Reclaim Fashion Show - Field Notes
July 11, 2026 | Kendall Hall, Central United Methodist Church
I arrived early at Kendall Hall, Central United Methodist Church. Staff set up chairs along the runway and photographers took spots. By showtime the hall was full.
Backstage, makeup stations were busy. Models cycled through chairs and clothes hung on racks. RRR.Raid adjusted a strap on a model’s green dress. No one posed — everyone worked.
Six designers showed: Cher Thomas, OXDX Clothing, Jasmyne’s Jewelry and Couture Designs, Penny Singer, Tuve’Hongnum, and host RRR.Raid. Styles ranged from structured runway looks to streetwear. Indigenous motifs were everywhere — Southwestern geometric patterns, turquoise, conch belts, fringe, and moccasin boots. Jasmyne’s jewelry — squash blossom necklaces, chandelier turquoise earrings, and inlaid silver medallions — felt integral to the outfits, not just accessories.
A few pieces stopped the room. One jacket and matching skirt were made from reused Blue Bird flour sack fabric — the brand name still visible, "Enriched Bleached... Milling Co." beside sunflowers and nutrition facts. Worn open over a black bodysuit with a beaded belt, it drew as much attention as anything on the runway. Another coat had "FUTURE" in rhinestones across the back, paired with a full Southwestern-print skirt that sparkled when the model turned; the crowd reacted before she even stepped off.
The men's looks were equally deliberate: gold and teal suede jackets with lightning-bolt cutouts, beaded bolo ties, and a two-tone wide-brim hat. A black-and-gold floral shirt with yellow fringe at the sleeves was matched with geometric trousers and a conch belt. For the women: a sheer blue geometric dress with horizontal satin bands; a white mini with cascading white and blue fringe that caught on camera mid-turn, the model’s hair fanning out; and a pale pink corset top with a floor-length skirt trimmed with laser-cut floral detailing.
An elder spoke into a microphone before the show. The room went quiet as everyone bowed in reverence. DJ Iowa kept the energy between looks, and Smokey D Palmtree from One Way Sky played live — a guitarist with a blue Fender Stratocaster and a large pendant, singing to a full house.
The audience paid attention. Phones were out, but people watched — many familiar faces who knew the designers and models. After the show I saw Penny Singer in the Kendall Hall outdoor corridor, surrounded by her models, all still in their outfits and smiling.
Near the end, I found RRR.Raid backstage saying goodbye. With bags in hand, she pulled someone into a slow, unhurried embrace.
Those two moments say more about Reclaim than the runway.
Photography by Rudy Lizarraga | rudylizarraga.com
