Kreations by Kizzle steals the (fashion) show

By: Ava C. Green, Editor-in-Chief

Canisius University’s Afro American Society (Afro) held their annual fashion show this past Sunday, April 6, filling the Montante Cultural Center with one of the most hyped-up, well-dressed audiences the place has ever held. The event showcased brands from all over Buffalo, and even collections by student designers, senior Ange Inseza and junior Aniya Hugley. There was no lack of incredible outfits and captivating performances on the runway, but one of the most memorable collections of the night was by Kreations by Kizzle and featured ravishing denim designs. 

Markay Walker, the designer behind Kreations by Kizzle, was born and raised in Buffalo, and got his start making clothes for him and his friends to wear at their high school pep rallies’ spirit weeks. In 2017, a friend of Walker’s asked him to be a part of a fashion show she was putting on, and he’s been showing his fashion off all over Western New York ever since. 

His runway show on Sunday started with Afro’s Graduate Advisor Shawn Johnson –  wearing a striking, spring green jacket covered in patches –  walking out waving a giant, bleach-dyed flag with “Kreations by Kizzle” graffitied onto it. The anticipation was immediately up and we were not let down. The looks were cohesive yet unique, imaginative but timeless, practical and fashionable – simply put, they ate.  

Almost every piece in the collection featured jeans or denim in some way, staying true to Walker’s love of upcycling, which is, as he puts it, “giving new life to forgotten materials,” and reworking existing clothing items into something new. “[Denim] is tough, versatile and timeless, just like the people I design for. I could make you a whole outfit out of a pair of jeans just like that,” he says, backing that up by an impressive showing at the fashion show. 

Audiences saw variations of a top by Walker that uses the pant legs of jeans as its sleeves, with an off-the-shoulder neckline accomplished by cutting through the upper inseam of the pants. There was also an array of patchwork denim maxi skirts, some high-low, some including a train. It was clear through these garments that Walker is cornering the market pieces that make a statement, but remain marketable and effortlessly wearable. And while these garments prove that Kreations by Kizzle can be your go-to for day-to-day styles, this collection’s show stealers were the more elevated, albeit less practical, streetwear-chic designs.

I was blown away by the first two-piece set that hit the stage. The top was pretty simple in construction and style, but flaunted a giant denim bow tied on the front, blending Walker’s trademark inspiration with trendy motifs. The skirt with this outfit was just as impressive. Maybe it was the dramatic length and train. Maybe it was the slit down the middle, the way the slit opened with cascading layers of flowy denim or the large bows that continued down the layers. Whatever it was about this outfit, it took my breath away. Every other look was enough to convince people to wear more denim, but this is the look that had us all start to believe that denim can be glamorous. When a two-piece with a similar silhouette came out, we were sold. 

This set used a denim fabric with a much lighter wash. The skirt was more standard than the previous one, but had a high slit up the side instead, and an almost asymmetrical waistband. The top was a cropped button-up that was mostly undone, with a pearl overlay as a focal point to emphasize its collar. The two models in these sets posed together, looking like they just stepped out of a high-profile dinner party for distinguished denim lovers. 

Afro’s fashion show theme this year was “Crowned: Black women in power,” but Walker made sure that his menswear had a moment on the stage as well. Besides the coat worn by Johnson, the decked out, sleeveless jackets, reminiscent of fishing vests – I say with love – were the standouts for the guys. Two models walked out in the jackets, one in red and one in grey. The scarlet color was instantly eye-catching, but it's the grayscale one that was my favorite of the two. There were extra pockets, patches and distressing added, and a cheetah print pattern that was bleach-dyed onto some sections. Even with the menswear – which, by nature, can be a bit less interesting than women’s clothing – Walker was able to make every piece just as exciting as the next. You could tell through every outfit that Kreation’s by Kizzle is a love letter to the city, while staying true to Walker’s unique style and perspective. 

Walker has always embraced where he’s from, despite his awareness that he and other Buffalo designers may be overlooked coming from a smaller city, he says. “But that’s not stopping me because I know I could be the next big thing from this city,” he said on Daytime Buffalo in 2023. And the clothes he brought to the stage on Sunday was certainly the proof to back up that statement.