Self-employed business aficionado Amy Duvall is the new creative director of Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week. Ozarks at Large’s Sophia Nourani reached out to Duvall to learn more about her and her new vision for the renowned fashion event.
Previously hosted by the now-dissolved nonprofit Interform, Duvall says she grew up in Arkadelphia, then later moved to Fayetteville to attend the University of Arkansas.
Duvall: I was a journalism major. Loved it there. Yeah, great experience. And then I ended up working kind of like in the CPG (consumer packaged goods) world here for a while, doing marketing for a number of different Fortune 500 companies, and then kind of just had the itch to do something different.
So I moved to Northern California, lived in Palo Alto for a while, worked in tech and randomly cybersecurity for mission-critical defense applications, which people are like, oh, wouldn’t have expected that. But, you know, wide array.
And then COVID hit, and it was just really a tough time to be there. And I thought I might kind of get out. So I ended up going with my daughter — I have a daughter, Juliet, I call her Jules. She’s awesome. She’s actually helping coordinate one of the fashion shows.
So we moved to Charleston. That was really fun. And then I started a social club there, particularly focused on singles. Did a lot of dating and matchmaking. Thought I would kind of continue that here, but when I really sat with myself, I thought my passion — which was funny — my professor, I ended up going back to grad school, got my master’s degree from the Department of Communication, which was a wonderful program. I absolutely loved it there.
But I remember my professor said, “What would you do if you could do anything you wanted to do, and money wasn’t an object? What would you spend your time doing?” And I thought, shopping for clothes and friends and events.
So when I was approached with this opportunity to acquire the IP for NWA Fashion Week, I was like, heck yeah. What a cool thing, because I wanted to stay in the area. I contemplated maybe going to New York or somewhere else after this because of what I do for work, but when I saw that there was this opportunity, I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to bring those types of opportunities to this place that I am just completely obsessed with? So that’s kind of my story.
Nourani: Oh, that’s amazing. You kind of led into maybe tell me a little bit about those first interactions with Kathleen at Interform and how that all came to be.
Duvall: Yeah, so Kathleen has actually been my longest-standing friend. We’ve probably been friends for like 15 years. And so when I first came back to the area, she was the first person that I reached out to, and we went and got tacos. I just told her I felt like I was home. You know, it was just a really nice feeling — seeing the Ozarks in fall and all the fun things.
I really have no idea what happened with Interform. I don’t even know, to be honest with you. I know that they were an arts organization, but I had to kind of Google them. I’m still trying to figure out exactly what they did, but my understanding is that they did a lot for the arts community here, and it was a great organization. We were actually just having brunch, and she mentioned it, and then I mentioned I was interested. So that’s kind of how it happened. It was very organic.
And yeah, like I’m just really, I’m excited. I think from what I’ve seen kind of like online that they did a lot with the community here, and I just want to kind of continue that legacy of really promoting the arts and all the great things that they, it seems like, they were doing for diversity and just all of those wonderful things here in the area.
Nourani: Yeah. So tell me a little bit about your plans for Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week, kind of the conception to kind of where we’re at now. I know you guys are going to be hosting a preview at some point soon.
Duvall: Yes. So we’re hosting a preview. And I’m calling it a Fall Fashion Week preview because it’s been such a short turnaround that I thought if I do what I would normally do from an event production perspective, I will not be sleeping for the next month.
But like if we do four days, this will be really fun. We can really give people a taste of like what we’re about. And I think my vision—so I actually participated in Fashion Week, gosh, back maybe it’s 2011 when I think it was Jay Terminella and Martin that were running it.
And like, I had such a good time and it was just like a very kind of simple, fun concept.
I think it was at—what’s the place on the square? East Town Center? Yeah, yeah. So I actually modeled in that show a long time ago.
Nourani: So you already had some experience with Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week.
Duvall: Oh, it was so fun. I remember auditioning and like being so excited that I was selected and just kind of going through that whole process, and it was fun. I remember a lot of actually the women in that kind of modeling cohort ended up going on to model for big agencies in larger cities, and that was fun.
