Despite the cancellation of Richmond Fashion Week’s (RVAFW) fall fashion season, the fashion and arts scene remains vibrant as emerging artists and photographers showcased their work at the “Flowism” art gallery at Deco at CNB on Nov. 16.

The “Flowism” art gallery was created and hosted by Ryan Azia, RVAFW co-partner and former creative director, to display his artwork and provide a platform for other artists hesitant to present their work.

“A lot of [artists] need that push,” Azia said. “Sometimes a lot of them don’t have enough artwork to present in a full gallery on their own, and then also to let them know that they can do it on their own if they wanted to.”

This is the second “Flowism” art gallery event. The first event was held at the Les Crepes restaurant in Carytown in September 2021. The name comes from the saying “go with the flow” for artists to consider when running into a creative block.

The show featured artwork from artists and photographers such as Julie Adams, Jay Bordeaux, Christian Chambers, Michael Hostetler, Tyscene Jones, Jane Powers, Justin Uglow and Shamara Xavier. 

Jermaine Dabney, RVAFW’s 2023 Rising Star Award recipient for photography, is known for his work in fashion editorials photography. However, he showcased street and architectural photography at the event to return to his roots after five years of shooting fashion.

“I can do more than just fashion and this is another way that I creatively express myself,” he said. “I just like the way that the light hits different shapes. When I see the light hitting a shape a certain way, I just find it very captivating and I just have to capture it.”

The afternoon’s highlight was a fashion presentation by designer and model scout Noel Calubaquib of Suigens. Known for its cyberpunk-inspired regal elegance, Suigens made its debut during RVAFW’s spring season in April.

As the event transitioned, the artworks were moved aside to make room for a runway in the elongated venue. Calubaquib unveiled 20 new designs, staying true to the cyberpunk aesthetic of his previous collection.

The pieces included dresses, coats and vests. Filipino-American rapper Roro Yone opened the show, setting the tone for the striking display. Stoic models strutted in 7-inch stilettos and bold, shoulder-padded outfits, captivating the audience lined along both sides of the runway.

The show concluded with the models standing still as attendees took photos for several minutes.