Last Saturday, the Cedar Rapids-based 237 Collective hosted Warning Signs, the first of three fashion shows to be presented in the Cherry Building during April 2025. The show was a solo showcase of the work of Sadya, the nom d’artiste of 237 Collective co-creative director Paxton Williams.
Models strutted down the runway, a simple outline of orange tape on the floor of 237 Collective’s studio, walled in on either side by two rows of attendees packed shoulder to shoulder in the small space.
True to the upcycled, work-with-what-you-find ethos running through 237 Collective’s fashion endeavors, there was a wide spread of outfits and aesthetics in the audience — flared pants and fur vests next to Ren Faire-style lace-up shirts next to classic jeans and a T-shirt. They were all unified in enthusiasm, however — as models strutted past, the small studio filled with claps, snaps and stomps, an almost overwhelming wall of sound.
From a craft perspective, I was pleasantly surprised by the care and attention taken in the details of the pieces. Most of the upcycled pieces presented as inherently new garments, instead of the same garment with an applique or two. The made-from-scratch pieces were cleanly finished and well-shaped. The color palette of browns, grays and safety orange was consistent in tone through the whole show — a perennial difficulty for an artist working with found materials. Subtle variations in color added textural contrast with hand-sewn and machine-sewn patches. Utility belts, webbing and, in one case, an extension cord added a utilitarian texture.
A common theme of the looks was subversion of thrift-store staples. Ties snaked around hemlines and collars, wrapping around the shoulders of one piece in a McQueen-style harness look. Shirts twisted and draped into new configurations with machine and hand-stitched details, a fringed tapestry morphed into a helmet-like cowl…