The People's Runway showcases fashion designers from Brooklyn

New York's Fashion Week is known for star-studded guest lists and exclusive invitations, but in Brooklyn, one show didn't cost a dime.

The People's Runway in Downtown Brooklyn served as a showcase for five local designers:  Kuai Li, Lamin Rey Jaiteh, Laurel Tiange Fang, Moses Aina and Roderick Reyes.

The free public fashion show combines the power of civics and culture to give some of the borough's most promising designers a platform that can be difficult for newcomers to find.  

Thousands of spectators packed the space Saturday, lining the runway and raising their phones as models strutted past.

"I love a fun show. This show had layers," spectator Tess Cecile said. "You just did not know what was gonna happen. There was a lot of surprises."

Tiange Fang said her creations come from her scuba-diving experiences.

"My connection to the ocean was like the first, biggest inspiration to me, and then later on it kind of evolved," she said.

Tiange Fang says The People's Runway was more than a fashion show, it was an opportunity to take her fabric and imagination in front of a massive audience.

"I'm very lucky to be selected to be one of the designers at People's Runway," she said. "I think like this is the first New York Fashion Week that I've been on, and then it's like a huge honor and recognition."

The event had its own star power with singers Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill serenading the audience.