Exclusive, invitation-only Sweetest Day show brought five designers and 32 models to the museum’s I.M. Pei Pyramid; the gala returns May 21, 2027 as the first public fashion show in the museum’s history
The Cleveland Fashion Gala made history on Saturday,
Oct. 17, 2026, staging the first fashion show ever held at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Presented by The Sweetest Day Foundation on Sweetest Day, the exclusive, invitation-only evening, for which no tickets were sold to the public, turned the museum’s original I.M. Pei Pyramid into a runway for five designer collections, a cast of 32 models and a live rock band playing on the fashion show stage, all under the theme “Sweetest Day: Spread Love.” More than 350 guests attended, according to organizers, putting the night on par with the last Cleveland Fashion Gala, held in 2024 with former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, which was the largest fashion show in Cleveland history.
Cleveland Fashion Gala
The night opened with Kiyah alone in a single spotlight at the end of the runway for a live performance of Adele’s “Skyfall” backed by the Bluewater Kings, and the room’s lights came up as the song built. From there, the Bluewater Kings played live on the fashion show stage for the entire show, scoring every designer’s collection in real time, while host Brandon Delsid, a Hollywood actor of stage and screen, carried the program.
Lorain designer Jevon Terance, who has shown at New York and Paris Fashion Weeks, opened the runway. DRMVZN (Dream Vision) by Yuval Zamir followed, then self-taught designer Keith Beres debuted his third collection, Black is the New Black. After a violin showcase by the Bluewater Kings, Miami’s South of Fifth presented its inaugural Sweetest Day Collection, with a portion of proceeds going to The Sweetest Day Foundation. Akron designer Jazmine Fischer closed the show with the 13-look Aquarius Collection from By Jazmine Fischer, before the full cast returned for a clap-out to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” played live.
“Saturday night was history. For the first time, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame opened its doors to a fashion show, and Cleveland showed up. We had no idea that many people would come, and we are ecstatic with the result. Our designers, our models and every artist on that stage made it unforgettable, and moving into the new Baker Hall in May is going to be spectacular.”
Leon Boyd, Jr., Executive Producer of the Cleveland Fashion Gala
The evening also served the foundation’s mission. Sweetest Day began in Cleveland in 1921 as an act of kindness for children and for people who were often forgotten, and The Sweetest Day Foundation, a national foundation, carries that tradition forward by spreading joy and support to children, seniors and people in need across the country. Guests could donate through a QR code at every seat.
The Cleveland Fashion Gala returns on Friday, May 21, 2027, in the newly constructed Baker Hall at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Where the October show was by invitation only, the May show is open to everyone: it will be the first public fashion show in the museum’s history. Tickets are on sale now at clevelandfashiongala.com.
Key Facts
| Event | Cleveland Fashion Gala 2026, presented by The Sweetest Day Foundation |
| Date | Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026 (Sweetest Day) |
| Venue | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, original I.M. Pei Pyramid, 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44114 |
| Milestone | First fashion show in the history of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame |
| Format | Exclusive, invitation-only; no tickets were sold. Red carpet and cocktails 8:00 PM ET, program 8:30 to 10:00 PM ET |
| Attendance | 350+ guests (per organizers) |
| Designers | Jevon Terance (@jevonterance); DRMVZN by Yuval Zamir (@drmvzn); Keith Beres (@keith.beres); South of Fifth (@southof5thswim); By Jazmine Fischer (@byjazminefischer) |
| Cast | 32 models (25 women, 7 men), including director Milo Baron, who also walked |
| Music | Live band: the Bluewater Kings, performing on the fashion show stage throughout the entire show. Opening performance: Kiyah (“Skyfall”) |
| Host | Brandon Delsid, Hollywood actor of stage and screen |
| Production | Executive Producer Leon Boyd, Jr.; Associate Producer Takia Bryant; Director Milo Baron; Event Production by Rebel Panda Productions |
| Photography | Danielle Marzette (@dmarszphotography); Christian Harris (@rts.visualz.llc); Kris Henderson (@stayfocusedfilms) |
| Next show | Friday, May 21, 2027, Baker Hall, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Open to the public; tickets on sale now |
ABOUT THE CLEVELAND FASHION GALA
The Cleveland Fashion Gala, presented by The Sweetest Day Foundation, brings together designers, models, musicians and artists for a night of fashion in support of the foundation’s mission of spreading joy and support to children, seniors and people in need across the country. The 2024 Cleveland Fashion Gala, held with former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, was the largest fashion show in Cleveland history, and on Oct. 17, 2026 the gala staged the first fashion show ever held at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The next show is Friday, May 21, 2027, in the museum’s new Baker Hall. Learn more at clevelandfashiongala.com and on Instagram at @clevelandfashiongala.
