CELEBRATE IN STYLE: Wilmington Fashion Week returns to the runway Sept. 24-28
- Sewit Mesfen
- Sep 17
- 3 min read
The wait is finally over. Wilmington Fashion Week struts back onto the scene Sept. 24-28 after five years with a totally revamped reintroduction. Like encore, Wilmington Fashion Week entered a pandemic pause and, like encore, now returns with some familiar and new elements. The event returns with five days of runway shows, parties and enough sparkle to leave folks textile-struck!
This edition stretches across five days and as many categories, across multiple venues from the heartbeat of downtown to the waterfront. This year’s lineup promises a fresh mix of established designers, emerging talent and community-driven showcases. Expect bold street wear, elegant evening gowns and everything in between as local boutiques and regional designers debut their newest collections.
Among the returning veterans is Bridgers the label, a womenswear line from Lula Balou Boutique owner Lucy Cherry, a mainstay of Wilmington Fashion Week (WFW) since the very beginning. "When WFW first started back in the day with my good friend TJ [Dunn], we first supported it and participated each and every time the show went on!" she recalls. When Danielle Harris from The Modified Style approached her about WFW’s return, the decision was easy, "I was just stoked to see it was coming back to life."
Cherry's designer journey began at Savannah College of Art and Design with a BA in Fashion Design, followed by work in Hawaii on a resortwear design team before opening Lula Balou at just 24 years old. For her, fashion design wasn't a career pivot, it was always the plan. "The passion for me was just there," she explains.
Her current collection for Wilmington Fashion Week is coastal, stylish and relaxed, a perfect reflection of her life and upbringing. The fall-inspired pieces feature clean lines, layers, and unexpected pops of color, prints, and texture. Working primarily with natural fabrics like cottons and linens, she's been experimenting with blends to achieve custom prints and better drape while maintaining that signature lightweight feel.
"There is a stunning jacket that [the Lula team has] been eyeing," Cherry teases about her standout piece. "Hopefully it makes it to the show before all my staff fights over it!"
The creative process behind each collection involves extensive research and brand planning to maintain cohesiveness, followed by close collaboration with her production team in Brazil to perfect prints, fabrics, and details. Her design ritual? "Coffee and LoFi music."
When it comes to Cherry’s design philosophy, her focus is on what makes women feel confident and comfortable, because "you have to feel good to look good." Rather than chase every trend, she advocates for incorporating one or two new elements while staying grounded in tried and true silhouettes.
"It's a lot of work but if your passion and focus are there, anything is possible,” she advises emerging designers. “And it's ok to ask questions."
Beyond the clothes and runway lights, this year’s Wilmington Fashion Week emphasizes collaboration, fosters creative community, strives to uplift local businesses, and celebrates (and shapes) diverse expressions of style. For anyone stepping out to Wilmington Fashion Week 2025: Expect high style, high energy, and a celebration of the city’s creative spirit.
Wilmington Fashion Week runs Sept. 24-28. For a full schedule and tickets, visit ilmfashionweek.com.
