dsmWeekly - April 16, 2025

By Rylie Smith

A vibrant celebration of fashion, art and community is set for 7 p.m. Friday, when the Fashion Circuit debuts at Olson-Larsen Galleries in Valley Junction. This free event for all ages is more than just a fashion show: It’s an immersive experience designed to spotlight Iowa’s emerging creative talent.

With more than 70 models and eight Iowa-based designers, the event also features dancers, music from DJ cdisiac and the creation of a community mural with local artist Siricasso. The event coincides with Valley Junction's Gallery Night, and guests are encouraged to dress as if they themselves are artworks.

“When you walk in, it should feel like you could be picked up and put on the wall,” Fashion Circuit co-founder Sandrah Nasimiyu said with a laugh.

The concept began when Nasimiyu and Izzy Kelai (both pictured) were taking a stroll outside the Des Moines Art Center, and a bird pooped in Nasimiyu's purse. They took it as a lucky sign.

Nasimiyu is a marketing and modeling creative with roots in Kenya, and Kelai is an Ethiopian-born stylist and photographer. They spotted a gap in Iowa’s fashion ecosystem. “There were talented people,” Nasimiyu said, “but no real community tying it together. So we're not just doing a fashion show — we’re building an ecosystem."

At the heart of the Fashion Circuit is its fellowship program, designed to nurture young creatives through mentorship opportunities. Design Fellows are paired with local clothing designers to co-create garments, while Creative Fellows help produce the entire show, from visuals and social content to venue setup.

The participating fellows include students at Iowa high schools as well as DMACC, Grand View University, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. “A lot of people think you need a fashion degree to belong in fashion,” Nasimiyu said. “But we’re creating a space where creatives can find their lane, no matter what they’re studying.”

One of the mentors is the designer Jaden Jacobson, who founded the streetwear label Life of Us. He's showcasing five looks in Friday's show, including three pieces he plans to release later this year. “It’s been amazing working with the fellows,” he said. “It reminds me of when I was younger, trying to start my brand and find opportunities. It’s a full circle moment.”

The show features eight designer-fellow teams in all, each presenting original looks that reflect both mentorship and experimentation. The design labels are Life of Us Clothing, J.Lidan, Sailuc, Denim & Such, Gracie GoGo Designs, Seraphic Couture, Piece of Mine and Rachel Reloaded, whose designer, Rachel Gai, recently led a free community workshop about sustainable sewing skills and upcycling techniques for the SewCial Impact Initiative the Fashion Circuit leads with Nisaa African Family Services.

Already, buzz for Friday's inaugural event has prompted Nasimiyu and Kelai to start planning another fashion showcase for the fall. Pre-sale tickets will be available at the April 18 event. For more information, including opportunities to get involved, visit thefashioncircuit.net or follow along on Instagram @the.fashioncircuit.

Joe Tuggle Lacina's multimedia "Climbing Trees," left, and Catherine Reinhart's patchwork collage "I Will Need an Eternity of That, My Dear" are both part of the upcoming show at Olson-Larsen Galleries.

BEST BET

Ecology gets creative in Valley Junction

As the Earth tilts toward Earth Day on Tuesday, the team at Olson-Larsen Galleries is putting the finishing touches on a new show called “Art & Ecology,” which features multimedia work by seven local and regional artists. It opens with a reception 5-8 p.m. Friday (which includes the fashion show, noted above), during Valley Junction's biannual Gallery Night, when six other neighborhood galleries extend their hours for visitors.

Several of the "Art & Ecology" artists plan to participate in a panel discussion at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. It's moderated by Kerri Johannsen, senior director of policy and programs with the Iowa Environmental Council.

From 1 to 4 p.m. the following Saturday, April 26, the Ames artist Catherine Reinhart will lead a "Collective Mending Session" to teach basic sewing tips and encourage participants to slow down, take a few deep breaths and take part in the meditative practice of a collaborative stitching project. Your great-grandma might have called it a quilting bee.

