Celebrity designer FRISKMEGOOD rallies local creators in powerful Area 51 fashion show (photos)

LAKEWOOD, Ohio – Unconventional, flamboyant, powerful and exciting – these are words one could use to describe FRISKMEGOOD’s Area 51 Fashion Show, along with the pieces, models and entertainment featured within it.

The show took place on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Studio West 117′s gymnasium, which was transformed by the implementation of a stage, red carpet runway, seats for an audience, vendors and fun alien décor.

Through the night, FRISKMEGOOD — AKA Cierra Boyd — the Cleveland designer behind pieces worn by celebrities like Cardi B, Doja Cat and more, along with 10 other local fashion designers, wowed with more than 300 alien-inspired fashion looks adorned by a mostly Black but still diverse range of models in terms of size, age and gender. With musical performances, special effects hair and makeup and a lively audience, it was a high-quality production the likes of which are rarely experienced in the fashion scene in Cleveland.

Diverse and striking fashions

In chronological order, the local fashion brands featured on the runway included Moody Mori, Brijanay, Knotnani, Deconstruction University, Abandoned Love, LaDon, Shopkoutore, Sunminga, DRMVZN, SYD University, and of course, FRISKMEGOOD.

Each designer’s collection of 15-30 looks delivered their vision of what an Area 51 fashion show should be. Some of the designers opted for stylish, evocative looks that took conventional fabrics and patterns and assorted them in unexpected, positively bizarre ways. Others opted for the opposite approach. Something most of them had in common was they used fun alien-themed accessories like light-up mono lens glasses to help portray the Area-51 theme.

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Deconstruction University’s collection stood out for its cohesive lineup of looks that felt like rustic urban wear in a post-modern era. Interestingly, the designer, DeAngelo Boggan, 26, said this cohesiveness wasn’t planned.

“To be honest with you, a lot of the pieces I created, I never had the thought of it all coming together,” he said. “The vision was kind of like if someone from out of space saw garments that were on the ground and picked them up, this is what that would look like.”

Empowering models

There were more than 70 models, most of which were shared between designers. The models came in all shapes and sizes and the LGBTQIA+ community was well represented as well. You could tell there was a wide range of experience on the runway, with some models walking more stoic and convincingly confident, while others opted for struts and poses that were more over-the-top energetic, or sensual – depending on the accompanying music.

One thing all the models had in common was they walked fiercely, emitting confidence and power. The audience fed from this energy.

Engaging extra entertainment

Kardi the Redd Diamond, a local drag performer well-known in the Cleveland drag scene, opened the show with high-energy performances from her debut ‘In My Barbie World’ hip-hop album, confidently sporting a FRISKMEGOOD sneaker bodysuit.

There were also hip-hop and R&B performances by other local artists throughout the night, but the standout entertainer was the event’s host, Dakota Cox, 26 another well-known drag performer in Cleveland. She leaned on her raunchy humor, inviting personality and wit to keep the audience engaged and laughing, often filling time between acts.

Dakota Cox, who has spent a lot of time performing gigs at Studio West 117, said she appreciated the uniqueness of the show.

“It was fantastic in my opinion, one of the biggest shows we’ve had. It was lovely to feel surrounded by my people (Black, LGBTQIA+), celebrating the arts,” she said.

What an audience

Many audience members dressed in eccentric, runway-worthy clothing and stylish Halloween costumes. Host Dakota Cox invited audience members on the runway to compete against each other for approval from the rest of the audience, adding an interactive element.

One of the participants who rose to the top was Chazz Hawks, a fashion designer who didn’t have his works in the show but fearlessly walked the runway dressed in his original design, which was a matching overcoat and pants constructed from what appeared to be a homely quilt or tablecloth or both.

FRISKMEGOOD’s stellar finale

Not to be upstaged at her own show, FRISKMEGOOD creator Boyd, 28, held an event within an event for the finale of the fashion show, which featured FRISKMEGOOD’s collection of 60 Area 51 looks. Boyd’s entrance was dramatic, with an eerie countdown that had the spooky vibes of a sci-fi horror film. She dazzled the audience with her metallic, spiked corset and high boots in a design that was reminiscent of a fashionable space knight.

From there, models wearing FRISKMEGOOD pieces took over, showing off a collection of new and familiar works from the celebrity designer. Many of the pieces were various versions of her signature sneaker corsets and bodysuits, created from shoes from brands like Nike, Jordan, Sketchers, Converse and more. A variety of models also walked the runway in couture streetwear marked with FRISKMEGOOD and Area 51 iconography.

After about 15 looks took the runway, a surprise occurred. Boyd returned to the stage with models-turned-dancers sporting her sneaker corsets. They broke out into a choreographed dance number, which remixed familiar hits into techno house music.

In an unexpected breakout performance from the group, Boyd vogued her way through the runway and back to the stage, eliciting some of the highest levels of energy of the night. After she left the stage again, a male model dove into the spotlight by jumping and sliding down rails from the stage and rolling onto the runway, before voguing through the runway.

The rest of FRISKMEGOOD’s collection followed the performance.

The final two pieces were the most eye-catching. One was crafted in the spirit of FRISKMEGOOD’s sneaker bodysuits but this one was made of deconstructed footballs that were glazed with a red and sparkly coating. It also appeared to be designed for men more than women as it accentuated the shoulders like armor. The other one that stood out was a crow-like garment made up of discarded soles that were cut, colored and styled in the shape of a black dress. This, Boyd said, was the finale piece to a show she was very proud of.

“I feel like every year my brand is elevating more and more and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for FRISKMEGOOD,” she said.

In a fashion show that blended creativity, inclusivity and empowerment, FRISKMEGOOD’s Area 51 Fashion Show left a lasting impact, delivering a message of self-expression, individuality and boldness, echoing the sentiments of the LGBTQIA+ community it helped to celebrate.

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