Milwaukee Fashion Network, LLC

08/06/2026

08/03/2026

07/26/2026

$500 Cash Prize - Step Into the Spotlight

Black Arts Fest MKE is calling all creatives to showcase their talent and compete for a $500 cash prize. Whether your artistry lives in fashion, hair, or visual art, this is your moment to shine.

Join us for three dynamic competitions:
- African Heritage Hair Show
- Essence of Style Fashion Design Competition
- BAF Art Show

These featured showcases are proudly sponsored by Edessa School of Fashion and Dr. Sabrina “The People Expert,” celebrating innovation, culture, and creativity within our community.

Competition Categories and Entry Forms:

- Fashion Design: https://forms.gle/XpAHtFy5cvb8pU4f9

- Hair Category: https://forms.gle/pwrEe7x9FH3hHcn77

- Fine Arts: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9i_55-A_6zk7iPMNifOaMtlWfdI0SurKAJ0yM6dIaBJdkYQ/viewform

Bring your vision to life, share your artistry, and compete for the recognition - and reward - you deserve.

07/15/2026

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED!!
Behind the Queen with Edessa School of Fashion

Gallery Night at the
Woman’s Club of Wisconsin
813 E. Kilbourn Ave.
Friday, July 17, 2026
5:00-8:00 pm

Free to the public,
Register here:
http://bit.ly/4gzcPzf

Behind the Queen is a 35mm black and white photographic exhibition by Leonardt Horák, presented by Edessa School of Fashion, exploring drag, transformation, fashion, and self presentation across Wisconsin.

The project follows drag performers, Melee The Queen, Dita Von and the late Tempest Heat, through a visual progression from rural environments, where they are photographed outside of full drag presentation, into more urban and constructed images where garments, styling, performance, and character become increasingly visible.

Through portraiture, fashion, and textured environments, the work frames drag not only as performance, but as a form of self authorship, artistic labor and transformation. Originally developed as Edessa School of Fashion’s 2024 calendar project, Behind the Queen quickly expanded into a larger exhibition format.

At the Woman’s Club of Wisconsin, Behind the Queen is revisited with greater distance, care, and clarity. The exhibition reflects on performance,
memory, fashion, and the people who shaped the project, while opening a new chapter for future work centered on portraiture, identity, and constructed image.

07/03/2026

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Courtney A. Hammonds as the Interim Chairman of the Board of Directors for Edessa School of Fashion.

We are honored to announce that Dr. Courtney A. Hammonds has accepted the role of Interim Chairman of the Board of Directors for Edessa School of Fashion. His willingness to serve during this important chapter reflects his deep commitment to advancing fashion education, cultivating creative leadership, and preparing the next generation of industry professionals.

A respected fashion executive, educator, and cultural strategist, Dr. Hammonds brings more than two decades of experience at the intersection of creativity, business, and higher education. As Founder and CEO of CAH & Co. Consulting Group, he has advised organizations on creative strategy, academic innovation, and organizational development while helping bridge the worlds of education and industry.

Dr. Hammonds currently serves as a professor in Capella University’s doctoral business and human resource management programs, where he designed and teaches doctoral-level coursework that strengthens applied learning and prepares scholar-practitioners to meet today’s evolving workforce needs.

His impressive career also includes leadership with Neiman Marcus and The Art Institute of Atlanta, where he led accredited academic program redesigns and championed initiatives that elevated fashion education and strengthened industry partnerships. Known throughout the industry as “The Dean of Fashion,” he also serves as Senior Fashion Editor for Upscale Magazine and is a nationally recognized television contributor.

As Edessa School of Fashion continues to expand its impact, Dr. Hammonds’ vision, wisdom, and leadership will be invaluable in guiding our Board and supporting our mission to make world-class fashion education accessible, innovative, and transformative.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Courtney A. Hammonds on his appointment and welcoming him to the Edessa School of Fashion family. We look forward to the exciting future we will build together.

www.imdrcah.com

06/21/2026

Nine years ago today, a small group of academic colleagues and friends set out to do what many thought was impossible: build a four-year college of fashion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
What we expected to take one year took four and a half, but we got it done.

In the process, we unknowingly filled a critical gap in fashion education across Southeastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. From day one, we committed to creating a space where students are admitted and judged by their talent, drive, and creativity, not by race, gender, or sexual orientation. Those things have no bearing on someone’s ability to succeed in fashion, and they never will at Edessa, you will never find those questions on our application.

Today, Edessa has firmly established its place in the region, and we are just getting started. The Midwest is next.
Watch what we do this year. We’ll still be doing what we do!

Happy Founder’s Day.