And I just remember thinking, what a cool—I just loved the whole thing. So my vision is really—so we’re having it at the Stonebreaker. And I think what’s going to be great about that is it’s such a beautiful venue.
And I was over there doing some plotting and planning this week and getting some of the parties planned, and it’s really going to be an elevated, elegant, really beautiful experience. Kind of think my inspiration was when I saw, you know, the Victoria Beckham documentary where she’s got all of the lights and it’s very elegant and we’ve got a few shows, and then you have a break, and you have a few shows.
You know, so it’s really one of those things where, and maybe this is because I have ADHD, but I’m like, I can’t sit for two hours, so we’re going to have things that are fun and exciting, and then you have a break, and then we come back.
Nourani: And it seems like your experience with that social element of things is kind of combining both of those together.
Duvall: That is such a great observation because I think that’s exactly what we’re doing. My whole thing is about creating, you know, magical moments in the everyday and cultivating belonging, and making people feel like, hey, you belong here. This is a great place. Let me help you connect.
I mean, even when I was doing matchmaking, I told someone once if I met a client and they didn’t have good friends, we started there. Because you’re not going to be a good dater if you don’t have solid—critical—it’s critical. It’s so important. People are so lonely.
And that’s such a passion of mine, is like the whole epidemic of loneliness. And I think the second thing is like, that’s kind of what—so and I’ll get into this a little bit, but really my grandfather was kind of like the impetus for the theme of this year.
He would say every day is going to be another fun-filled, action-packed day. And he really lived that. And I think it’s one of those things that for me, what I think that means as I’ve gotten older is it’s not that every day is going to be fun, and it might be action-packed, but it’s that you always have that hope of what we’re building towards and tomorrow and the fun things and giving something.
Because I think we get out of college and we get into adulthood and our lives become kind of drab, you know, and I think having fun things to look forward to, to be excited about, to dress up for, and opportunities to connect and having these really elevated events, I think it’s going to be great.
Nourani: So yeah, it sounds super exciting. Yeah, maybe go a little bit into that, that theme as well. And I read a little bit about your grandfather, and was it an art supply—like, tell me a little bit about that history.
Duvall: Yeah. So he started—well actually, he grew up on a farm in Wichita, Kansas. He would always joke he was like the youngest of like tons of kids. So he was like the last to get the bath. And I was like, you know.
But what a hard work ethic. Because he never went to college and he just worked really hard. And he started working at a photography store in Little Rock, Jungkind Photography. And when the manager was going to sell, he actually sold it to him. So he owned it.
And then he turned it into—gosh, I think he sold it around the time when things started to become digital because he was like, I don’t want to do all the work at my age to convert. And so he ended up selling it for like $50 million. He paid for all of his grandkids to go to college and has been so benevolent with a lot of the universities in the state.
Really, really cool guy. But he had the largest Kodak camera collection in the U.S. He would always go around and find those cameras. And I remember, I kind of helped my mom, and I helped with his hospice when he was like during COVID, and I was like, I don’t want him to pass in, you know what I mean, not surrounded by people.
And I just remember him saying too, like, you know, no one’s going to care about these cameras. And maybe I should just donate them so they all stay together. And I said, my mom and I were like, no, I think your family’s going to love them. So we really all got part of the collection, and it’s just really cool.
And I thought, with his just kind of paying homage to things that are cinematic and retro and exciting, and some film photography is going to come into play, and I think it’s going to be really fun.
Nourani: That sounds really exciting, and how nice that you were able to pay homage to your grandfather in that way. Yeah, that’s really nice. So what can people expect? So this is going to be the preview. Is there going to—there’s going to be an event, there’s going to be more? Maybe tell me a little bit about the logistics of the events. I saw you guys were going to do a casting call?
Duvall: Yes, let me walk you through it. So we did a casting call, the other really fun thing. And so I also have a background in reality television. So did some event production for a couple different Bravo TV shows in Charleston and have always kind of had the itch to produce my own.