The Week Ahead

"Light Within Ourselves: Haitian Art in Iowa," opening Friday, Des Moines Art Center. Check out paintings, metalwork, sculptures and more, on loan from the Waterloo Center for the Arts. Experts from both museums, along with Drake University and Grinnell College, will discuss the artwork and its cultural themes during a symposium 1-4 p.m. next Saturday, April 26.

Drake Road Races, 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Drake neighborhood. The 115th edition of the Drake Relays begins bright and early with the half-marathon, 10K and 5K road races. Later, the Grand Blue Mile starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday downtown at 13th and Locust.

Lenard Simpson, 7 p.m. Saturday, Noce. The award-winning Chicago saxophonist heats up the downtown jazz club.

Doggy Easter Egg Hunt, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, Paws & Pints. Give your dog a proper Easter egg hunt while you hunt up some brunch at a table nearby. Win-win.

Tonic Sol-fa, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Hoyt Sherman Place. Enjoy some tunes from the Twin Cities by an a cappella group that's sold more than 2 million albums.

Neil deGrasse Tyson, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, Des Moines Civic Center. Ever wondered about the science behind "Star Wars," "Frozen" or "The Titanic"? The famous scientist will bust a few Hollywood myths during a talk next week.

Dinosaur invasion: Blank Park Zoo has announced a few new additions coming this July. Fifteen life-size, scientifically accurate, animatronic dinosaurs will “breathe, roar and even fart and pee,” according to the zoo’s announcement. So, beware. Meet all 15 dinos online.

Funny moms: “Moms Unhinged,” a comedy show full of maternal high jinks and the occasional dad joke, is coming to Hoyt Sherman Place on May 11.

Music with a pulse: The rock band Heart is planning to bring its tour to town for an Aug. 23 concert at the Des Moines Civic Center. Tickets go on sale April 24.

Fotos de las casas: For decades now, Robert and Karen Duncan have collected artwork from their worldwide travels and shipped it back to their home in Lincoln, Nebraska, and the Clarinda Carnegie Art Museum, which they founded in their hometown. Robert is a particular fan of the Mexican architect Luis Barragan (1902-1988) and has photographed two of the spectacular homes he designed in Mexico City. The photos are in an exhibit that’s making the rounds of Bank Iowa branches, including the one at 1150 Jordan Creek Parkway in West Des Moines, where it opened Tuesday and will remain through Nov. 13.

By Emmett McMenamy

A dozen years ago, some Drake University students lobbied for an on-campus garden as a peaceful getaway. Their plan quickly outgrew its original concept, and the students successfully applied for a grant to support the project. Now, the Sprout Garden serves the community as an outdoor classroom for a hands-on nutrition program for children in the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Iowa.

Educating local children is vital because many have only limited access to healthy food at home. More than 95% of K-12 students in the surrounding neighborhoods qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, according to the Sprout Garden’s webpage. To help, Drake students who tend the Sprout Garden have turned it into a lively place for Boys and Girls Club members to learn about nutrition, gardening and even foraging for food in the natural environment.

“When they show up every week, they’re always so excited,” said Drake junior Lindsey Siebert, who coordinates the classes with the Boys and Girls Clubs. “They ask, ‘Oh, what are we going to do?’ Or ‘Do we get to eat anything?’ I think it will stick with them one way or another.”

The garden yielded about 400 pounds of produce in 2024. Drake students often show off the harvested fruits and vegetables to help kids understand the garden’s growing potential. It’s “rewarding to see them so engaged and enthusiastic,” said Anna Redeker, who works with the Boys and Girls Clubs.

Surplus produce is given to the kids, offered to volunteers or tucked in the Little Free Pantry outside the garden, for anyone who can use it.

A dozen years after the former Drake students planted the idea for the garden, it’s taken root and become a hub for the community. As seasons and students come and go, it continues to help the next generation learn about nutrition.

“It makes me super joyful,” Siebert said. “Some of the kids don’t have the opportunity to do this at home, so they are excited to see things grow.”

Read the full story in the current issue of dsm magazine.