Elmwood Avenue is constantly bustling with passionate, outgoing, and creative business owners, artists, and patrons. The Elmwood Village Association has discovered the perfect way to harness this electric artistic sense into a dynamic fashion show. Last Friday (Nov. 5) was the third presentation of Mass Appeal, which points the spotlight on local fashion. Both Buffalo designers and Elmwood Village retailers were given the opportunity to showcase their latest creations. The show was presented in sections, local t-shirt companies, Elmwood Village boutiques, and local designers. This year, a new section with the theme “wearable art” was added. Buffalo State College students and local designers worked in conjunction with Elmwood businesses to interpret this theme. Designer, Amy Hartman worked with Talking Leaves to create an outfit made out of eight thousand old book pages folded in the origami style. Mass Appeal has discovered a format that works, inspires, and represents the Elmwood Village atmosphere. Mass Appeal producer Erin Habes’ goal is to “…take fashion in Buffalo to another level and create an event that people will be excited to get dressed up for. If I’ve sparked that conversation I feel like I did my job!” DJs Kaitlin Isabella and Jessa Zenger (known as “Shock and Awe”) provided music for the show as well as hosted a masquerade themed after party at Soundlab.

-jill greenberg