Fashion professionals, musicians, activists, writers and artists of all kinds with gather together this weekend in downtown Iowa City’s vibrant art scene to attend the annual Fashion Flyover Fest.

The Fashion Flyover Festival’s two-day schedule begins Friday, May 5 with all-day exhibitions, events in various places downtown, fashion shows, a dance party and a late-night jewelry exhibition.

Saturday, May 6, will also have all day events scattered throughout downtown Iowa City. This also includes all day art and fashion exhibitions, professional speakers from many areas of the fashion and media industries, pop-up stores, workshops, discussion panels, business launches, a boutique crawl, concerts and more.

The noteworthy lineup of industry professionals that will be speaking at the fest will inform attendees on their specialized subjects or speak about their current line of work.  Marissa Muller, a West Coast trending editor for Conde Nast, as well as a graduate of the University of Iowa, will be speaking at the event.

“I wish this type of festival existed when I was a student at U of Iowa,” Muller said. “It’s exciting to see this fresh burst of energy and how much things have changed since I was a student. I’m thrilled to be a part of the festival and I can’t wait to see it in motion.”

Iowa’s fashion and art scene has begun to pulsate over the last few years and has started to catch the attention of many major media industry professionals.  

“Iowa might not be on the national map in terms of style, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have it,” Muller said. “Even a decade ago, when I was starting college, Iowa City had a distinct starter fashion scene. There was White Rabbit, a haven for DIY design and fashion that’s now a city institution. There were also places to find more mainstream, curated fashion brands like Velvet Coat and Domby, which I worked at throughout school. It’s amazing to see how many more stores there are like those now in Des Moines.”

Merge of downtown Iowa City will be hosting Muller as she gives her take on the recent phenomenon of ‘Political Wokeness’ in the fashion industry from 10:15 to 11:30 on Saturday.

“Right now, more than ever, it’s critical to speak up for what you believe in,” Muller said, “and this extends not only to individuals but designers and brands as well. Just like people want more from their news at this time, designers and brands are being tagged with the same responsibility.

“You can see this in the #GrabYourWallet movement that was sparked in response to Trump’s presidency, urging the public to boycott stores that align themselves with him or his daughter Ivanka’s collection. You could also see this on the runways of fall 2017, where designers from Prabal Gurung to Tome, Jonathan Simkai, and Anniesa Hasibuan used their platforms to make political statements, reminding the world that, at its best, fashion isn’t just aesthetic; it has a real-world impact. “

Muller, as well as others will be enlightening attendees on subjects of various kinds. More information on Muller the events taking place this weekend can be found on the festival’s website: http://www.flyoverfashionfest.com/ .