Retrograde Fashion Show
Objective: To create an immersive fashion experience that lives in Retrograde. Where creativity is revisited, identities are reworked, and the past becomes a tool for transformation while providing a platform for emerging Chicago-based designers to connect, grow, and redefine their creative futures.
Overview: The Retrograde Fashion Show took place on July 12, 2025, at the Ephipany Center of the Arts as the second official show following the debut of Planet R. This event invited attendees into a multidimensional world where reflection, nostalgia, and innovation coexist, exploring the beauty of rewinding, reworking, and redefining identity through fashion. Building on the momentum of Planet R, this next chapter deepened the experience, blending past and future aesthetics to create an emotionally resonant and immersive atmosphere. The show brought together a curated audience of creatives, industry professionals, and supporters of Chicago’s artistic community, serving as both a runway and a cultural moment that amplified emerging designers while continuing to foster connection, storytelling, and creative evolution.
Visit https://epiphanychi.com/events/retrograde-fashion-show/to learn more about the show!
The mission of Retrograde is to curate a fashion experience that honors the past while reimagining the future, inviting attendees into a reflective and emotionally resonant world of creativity. Rooted in authenticity, community, and innovation, the show provides a platform for emerging Chicago-based designers to showcase their visions, build connections, and redefine boundaries through fashion. Every element of the show is crafted to be immersive, intentional, and deeply impactful, celebrating artistic rebirth and timeless originality.
MISSION STATEMENT
WELCOME TO RETROGRADE
an exploration of time, identity, and transformation.
STELLAR HIGHLIGHTS
VISIONARY CREATORS
Designs from Star Market Chi brought bold, Y2K-inspired energy rooted in nostalgia and underground culture, while COPE Apparel reflected balance and authenticity through versatile, lifestyle-driven looks. SyxStitch introduced handcrafted edge with intricate fiber work, as By Stan R. redefined identity through thoughtful silhouettes and textile exploration. TINDERA delivered avant-garde, conversation-driven pieces that emphasized connection, while Ssoulless Studios showcased raw creativity through reworked garments rooted in personal evolution. Emonye Designs elevated women’s fashion with a refined, detail-driven approach, and TYLER MORGAN STUDIOS unified the show as the resident accessory designer, blending storytelling, nostalgia, and innovation throughout. Together, the designers shaped Retrograde into a multidimensional exploration of identity, creativity, and transformation.
BREAKING NEWS FROM RETROGRADE
Discover what the media is saying about Retrograde! This exclusive news clip captures the show’s impact on Chicago’s fashion community, while also highlighting the continued influence of Straight From The GO® and Raeted R Creative Co. through the celebration of a 10-year anniversary. From nostalgic storytelling to forward-thinking design, the energy of the show reflects a powerful moment of growth, legacy, and creative evolution.
DESIGN DNA: MY CREATION
The Straight From The Go x Raeted R Creative Co. collaboration collection is rooted in a deeply personal reflection on youth, memory, and creative evolution. Drawing from nostalgic elements like airbrushing, bedazzling, and DIY customization, the collection revisits the expressive styles that once shaped my identity and reimagines them through a more refined, intentional lens. In celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Straight From The GO®, the collection embraces an archival approach, transforming past pieces into a reworked capsule that honors the brand’s journey while pushing it forward. At its core, Retrograde is about looking back as a means of moving ahead, using fashion as a tool to reinterpret the past, celebrate growth, and tell a story of continuous reinvention.
RETROGRADE RECAP
Step back into Retrograde with these dynamic recaps capturing the most captivating moments from the night. Relive the rhythm of the runway, the nostalgia woven through each design, and the energy of a space where past and future collided. From bold expressions of identity to intimate creative exchanges, this visual journey brings you back to a moment where reflection became reinvention, and fashion moved through time in the most unforgettable way
Adeola Oladeinde
Tarot Card Reader
"The support that showed up for you at the show was very much felt. God is taking you places!! I’m thrilled to see you and your team evolve along the way."
Lazo Schemes
Attendee
" A phenomenally executed vision"
Jordyn Harmon
Epiphany Center of the Arts
"Raven’s work with Raeted
R Creative Co. has empowered young Chicago creatives to share their art, work together, and brought them a step
closer to their artistic and professional goals."