Tanner Fletcher Staged a Beauty Pageant for Spring 2024

Tanner Fletcher Spring 2024

Photos&colon; Launchmetrics Spotlight

Excitement for a Tanner Fletcher show has been building ever since Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell told Fashionista about their potential runway plans last June. Even the brand’s presentations set the bar high (see: last year’s “prom night”), with the goal of reinterpreting major events or milestones outside of a gendered construct.

“We always try to take something that’s maybe thought of in a different way and then try to recreate its image in everybody’s head,” Kassel tells Fashionista. “We try to create a really free, open and inviting situation that’s very diverse — especially in terms of gender.”

For Spring 2024, the “something” was a beauty pageant. And the brand even partnered with the Miss Universe Organization for the occasion.

The collaboration was a spur-of-the-moment decision, with Kassel deciding to take his chances and email the organization’s CEO, Amy Emmerich, one night. “I honestly didn’t know if she would respond,” he says. “But she’s very amazing, so nice… We had a phone call and we got along really well. It was just easy.”

During the show itself, each model was presented to the audience via a pageant-style summary of their personalities, hobbies and passions, all read aloud by an emcee as they strutted around the space.

Of particular note for Spring 2024 is the reimagination of the brand’s signature bow suit, this time with lilac-colored bows — a color theme that prevails throughout the collection by way of trousers (held together at the knees by ribbon), knit cardigans and floral dresses. Another stand-out: the final bridal look, featuring vertical columns of gathered satin ribbon and tulle, a technique the duo are using for the first time.

“There are multiple pieces with this new ruffling technique. It’s these shreds of silk, charmeuse and lace trims that are sewn up and down the garments,” says Kassel. “It looks kind of like fuzzy white material from afar, but when you look up close, you can really see the channels of stitching and the raw edges of the silk. There’s even tiny little bows embellished in there.”

Though the designers cultivated such a specific, themed environment and wardrobe for this collection, the brand’s signature codes of ’70s flare, Victorian elemens and interior design remain ever-present.

“We’re always inspired by the same things when it comes to the clothes themselves,” says Kassel. “We always need to invoke a feeling of nostalgia.”

See all the looks from Tanner Fletcher Spring 2024, below.