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The Heidi Elnora show ended with purple glitter and Purple Rain. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Homewood resident and Indian Springs High School student Chloe Miller's design made it into the finals for Rising Design Star at Birmingham Fashion Week. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Homewood High School student Camille Colter created a blue and pink-checked ensemble for Birmingham Fashion Week. Her design and outfit made it into the final Rising Design Star show on Saturday night. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Homewood High School student Harlan Alford utilized hair extensions in this Birmingham Fashion Week Rising Design Star outfit. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Mountain Brook High School student Kathryn Sours' shiny outfit made it to the final round of the rising design star challenge at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Homewood High School student Rigdon Hendrix (left) used black and gray metallics in his design for the Rising Design Star challenge at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Homewood High School student Rigdon Hendrix used black and gray metallics in his design for the Rising Design Star challenge at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Vestavia Hills High School student Liz Link's outfit design made it to the final runway show of the Rising Design Star challenge at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Vestavia Hills High School student Liz Link's outfit design made it to the final runway show of the Rising Design Star challenge at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Mountain Brook High School student Kathryn Sours' (left) shiny outfit made it to the final round of the rising design star challenge at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Vestavia Hills High School student McKinley Rohrer's sparkly design took her to the final runway show of this year's Birmingham Fashion Week Rising Design Star Challenge. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Vestavia Hills High School student Brooke Lindsey designed and modeled her outfit for the Rising Design Star Challenge at Birmingham Fashion Week. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Vestavia Hills High School student Brooke Lindsey designed and modeled her outfit for the Rising Design Star Challenge at Birmingham Fashion Week. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Heidi Elnora (center) with two models from her show at Birmingham Fashion Week. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Models show off clothes from The Clothes Tree, a runway retailer at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Vestavia Hills High School student Milie Alonso's outfit, which included a top that converts into a clutch purse, made it into the final show for Rising Design Star at Birmingham Fashion Week. Photo by Erica Techo.
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A member of the audience struts her stuff down the runway during Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Models show off clothes from The Clothes Tree, a runway retailer at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Models show off clothes from The Clothes Tree, a runway retailer at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Birmingham Fashion Week host Tara Gray and Dr. Jack Schaeffer at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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A silks performance preceeded the Heidi Elnora fashion show at Birmingham Fashion Week. Photo by Erica Techo.
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A silks performance preceeded the Heidi Elnora fashion show at Birmingham Fashion Week. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Vestavia Hills' Baskin Champion kicked off the Heidi Elnora show at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Models show off wedding dresses designed by Heidi Elnora. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Oak Mountain High School student Stephie Soltys walks the runway during the Heidi Elnora show at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Chelsea High School student Ellie Burchell (left) added light-up elements to her outfit as part of the Rising Design Star competition for Birmingham Fashion Week. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Chelsea High School student Ellie Burchell added light-up elements to her outfit as part of the Rising Design Star competition for Birmingham Fashion Week. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Homewood resident and Indian Springs High School student Chloe Miller (left) stands with the model who took to the runway in her design. Photo by Erica Techo.
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The Heidi Elnora show ended with purple glitter and Purple Rain. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Oak Mountain High School student Stephie Soltys walks the runway during the Heidi Elnora show at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Homewood Middle School student Dalia Ali Almansoob created a colorful outfit using peacock feathers during the 2016 Rising Design Star challenge. Photo by Erica Techo.
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Mountain Brook graduate John William Price's design in the Rising Design Star competition made it to the final runway show. Photo by Erica Techo.
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John William Price (left) and his model at the final night of Birmingham Fashion Week. Photo by Erica Techo.
Birmingham residents saw what might have been the final Birmingham Fashion Week this August.
The sixth annual Birmingham Fashion Week took place at Boutwell Auditorium from Aug. 25-27, and the event's founders announced it could be the last. Co-founder and designer Heidi Elnora took the stage with co-founder Jeanna Lee Thompson and Jeremy Stephens, following a runway showing of Elnora's designs, to say the event has grown too large for its all-volunteer staff.
"If you want this to continue, we can no longer do this as volunteers," Elnora said. "We appreciate our sponsors and everyone being here but if you know of someone, I would like to hire someone to help me, and to help her [Thompson] and to help him [Stephens]. If you want Birmingham Fashion Week to continue, this is our plea."
The event is known for bringing together local designers, emerging designers from nearby colleges and graduate programs, and rising stars from nearby high schools and middle schools.
Elnora, Thompson and Stephens said they have enjoyed the last several years of Birmingham Fashion Week and hope to continue helping Birmingham and Alabama's blossoming designers, but reiterated they cannot do it alone. Elnora encouraged anyone who can help or would like to donate to reach out to the event's public relations team at KC Projects.
Prior to the somber announcement, the final night of Birmingham Fashion Week featured designs from eight emerging designers and the 30 finalists in this year's Rising Design Star competition.
Emerging designers Alan Slattery and Julie Maeseele received the top prize in the emerging designer challenge. Rising Design Star winners were also presented with scholarship money. Sarah Terral of Fairhope was presented with a full scholarship to University of Alabama. Savannah College of Art and Design presented three prizes - a $1,500 per year scholarship to winning high school seniors and a full week summer seminar for non-seniors.
SCAD selected Vestavia Hills High School student Brooke Lindsey, Mountain Brook High School student Kathryn Sours and Homewood High School student Rigdon Hendrix for the scholarships.
