Join Fashion Week's Fabulous Farmers Market Kick-off

The opening of any major fashion week in a major fashion city?

It is bound to sound exclusive, and incredibly posh, and like you might need to know the right 17 people, at least, to get inside the door, and those people might need to know 17 other well-connected people.

But the kick-off of Metropolitan Fashion Week here in Southern California doesn't go in for all of that, nope. Rather, this outlandish and creative celebration is free to see, open to all, and there is, in fact, no door to negotiate your way through.

Because it all happens at the Original Farmers Market, at Third & Fairfax, where there is no door, but there is a clocktower, one that is located near the landmark's Plaza area. And that's where models will walk the pop-up "runway" on Thursday evening, Sept. 26.

The event's full handle is Metropolitan Fashion Week Opening Night & Costume Design Contest, and the competition end of things reveals that you'll see some amazing outfits.

Fashion pro Lawrence Zarian will be on hand to offer onlookers insight into what they're seeing on the runway.

There's always a theme — last year was all about the Guardian of King Tut replica that was on view at the public market — and each entry adheres to an idea.

The theme in 2019?

You'll be visited by some of the figures of Greek mythology. While no hints as to what will be on the runway have been released, you can imagine that figures like Artemis, Zeus, or even Pegasus might cameo in some of the costumes' lively looks.

It's fashion at its most fun, and funky, too, and it is a spirited way to launch the coming events that flow through this multi-day, fashion-forward festivity with pomp and plenty of cool couture.

Just arrive well in advance of the 6:30 p.m. start time, perhaps for an early bite at the Original Farmers Market, then find a place near the "runway," or rather the trolley tracks, near the famous clocktower.