Get ready for a community event celebrating local designers, diverse sewists and regional food vendors. On Saturday, June 28, from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., the inaugural Germantown Fashion & Arts Festival will take place in front of the Germantown White House at 5442 Germantown Ave.
Essentially a big block party, the festival entertainment includes the Philadelphia “Sixers Stixers,” the official drumline of the Philadelphia 76ers, from noon-1 p.m.. Professional bassist Rusty Stone, of the 1970s super group The Trammps (“Disco Inferno”) will serve as emcee.
More than 30 vendors will also line the streets selling regionally designed artwork, bespoke desserts, candles, cosmetics, crocheted items, jewelry, and more.
The organizers
This event is a labor of love from Philadelphians Keith Crippen and Matt Falcone.
Crippen is the executive director and creator of Assorted Chocolates Entertainment Productions Inc., which creates theatrical fashion shows. He has produced over 80 fashion shows for the Philadelphia School District’s afterschool programs.
Although currently undergoing kidney dialysis, Crippen has not slowed down and is developing the street fashion show for Germantown. The outdoor runway will stretch down Germantown Avenue between Coulter Street and School House Lane. Crippen said Germantown has "never had something this big on the street before.” And he promises this won’t just be a regular runway stroll, but an “entertaining show with fashion.”
Crippen reached out to Matt Falcone, owner of Louis Capet XXVI Laser Light Shows. The pair met in the 1990s and Crippen thought he would be a great collaborator for this event. Like Crippen, Falcone has ties to Northwest Philly, attending what is now Springside Chestnut Hill Academy.
Falcone’s experience with lasers started in 1994. Since then, he has staged light shows for more than 3000 events. The laser light show he created for New Year’s Eve in Kennett Square, Midnight in the Square, was recognized by USA Today's 10 Best Reader's Choice awards for its 2023 New Year’s Eve drops category. Falcone also served as an audio engineer for the Eagles and 76ers post-game shows in the early 2000s, he said.
The festival’s closing black-tie-optional party will feature one of his custom laser light shows.
Like Crippen, Falcone is excited to hold an event in Germantown. However, he’s most looking forward to hearing “Rocking” Rusty Stone, one of The Trammps’ two remaining original members. "They invented disco music!" Falcone said.
The emcee
The Trammps are Philadelphia royalty. The group formed in 1972 with four vocalists and toured with up to 11 musicians and singers. In 1977, their hit single "Disco Inferno," was included on the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack and in 2005, the disco-era classic was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame.
Rusty Stone joined The Trammps’ touring band in the late 1970s. In the ‘80s and ‘90s when DJ culture became popular, he switched to emceeing and “hyping a party.”
Stone met Falcone at a laser event and will host the festival throughout the day. "I will be giving out shoutouts to everybody, to acknowledge people in the house," he said.
Stone loves the Philly area because, he said, "It's like homebase." However, he admits Germantown is special: "I've been in and out of Germantown quite a few times. It's a very historic area … and I've seen the change from the ‘50s.” He loves the diversity and that more people of color “have moved into that area. It's a mixed area. It's a lot of upscale areas. It's a unique place," he said.
The designers
While this event features designers from the surrounding region, it truly highlights vendors with strong local ties.
Denise Benrahou, vice president of Mt. Airy Art Garage (MAAG), met Crippen attending City Council meetings and found they shared similar interests. Aside from her duties at MAAG, Benrahou sells cost-accessible clothing ensembles to young girls of color, so they can experience a fashion-forward ensemble from dress to headdress. “I love seeing a little girl understand for herself, ‘You are beautiful.’ This is just further decoration.”
Benrahou grew up in West Philly, moved to Mt Airy in the 1990s, and has volunteered with MAAG for the past decade. She said her motto is, “Please don't assign me your self-limitations; I don't know what I can achieve until I go ahead and do it.”
Jackie Lee, of Jlee Designz, is an old hand at fashion and has created clothing for fashion shows for 50 years. Her designs have been showcased during fashion week events in New York, Philadelphia and Atlantic City, and featured in publications including Savvi Kids and MALVIE Magazine. She’s currently looking to expand her business into a storefront that also offers sewing classes.
Other area designers participating in the festival include Nubian Stylez, Kween of Crochet, Greatness Was When wearable art and Warrior Queen Designs.
