“Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way to live.” —Gianni Versace

As the state of Utah grows, it becomes more diverse and full of a wide variety of people, talents, and cultures. With any urban scene, comes self expression in the form of art that you wear. In other words; fashion! The local scene in Salt Lake City is filled with incredible moments to witness and explore when it comes to how people express themselves.

In recent years, the local fashion scene has emerged as a dynamic force, shaping trends, and redefining style across several states. Characterized by it’s innovative spirit and movement with eco-friendly motives, it has been a beautiful thing to witness.

This is Samuel Mangum writing, Fine Art Consultant at Gallery MAR. One of the things I’ve loved most when capturing these fashion creatives, has been their willingness to adapt and become forces for sustainability, and ethical creation. As awareness of global issues arise, there has been a premium placed on sustainable clothing practice. Many young designers are committed to ethical strategies, using eco-friendly materials; reusing and recycling to promote transparency, as more and more consumers seek to make more informed choices that align with their values.

Bentley Smith, the designer pictured above working on dresses for his fashion show at the Beehive, mentioned how imperative it was for him to reuse found materials for his pieces saying “There is beauty and possibility in everything we surround ourselves with. We just have to open our minds and look past the constructs society has placed on us with its materials. Anything can be turned into an artistic piece which you can wear to express yourself.”

The most striking feature to witness in the young fashion scene is its emphasis on creativity and individual expression. Watching young designers like Bentley Smith break free from traditional norms, experimenting with bold colors, unique silhouettes, and unconventional textiles, holds much to be anticipate for the future of fashion. This evolution of walking art on our local streets is definitely something to behold.

---

Written by Samuel Mangum

Tags: fashion photography, Samuel Mangum, Utah fashion
Posted in Gallery News, Park City Life, Utah Art News