Conn. designer Demuerte opens pop-up in Hartford this weekend

A fashion designer will arrive, and then leave, in a matter of two days on Hartford’s Pratt Street this weekend.

Fashion brand Demuerte is taking advantage of a national trend in fashion, the pop-up retail store.

In places like New York City, popups are a surprise but an expected surprise. But pop-ups like Demuerte’s are rare in the Hartford area.

At the pop-up, which will open Saturday. Demuerte will present its latest collection entitled “Homesick.”

The brand, headed up by Joshua Jenkins, is made in Hartford, and tries to do its part in supporting the local fashion industry by working with Hartford based seamstresses, tailors, designers, models, photographers and more.

The collection also marks the brand’s five-year anniversary, having shown its original collection at the old EBK Gallery space on Pearl Street in downtown Hartford. In the fives year, the brand’s and its team’s capabilities have grown from a couple basic pieces to this collection, which will feature its widest range of pieces to date. The “Homesick” collection includes canvas work jackets and pants, trousers from wool, fleece sweatshirts, corduroy shirts, woven sweaters, hand bags and other light accessories.

“It wasn’t all that long ago that me and my friends were in my grandfather’s basement just excited about the world of clothing and fashion and took to learning how to sew. That basement is where the brand first started. I didn’t exactly plan this but as the development of the newest collection came along, it started to feel like a love letter to Hartford. With recent opportunities that force me to travel, the brand identity still feel very rooted here, even if I can only be here physically a few times each month,” said Jenkins in a press release.

“This collection I am really proud of and, thinking back on when we started,” said Jenkins in the press release, “I think it really shows off how far we have come. As we enter our five-year anniversary as a small business, we feel blessed that we’ve been able to find people all over the world excited about what we do but also people locally who can help bring our ideas to life.”

The pop up will take place this Saturday, Sept. 28 from 2 to 8 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 29 from noon to 6 p.m. at 50 Pratt St in downtown Hartford in a storefront most recently occupied by Fusco Shoe Repair.