And so partnering with some local film producers and also consulting with a producer that worked on Vanderpump Rules and Southern Hospitality. Yeah, he’s great. So he’s going to kind of consult with us. And we did a casting for that, for that.
And hundreds of people have been like, I want to be on a TV show, like, this is cool. So, and we’re really focusing on people that are in the hospitality space and the creative space here in Northwest Arkansas.
That’s great, which I think is going to be really fun because think about it, we have seen Charleston, we’ve seen Nashville, we’ve seen Dallas, we’ve seen all these cool places in the South on reality television.
And yes, we have had a few reality shows here, but I think one that really, really showcases how cool this place really is—and that’s what I want to, to draw great attention to the area and then really to give these, these people that are, you know, artists and creatives like a space to, hey, I could actually work in NWA. Like, this could be a place where I could—you know, I don’t have to graduate and move to L.A. I could do something here.
And that’s long term. But that’s really my vision for what I could bring to the area.
Nourani: Well, I think going off on that especially, I think, you know, with the hole that Interform left when Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week originally closed, it was a big deal to all those in the fashion community here and a lot of people in the creative community.
Do you feel like pressure maybe in that, with Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week, in that way?
Duvall: No, that’s a great question. So I met maybe a couple of weeks ago with Reilly Torres from Bentonville Fashion Week. He’s so cool.
And so we decided immediately, we are like two peas in a pod. We’re like, we are cut from the same cloth. Like really both hardworking, genuine, love people, like just very similar. He is more of a designer, I am more of like an event producer.
And what we decided immediately is, let’s—I don’t know if we’re going to merge—but let’s for sure support every single thing that each other is doing. So like, he’s been at my events, I’m going to his events.
So, and I thought, you know, and I’ve heard a few people say, well, are you guys like feuding? I’m like, no. We’re creating two right now, at least for the time being. There’s now two opportunities for people to be involved in that space.
And the more people and the more organizations that are focused on providing opportunities, I think just the better for everyone. So, yeah.
Nourani: And how have you been putting the word out there? You’ve been on social media. Can you tell me a bit about how folks can find more information?
Duvall: Yeah, absolutely. So NWA Fashion Week on Instagram. And then also if you go to Instagram, you can find our website listed there.
And then you can also follow me on Amy Duvall Productions. And then, but yeah, November 11 through 14, tickets are available for sale.
Nourani: Yeah. And also, you know, you talked a little bit about it earlier about how you could go here or any other, like New York and other places like that.
I think, do you have any more comments on just what it’s like to bring that whole world back to Arkansas? And you said you’re from Arkadelphia. Do you feel like Northwest Arkansas has become your home?
Duvall: I think it has been for a while. I think going to school here and spending some time here after that—like when I had kind of come to a place in Charleston where it’s kind of an interesting city.
There’s people there for tourism. There’s a lot of, there’s a lot of old money, there’s a lot of, like—and so sometimes it’s hard to really be grounded and focused in your business. And that’s really the type of person that I am.
And I knew I wanted to—I started a master’s degree immediately after my undergrad, and then with having my daughter and, you know, it just—I thought, man, I want to come back. I want to, I want to, and I want to come back. I want to finish my degree.
And but when I told my friends, I’m going to go home, you know, and this is just not—I’m kind of over it. I’m going to go home. And this is kind of where I consider that to be. And yeah, I think just creating those opportunities, but also just, I love this place.
It’s awesome. And I think I really want people to see how great it is. And I think having that type of platform, national platform, will really help.
That was Amy Duvall, the new creative director of Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week, speaking with Ozarks at Large’s Sophia Nourani in the Harold and Blanche Caulke News Studio.
You can find Nourani’s past reporting on Interform and the fashion community’s reaction to their closure here.
Ozarks at Large transcripts are created on a rush deadline. Copy editors utilize AI tools to review work. KUAF does not publish content created by AI. Please reach out to kuafinfo@uark.edu to report an issue. The audio version is the authoritative record of KUAF programming.
