Last Friday, an eclectic bar in Capitol Hill became the main stage for a night of flirty fashion fun. Sasa, the creative mind behind apaansasa, debuted her first independent fashion show, I Think I’ll Be Beautiful Forever, presenting six of her favorite looks from past projects—each as delightfully sweet and feminine as Sasa herself.  

The runway was lace, pleats, and ribbons galore, a sentimental ode to the different archetypes that Sasa consults during her design process. “It’s fun to play with these different personalities. I’ll look at ballet dancers on Youtube and bridalwear in Vogue for references. I like creating intimate, yet playful and exciting designs. It’s all about mixing these elements to feel good in your own body.”

Sasa is no stranger to the runway. Her first collection debuted in MESH’s annual runway show of 2022 and since then, she’s been organizing events to uplift the QT/BIPOC community of Seattle. Last July, she co-hosted Venus Eye with Elena Qui (@e.cxhi), a fashion show, rave, and artist alley to highlight local artists. This December, she co-produced a show in collaboration with Roots of South Sudan, designing a collection centered around traditional South Sudanese jewelry, with all proceeds donated to the non-profit. 

As her first independent fashion show, the night was all about spotlighting the distinct personality of apaansasa. “It was important to me to have all black models, I think it’s really important to create spaces where people feel both comfortable and seen.” Sasa’s commitment to community representation was especially deepened through this deliberate curation of a space for femmes and people of color, featuring DJ sets from @its.exiss, @knosubz, and @ashleyvvang and henna tattoo services from @oviy444. 

Sasa expressed a warm gratitude for the support she’s received from her community. “The idea of hosting my own show was definitely scary, but I had people who pushed me to pursue it. Without that community support, it would’ve been far more challenging”. Sasa stated that collaboration with other creatives came very organically, with photography shot by Kaya Nieves (@portal2myfantasy) and Alex Lo Más (@alexlomasphotos) and graphic design by @studio.artsandcrafts and @mymomismaria.

“People want to be involved in a space like this, it’s all about cultivating those connections and creating opportunities together.”

Reach column writer Somi Park at musemediauw@gmail.com
Instagram @_cowmi

Reach photographer Miranda Scott at musemediauw@gmail.com
Instagram @miranda_l_s