Arrow – Memphis Flyer

Created in 2012 by Arrow co-founder, Abby Phillips, and run by a talented team of volunteers, Memphis Fashion Week (MFW) this year celebrates its 10th anniversary. The event is held each spring to showcase spring and summer collections. MFW is about cultivating and celebrating local and regional fashion through designers, photographers, models, and boutiques.

Wardrobe exclusively provided by Indigo.
Models (left to right): Mycah Bates, Josie Brown, Emma Roberts

Amanda Uprichard Sicily Dress, $229; Shoes: Sam Edelman Jade, $140; Barrettes, $8.50

Amanda Uprichard Giancini Romper in English Blue, $238; Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell
Rancher, $260; Barrettes, $8.50

Amanda Uprichard Candia Dress, $233; Shoes: Schutz Kaila, $148; Tiana Bag, $145

This year’s events will showcase local emerging designers through The Emerging Memphis Designer Project (EMDP), as well as national designer Amanda Uprichard, presented by local boutique, Indigo. The EMDP was built out of a need in the Memphis community for local emerging designers to present their pieces to a wider audience. MFW and EMDP liaison Sonin Myatt and her team work with selected designers through a seven-month process to educate and promote local designs. At the end of the process, MFW hopes to see the designers grow their skills, promote their businesses, and enhance the design industry in Memphis.

Amanda Uprichard Evie Dress in Shocking Pink, $207; Shoes: Circus by Sam Edelman, $90; Mignonne Gavigan Mini Lola Hoop Earrings, $110

Amanda Uprichard Giancini Romper in Shocking Pink, $238; Barrettes, $8.50

Amanda Uprichard Evie Dress in Marina, $207; Shoes: Schutz Ariella, $118; Style Junkie Earrings, $16

Arrow Creative, grown out of the Memphis Fashion Design Network, seeks to make art more accessible in order to inspire the creative spirit in all Memphians. Arrow is a premier source of creative entrepreneur enrichment, arts education, and art immersion for the entire community. Arrow encompasses the fashion design community as well as photography, woodworking, ceramics, painting, graphic arts, book arts, and more.

Abby Phillips says, “Celebrating Memphis Fashion Week’s 10th year at Arrow Creative’s new home in Midtown feels like we’ve come full circle. To have grown this event into a full-fledged arts organization that encompasses all arts mediums and to see our fashion design participants using equipment purchased from Memphis College of Art feels like a real win.”

With Memphis Fashion Week, the Brother Sewing Lab, and EMDP, leaders in the Memphis fashion industry will help to cultivate and educate local Memphis designers. Join Arrow in supporting local fashion at Arrow Creative on April 22, 2022. Proceeds from official events benefit Arrow Creative, a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Paradigm Marketing and Creative

A rendering of the proposed Arrow building in the Broad Avenue Arts District.

Arrow, one of the organizations that had bid to take over Rust Hall next year when the Memphis College of Art closes, has pulled out of consideration and will instead set up its headquarters in the Broad Avenue Arts District.

Abby Phillips and Dorothy Collier, co-founders of the nonprofit creative co-working space, made the announcement Monday evening at Arrow’s temporary space at 2535 Broad.

Arrow has raised about $2 million toward acquiring the property and will mount a capital campaign to get another $10 million.

“The space will be more than a building, more than a program, and more than just studio space,” Phillips said. “Arrow will be a one-roof creative district in the heart of Memphis. We will house micro retail opportunities, creative community education with a focus on workforce development and artist development.”

It will have studios and creative offices, as well as co-working and shared equipment. Arrow has acquired some of the equipment from Memphis College of Art that will be available to the Arrow community.

“This space provides a unique opportunity with easy access,” she said. “We are 20 minutes or less of a drive from anywhere in the city, the street is already an established and thriving arts district, and over the next few years, there will be over 400 apartments in the surrounding five blocks.”

The 80,000- to 100,000-square-foot project is expected to take more than a year. Meanwhile, Arrow will remain in its temporary “concept” space that has six studios and already has artists working there. “We wanted to be closer to our forever home and to prove our concept that access to foot traffic does help these artists,” Phillips said.

Arrow is also offering classes and hopes this summer to have a summer camp for students much like MCA has offered for many years.

The city has selected several finalists who have proposals on what to do with the 75,000-square-foot MCA building, which will become vacant at the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Arrow had been one of the finalists. The city is also looking for ideas for the 86,000-square-foot Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, which plans to move Downtown in 2024.