Local artist AHZUWOP to hold fashion show at tattoo shop

A local artist is throwing a fashion show at a tattoo shop, an event that will also feature music performances and an art exhibition.

AHZUWOP, a Southwest Florida artist, is hosting an event that will showcase his unique art. You may know him from his music, paintings or DIY fashion in the local art scene.

The fashion show will be held on March 9, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. This marks the artist’s fourth fashion show and collaboration with Indapendant Studios.

The other three were at a dance studio, an art gallery and a photography studio.

This one will be held at Mano Santa Tattoos, which just celebrated its opening in November.

AHZUWOP is working alongside Lopi, the shop’s owner.

“It’s very cool there, and there’s so much space,” AHZUWOP said. “It’s so much room for margin, and there’s so much creative energy flowing.”

The runway will be in the middle of the shop’s octagon-shaped room, which is topped with a wooden dome and is where the artists set up shop. The building used to be an adult daycare for people with disabilities, which is the reason for its unique shape.

“It’s a pretty big space, so we can do a lot with it and give the fashion designer more exposure to the right people in the right part of the community,” Lopi said.

It has been two years since AHZUWOP’s last fashion show, so he said he hopes to make this one special.

“I’ve been sharpening my design skills, with sewing and coming up with my own designs, so I think it’s time to kind of showcase those designs,” he said.

He said he is most excited about making new connections and showcasing his newest designs.

“I feel like my other fashion shows focused on me painting on clothes and doing all-over print supplementation on clothes and stuff like that, where this is more me really honing in on the sewing machine and upcycling all different kinds of stuff and working with different fabrics I’ve never worked before.”

This show will be similar to his album release party last March, where a gallery will be set up with his exclusive artwork.

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“I’m just trying to sharpen each little skill. I’m trying to focus on design and art. Even though music is where my passion is at, I have fun making the art. I was given this gift, so I need to utilize it for sure,” he said.

The clothes he is creating for the event and that the models will wear will be from scratch, created using his sewing machine and upcycled materials.

“AHZUWOP is the theme, really, just my brain. I look at the clothes more as art pieces than clothing. Each piece is something different and unique. I try to just not follow the norm of fashion,” he said.

He said he is trying to create his own style, inspired by streetwear’s DIY approach, labeling his work as pieces that you wouldn’t see someone wearing every day.

“Just like art, fashion, like fashionable, wearable art. I want to really focus on a lot of very cool random pieces like that, and then also that the streetwear essence of just old-school artistic stuff, stuff that you would see professional artists wear to shows to perform. That’s what I want to showcase,” AHZUWOP said.

Lopi hopes that the event held at her shop will bring the artistic community together.

“If you’re going to a fashion show, it’s obviously because you like fashion and to express yourself in that way through what you wear, so I thought it’d be great, and also just for the purpose of creative collaboration with another artist in an artistic place,” she said.

Tattooing, fashion and music share similar characteristics, which is why Lopi said this is a good space to hold the show and blend them all together.

“It’s expression. Music, fashion and art are all the same language,” Lopi said.

R&B collective Billie Rose will perform at the event, with a possible AHZUWOP performance afterward.

RSVP is $35, or it’s $50 at the door. Space is limited to 50 guests. You can get your tickets here.

“Wait until you see the final product. This is a product of a lot of hard work and passion for our art,” Lopi said.

The address is 9681 Gladiolus Dr., Suite 205, Fort Myers, FL 33908.