Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, Heidi Grace Acuña presented their debut fashion show with Living Waling Waling, held early May 2025. Acuña partnered with Seattle Center and was selected to represent and uplift  emerging and established local AAPI artists. Acuña is a multidisciplinary artist who has appeared on TV, galleries across the West Coast, and was a finalist at Fruit Bowl. Born in Washington and raised in Hawai’i, Acuña moved from sculpture to fashion and brought a colorful bouquet of upcycled and sustainable clothing through their designs. 

Although caring for the planet is an action that should be taken every single day, engagement tends to increase during the month of April. Commonly referred to as Earth Month, people like Naomi Spinak put forth extra effort during this time to raise awareness about the importance of sustainability in their community.
If you live on or near Bainbridge Island, chances are you may be familiar with some of her work.She helped launch the annual Trashion Show with Sustainable Bainbridge nearly 10 years ago. 

Heidi Grace Acuña presents Living Waling Waling, a fashion event celebrating the matriarchal power of the orchid. Amassing more than twenty artists across mediums in the total production of this show, expect upcycled fashion, eclectic dance performance, and a side of Filipino bites.  Heidi Grace Acuña is a multi-disciplinary artist who sublimes their sense of disconnect to explore topics of identity, culture, gender, and home. Acuña has a background in sculpture with a permanent piece at North Seattle College. Since the 2019 pandemic they have expanded their craft into other mediums like fashion.

April 2025 marks the 55th anniversary of Earth Month. What initially started as an environmental awareness day in the United States is now an annual celebration across the world. Over the years, billions of people have joined forces to continue educating while advocating for policies that better protect communities, habitats, and wildlife. This year, the theme—Our Power, Our Planet—calls for an increase in renewable energy generation.

In the 2020s, the topic of sustainability has become a major focus in classrooms—specifically regarding fast fashion, prompting many students to face the fact that their shopping habits or favorite retailers may be harming people and the planet. In recent years, fashion has gained a reputation for being one of the most extractive and exploitative industries. Student organizations play an important role in creating collective change by holding space for education and action, both with their members and their greater campus and local community.

Seek out designers like Titus Ross of Thirty+ Clothing. He presents an alternative approach, embodying sustainability through the art of upcycling and strengthening community. On January 25, 2025, he showcased pieces from his current collection alongside Clementine Cimetiere of ClemCreations—who debuted on January 26—at the first-ever PNW Fashion Week. The shows took place at the QFC – Quality Flea Center and featured other local artists and advocacy vendors who promote creativity and challenge the status quo.
I spoke with Titus ahead of PNW Fashion Week to discover his inspiration for Thirty+ Clothing and find out what the future of sustainable fashion in Seattle looks like from his perspective as an emerging designer.

Finally! Another Seattle drag queen becomes an official RuGirl!

Arrietty, a local Seattle drag queen, is one of the fortunate queens to make it to the newest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race (Season 17). Having premiered on January 3, 2025, this season is sure to be a refuge in a time when queer people need it the most.

Who doesn’t enjoy the feeling of buying something for yourself or someone you love? Finding the perfect “thing” can be fun, and even life-changing. But if you aren’t careful, the feel-good chemicals generated when shopping—adrenaline and dopamine—can make the activity addicting.

There are many ways to appreciate the land we are on and honor those who were here before colonization, and recently, I decided to spend time amongst the talented artisans of the Duwamish people and give back to their community at their annual Duwamish Native Art Market. As the original caretakers of the land we now call Seattle, the Duwamish people are an important and integral part of this city’s history and future. You can learn more about them and their culture, past and present, on their site.

After the tattoo expo at the Seattle Center, tattooers across Seattle received a notable amount of appointments to fulfill new client requests. Having entered the Seattle market recently, Worldwide Badass (WWBA), a tattoo company, has found their space in the Seattle market on the famous Pike Street in Capitol Hill. Calel Metcalf and Dario Rodgriguez, best friends and owners of WWBA, make statements on the state of the market and share some advice for new and upcoming tattooists, companies, and how they may see themselves moving into the Seattle community.

Seattle is not often the first place that enters one’s mind in thinking about the fashion industry. When it comes to getting dressed, a casual style is widely accepted. The city has contributed greatly, however, to the business side of things. It is the headquarters of several world-renowned retailers with a legacy in local manufacturing, like Filson (est. 1897), Nordstrom (est. 1901), Eddie Bauer (est. 1920), and REI (est. 1937). Despite not being a fashion capital, even with so many “heritage brands,” Seattle is recognized as a creative city.

The Seattle Center hosted Seattle’s annual tattoo expo showcasing over 200 artists across the world, some local to the Puget Sound, our Eastern Washington neighbors, and our neighbors on the other coast. Attendees viewed portfolio after portfolio within the long rows of talented tattoo studios. The varieties of styles and inspirations were put on full display from the artists. Expansive geometric patterns stretched across bodies. Shadowed creatures from the occult appear to creep out of body parts. Flowers were stuck in the most perfect moment of bloom.