Local woman walks runway at Texas Medal of Arts Awards
By ANNIE DOCKERY
The Belton Journal
The Texas Medal of Arts Awards, an initiative from the Texas Cultural Trust hosted the biannual Texas Medal of Arts Awards (TMAA) in Austin honoring some of Texas’ own best artists, was held Feb. 21 and 23.
Belton native Kennedi Fettig participated in the event, modeling a creation by Design honoree, Lele Rose.
“It was such an honor to be presented with the opportunity to walk for Lela Rose in the 2023 Texas Medal of Arts Awards,” Fettig said.
Fettig also walked the runway at Austin Fashion Week in December of 2021.
“Lela Rose’s design team reached out to the person (Matt Swinney) that runs Austin Fashion Week asking if he had any models available and he sent an email asking if we would be interested,” Fettig said.
The models arrived a few hours before the show was to start.
“They actually fed us. Which is rare. So, we got to eat and just hang out, get to know one another.” Fettig said, “Even though we were in Fashion Week together, that is a very rushed experience to be a part of so you don’t get to get to know everyone in depth like you might want to. So, we all got to hang out and talk.”
Honoree Lela Rose was aware that there would be a tribute video and that she would be presented with the award but was surprised with the runway portion of the program.
Fettig wore a Featherweight Gingham dress.
“The whole runway show was actually only about 5 minutes long.,” Fettig said. “We all kind of hung out afterwards, at the event. Got to know some of the people that were there and some of the people that that put the show on.”
“So, it was just a very unique and fun experience,” she said.
Fettig says she that she had a friend that had walked the runway for Austiin Fashion Week and when the next season came up, she applied, attended the casting call, and she made it.
“I definitely think that getting into runway and especially in the in the Texas scene, anyone can do it. You just have to research the opportunities and just put yourself out there,” Fettig said. “So, it’s not like something you know some secret society that that I’m a part of. I just I did my research and I just want everyone to know that anyone can do it.”