Like many Marquette students, Arturo Velasco has spent the past couple of weeks running on little sleep. But instead of late-night study sessions, his hours have been filled with sewing and perfecting his collection for Milwaukee Fashion Week.
Marquette took the stage in one of Milwaukee’s most esteemed fashion events as fashion designer Arturo Velasco, a senior in the College of Business Administration, and other Marquette students returned to the stage of Milwaukee Fashion Week for the second time on Sept. 27 for its streetwear showcase, titled “The Blueprint.”
Alongside Velasco, seven other designers showcased their work, each offering a unique perspective on the concept of streetwear.
Velasco made his grand debut as a designer at the fashion event last year for the streetwear showcase. Before Milwaukee Fashion Week, he was involved in fashion shows on Marquette’s campus.
The self-taught designer truly began his fashion pursuits upon arriving at Marquette, when a friend’s invitation to a Marquette fashion show inspired him to transition from designing printed t-shirts to sewing his own clothes.
Velasco described his style as “sophisticated streetwear,” a high-fashion touch on traditional streetwear elements. He derives some of his inspiration from New York designer KidSuper as well as the eclectic outfits typically worn by NBA players in pregame tunnels.
In his collection for Milwaukee Fashion Week, flowers were a consistent motif throughout. To Velasco, they represent growth, a constant reminder that despite the challenges thrown your way, life will continue to persist.
The 2025 Milwaukee Fashion Week was a three-day event that took place from Sept. 26 to Sept. 28. This was the event’s third year, following its return in 2022 after a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The event serves as a “fashion hub” to showcase and support local talent, fostering community and continuing to push the boundaries of fashion.
Originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, Velasco proudly represents his culture in his designs. In his pieces, many references are made to his home state. He incorporated the seal of Chihuahua and a bold “CHIHUAHUA, CHIH, MÉXICO” sprawled across the back of some of his garments.
Velasco worked tirelessly for two weeks to prepare for the event, utilizing resources such as the 707 Hub to help with the preparations. But he didn’t do it alone, as his team of fellow Marquette students helped push him towards success.
Luciana Mendoza, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, assisted Velasco in every aspect leading up to the event. This was her first year being involved in Milwaukee Fashion Week.
Mendoza views Marquette’s involvement in these types of events as an opportunity for students to showcase the diversity and passion that Marquette students possess.
“Marquette is a place where we have a lot of culture, so transmitting their [students’] ideologies through art is kind of amazing,” Mendoza said.
In addition to assistants, Velasco also acquired many talented models, some of whom are also Marquette students.
Pakou Thao, a senior in the College of Health Sciences, and Jeremy Santiago, a first-year graduate student in the College of Nursing, brought Marquette pride to the runway through their modeling in the event.
The two have partaken in other modeling pursuits before Milwaukee Fashion Week, and each of them modeled for multiple other designers during the event.
Despite their busy schedules, the two find passion and value in modeling for events like this.
“It brings diversity to Marquette,” Santiago said.
Thao expressed that events like this are important because they connect the community and allow people to experience something new.
“Although [Milwaukee] is very diverse, everyone kind of keeps to themselves,” Thao said. “And I feel like something positive, like this Milwaukee Fashion Show, brings people together for a common interest.”
Milwaukee Fashion Week’s “The Blueprint” event described streetwear as “the draft, the sketch [and] the prototype of modern fashion.” But Velasco believes that diversity also plays a significant role in defining what streetwear is.
From crochet styles to Native American design, the designers at the showcase actively expanded the definition of streetwear. Each collection received rave reviews from the audience, reinforcing the importance of appreciating local talent.
Fashion as an art is many things, but most prominently, it’s a labor of love. Velasco believes that when approaching fashion design, the satisfaction you derive from doing something you love will always be worthwhile.
“If you really love it, you put in the dedication, and it’s going to be worth it,” Velasco said.
To learn more about Milwaukee Fashion Week and its designers, head to its Instagram, @mkefashionweek, or its website. To check out Velasco’s work, head to his Instagram page, @_arturovelasco
This article was written by Elise Emery. She can be reached at [email protected].
