Fashion in Bloom: How Oklahoma Fashion Alliance is forging creativity into a supportive community
Photography by Ryan “Fivish” Cass
Ask the core team members of the Oklahoma Fashion Alliance what the fashion scene is like in Tulsa right now, and you can feel the energy buzzing right away.
Emerging fashion icons, made in Oklahoma: Alexandra Fields models a design by Swan Perez, with hair by Ollie Moreno and makeup by Eden Anderson, at Oklahoma Fashion Alliance’s most recent show
“Blooming.” “Budding.” “Vibrant.” “Young.”
“It’s like freshly poured cement,” says OFA wardrobe director and assistant producer Logann Mclain Little-Randall, who goes by the artist name Lolly Mclain. ”Everyone’s wanting to put their handprint in it. You don’t really know how it’s going to settle or what it’s going to look like when it dries, but it’s kind of fun to see everyone put their mark on it, you know?”
Founded in early 2023 by Tulsa stylist and designer Parker D. Wayne, OFA (oklahomafashionalliance.com) is changing the game when it comes to underground fashion in a city known for its radically individual style.
“There are a lot of people who take the time to really curate and design their own clothing here, as kind of a pushback against the very red, Midwestern place that we come from. So there’s a lot of DIY self-expression going on,” says OFA producer and creative/media director Atlas Fielding. True to that spirit, OFA is working to develop a sustainable, mutually enriching fashion ecosystem that reflects and supports the authenticity of the place.
“I think how we fertilize the soil will dictate the way in which the flower grows,” Wayne says. “I think our seed has probably germinated; it’s in the ground, but we’ve got to get some vitamins in the soil to make sure it pops up pretty.”
If OFA’s most recent show cycle — its third in just over a year — is any indication, Tulsa is more than ready to receive what these creatives are cultivating here. A crowd of hundreds showed up in February for “Is the Earth Just a Body Too?” which featured nine local designers, 16 models, a runway soundtrack by The Links, spectacular lighting by Dreamspace Lab and a massive team of volunteers for one epic night at Artisan Hall, an abandoned church in the Kendall Whittier district that’s being reclaimed as a community space.
“With the political and social climate here in Oklahoma, it can be hard to feel safe in your own self-expression—whatever that may be,” Mclain says. “The main thing I hear from event-goers is that they become inspired to be more authentic and more outwardly expressive after experiencing our shows. I think that’s what we need more of here: people being free to be themselves — regardless of what that might look like.”
Hair by Liv Cassie and makeup by Kenna Marshall adorn model Rayus Wallace in a look by Rayven Andalio
DIY self-expression meets focused organization as OFA builds out its dreams
Storytelling through style: Evan King in a look by Becs Burroughs, with hair by Erin Hall and makeup by Emmy Pollak
“Parker’s a great example of that,” says OFA model lead Zee Carter. “They’re always telling a story. They’re a moving art piece.” And it’s weirdly perfect that the calling Wayne found in fashion has ended up packing out a church. A theatre kid who dropped out of high school after being bullied, they trained for a while to be a youth pastor. When a church fired them because of their queerness, they started a journey toward becoming a fully out, fully authentic artist. The letters “LPBP” tattooed on Wayne’s body stand for “Let Parker Be Parker” — or, alternatively, “Let People Be People.”
DIY self-expression meets focused organization as OFA builds out its dreams
“If I can unapologetically and authentically be myself, I want that to inspire others to do the same and to have the confidence that who they are is valuable enough for them to be responsible for that effort,” Wayne says. “You are worth the work. You are worth the organization. But to show you how to do that, let me first come to the plate and say, ‘Listen, I believe in you. I see it in you. Come be a part of what we have so you can realize that you have what it takes.’ It’s literally my life mission to bring that confidence to everyone I encounter.”
As OFA visualizes its future, sustainability moves center stage. “We’re a relatively young organization with vast knowledge and experience from different walks of life in our core team, and we’re taking steps to operate more efficiently,” says OFA small groups director Laura Landers, founder of Engulf: The Label, who recently moved to Tulsa from Los Angeles. That team — which also includes Michael Yarborough (graphic design, photography), Lana Knight (communications), Kenna Marshall (lead makeup artist), Erin Hall (lead hairstylist) and Alex Hayes (model lead) — boasts members from places like Chicago and Austin, as well as longtime Oklahomans. All of them emphasize how powerful it is to be part of a group that offers opportunities to grow in a diverse, welcoming space.
“Let People Be People”: Parker D. Wayne (left) backstage with OFA models at “Is The Earth Just A Body Too?”
The “alliance” in OFA’s name is key to the long-term growth of this garden that’s blossoming vibrantly today. The ultimate dream? To keep the talent thriving here, funneling individual and collective success back into the local scene for the next generation and making Oklahoma a must-watch fashion hub. “We want to prove to the community that you don’t have to skip town and move to the big city to have access to certain resources or pursue a career in fashion, so we’re actively working to find the funds to make that all possible,” says Mclain.
“My goal is that OFA outlasts me,” Wayne says. “Hopefully, even when I’m gone, there can be a kid in high school that’s fresh out and doesn’t know what to do, but is like, ‘Oh, it’s fashion! I know that I have an opportunity in Oklahoma. I know where to go.’”