Cowboy boots by Tres Outlaws Boot Co. are just one of the artisan-crafted Wild West-inspired works on display at the Western Design Conference
New this year, a Designer Show House will create actual 'rooms' in a home-like environment.
Jackson Hole, WY (PRWEB) July 17, 2014
The Western Design Conference (WDC), the world’s preeminent exhibition of Western furniture, fashion and accessories, has announced its schedule for its 22nd annual event in Jackson Hole, September 4 - 7, 2014. The four-day conference will open Thursday night with a soiree at the Snow King Center in Jackson, Wyo. that includes the highly popular runway fashion show. The annual juried exhibit and sale of one-of-a-kind Western-inspired functional art will follow Friday, September 5, through Sunday, September 7, also at the Snow King Center, including a new Designer Show House constructed in the middle of the show floor.
The WDC kicks off with a fun-filled opening preview party on Thursday night at the Snow King Center on September 4 at 6 p.m. for VIP ticket holders ($125/person) who will have a chance to meet and mingle with participating artisans, partake of the evening’s signature cocktails and culinary creations while browsing and shopping, and settle into reserved seats for the live Western couture fashion and jewelry show. Regular ticket holders ($50/person) enter at 7 p.m. for general admission seating for the fashion show, where local models take to the runway presenting Western-inspired collections from established and up-and-coming designers. Before the fashion show, all guests also can participate in a Winners Circle Art Auction with the opportunity to purchase new works by past winners with benefits going to donating artists and the WDC artist awards fund.
The celebration continues Friday, September 5 – Sunday, September 7 at the Snow King Center with the annual Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale, sponsored by "Mountain Living" magazine, where more than 115 juried exhibitors showcase one-of-a-kind creations in furniture, fashion, jewelry and home decor accessories. The Exhibit + Sale honors artists and designers who create unique museum-quality functional art pieces that bring the spirit of the West into the mainstream marketplace. The three-day event is open to the public from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and passes good for all three days will be available at the door at the Snow King Center for $15.
New this year, the Designer Show House will create actual “rooms” in a home-like environment in the center of the show floor, incorporating juried artisan pieces and custom interior design to provide shoppers with ideas on styling a Western-inspired interior in their own houses. Also new is Retail Row, a secondary location where some of the most sought after retailers will exhibit current Western fashion trends sponsored by "Cowboys & Indians" magazine.
About the Western Design Conference:
The Western Design Conference, including the annual Exhibit + Sale plus Fashion + Jewelry Show is a four-day, multimillion-dollar event that brings together craftspeople, scholars, collectors, interior designers, architects and fashion designers with an interest in the West. The Western Design Conference was founded 22 years ago in Cody, Wyo., as a way to promote contemporary artists working in historical American craft methods. The show moved to Jackson in 2007 when it was purchased by Powder Mountain Press, LLC and the Jackson Hole News & Guide. Allison Merritt, who purchased the Western Design Conference in 2014 after seven years acting as WDC Events Manager, continues the strong commitment to Western arts in Wyoming while expanding the reach of the show. The 2014 Western Design Conference, September 4 – 7, is one of the signature events of the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival. Additional information on the conference, including schedules and tickets, is available at http://www.westerndesignconference.com, and on Facebook and Twitter (@WesternDesign).
Contacts:
Allison Merritt, allison(at)westerndesignconference(dot)com, 307.690.9719; Darla Worden, WordenGroup Public Relations, darla(at)wordenpr(dot)com, 307.734.5335
