Sat, Sep 19
|W.I.S.E Partnership
Born in Sepia
The Ideate Cultural Arts Festival (Sponsored by W.I.S.E. Partnership) is a Month of Design activation centered on creative exchange, community storytelling, and multidisciplinary cultural production.
Time & Location
Sep 19, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
W.I.S.E Partnership, 2700 W Chicago, Detroit, MI 48206, USA
About the event
Born in Sepia is an immersive fashion experience and cultural installation presented as part of Detroit Month of Design 2026. The project exists at the intersection of fashion, memory, and Black cultural celebration, functioning as both a runway show and a living archive.
Inspired by the spirit of a “Black Girl Festival,” the experience honors Black trailblazers in fashion, beauty, and everyday style.
Garments act as vessels of memory, referencing domestic interiors, beauty rituals, and the aesthetics of “peacocking” within Black communities as expressions of identity, care, and celebration. Each model will be paired with a historical fashion trailblazer, creating a dialogue between past icons and contemporary Detroit style.
Beyond the runway, the experience expands into a multi sensory environment featuring a storefront installation with merchandise, archival displays, and wearable works. Interactive activations will include a Black art library, temporary tattoo station, nail art, charm making, live portrait sessions, experimental…