials to create one-of-a-kind pieces. 

Dowdley's fashions included embellished jeans and skirts and jumpsuits trimmed in lace.

"I've just always loved fashion and have always been inspired by my mom," Dowdley said.

The kids could choose from other outfits provided by Gina T that included bright tights, colorful tutus and asymmetric tees. They also showed off T-shirts and jeans designed last week during a rehearsal in which they got to paint, cut, and embellish pieces they already owned.

Dawn Hayward of Wayne, Mich., was a proud parent taking photos back stage and encouraging her daughter Hailey, 10. 

"Hailey just really loves fashion and that's why we do this," Hayward said.