Freweyni Berhe, an upcoming designer, debuted at the second annual Threads Fashion Demonstration.
Threads is a collaborative effort between Black Artists of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG-Qaumajuq) to celebrate Black History Month and local talent with a fashion show and talks by the designers.
Berhe attended Threads last year to support a friend and found it exciting. However, she says participating in the event was a completely different experience.
“The fact that it’s happened on Black History Month is really unique and beautiful. When I got invited this year, I was really excited to show who I am, what I do, and what I want to accomplish for the world.”
Berhe has lived in Canada for over a decade, moving from Eritrea, a small country in East Africa. Despite its small population of just under four million, Eritrea has diverse cultures, languages, and foods. Berhe incorporates this concept into her designs, combining organic fabrics sourced directly from Eritrea into modern fashion.
“Inspiration comes everywhere. Everywhere I go, I get many details that come to my mind to create new things. Since I came from Eritrea, we have this beautiful culture that no one or maybe a few people know. And I always have this mentality in my head: oh, what if I blend my culture into the Canadian lifestyle? I had this idea of blending in and culture with the lifestyle of Canada to create something unique and luxurious clothing.”
Events like Threads, although a perfect opportunity to showcase the works of talented individuals across Winnipeg are more about connection than anything else, says Berhe.
“People were giving me feedback. People were trying to connect with me. I was like, okay, actually, this went really well. I didn’t expect it to be that. But getting those connections and having people actually genuinely come there to support black artists and black women meant the world to me. I really like all these amazing people, older or younger, all of them. They’ve really amazed me.”
From this event, Berhe says she has connected with many unique individuals, developing ideas for collaborations, photoshoots, and other unique shows. Her only criticism is that she wishes the event had been bigger, giving even more artists and cultures a chance to be in the spotlight.
Berhe is excited about the future. She is currently working on launching her website and expanding her brand. For now, those interested in her work can find her on Instagram under @weani.design.
– Ryan Funk, U Multicultural
