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While it may seem that a project of this magnitude would take eons to complete, Edwards brought it to life in mere months. Her talent is no secret, yet she hasn’t always been so self-assured about her artwork. “I had been afraid of doing art and fashion myself,” she admits, citing impostor syndrome as her silent critic. But in 2022, she set those doubts aside, diving headfirst into both realms.

Photography by Adam Klosterman

That year, she “started painting and playing around with fashion,” she recalls. What emerged was nothing short of extraordinary: massive acrylic watercolor paintings and sporty-chic jackets.

Edwards’s work soon caught the eye of MP3 co-founders Greg Walsh and Dana Swindler, who enlisted her to create a spring 2024 womenswear line.

And just like that, Edwards leveraged her self-taught fashion and art skills to craft eight pieces for the North Loop mainstay. The pièce de résistance in her eponymous art and fashion label, cheekily dubbed I Am Sarah Edwards? Her distinctive bomber jackets, which feature intricately textured details and eye-catching patterns. “I picture women wearing them leaving a yoga class or with a dress and sneakers,” she says. “They’re really versatile; you can dress ’em up or down.”

Photography by David Sherman

Of course, bomber jackets aren’t the only stars of this unique collection. The line also includes standout blazers, dresses and Edwards’s favorite: a chic long vest that can seamlessly transition from the office to the party. And here’s the big twist: Edwards didn’t stop at fashion. She also created visual art to complement each garment — namely, paintings inspired by the colors and textures of each piece, a process she describes as “reinterpreting fabric on canvas.”

Asked what prompted her initial foray into fashion, Edwards says, “A lot of my world is digital, so I’d been dying to work with my hands,” she says. That tracks, as she has long been a social media influencer. Through the years, she’s teamed up with numerous brands — for instance, Jaguar Land Rover. What started with purchasing a car from Jaguar Minneapolis General Manager Ted Terp blossomed into a dynamic partnership, complete with social media collaborations, charity events, speaking gigs and commercial spots — and culminating in the sponsorship for her Martin Patrick 3 fashion collection.

Photography by Adam Klosterman

Tapping into her people skills for her MP3 line, Edwards sought the wisdom of pal and mentor Stephanie Dillon; following her friend’s sustainability advice, she decided to cut fabric waste wherever possible and embraced locally-made, small-batch production. Philosophically opposed to fast fashion, Edwards says that her goal was never to be trendy but to create timeless pieces people will cherish for the long haul.

Edwards’s admiration for female friends, mentors and other creatives didn’t stop with Dillon: Every piece in her collection is named after a woman who has inspired her. “It’s been fun,” she says of this brand signature, noting that she just sold a piece entitled “Mom.” (“She was, like, ‘Do I get a commission on this?’” Edwards jokes.)

Photography by Adam Klosterman

At the swanky launch event for Edwards’s MP3 collection — which launched in early May — her dedication to uplifting women shone through. She recruited a diverse cast of models, whom she describes as “movers and shakers” in the Twin Cities. “They’re all really cool, entrepreneurial, influential and impact-driven women,” she says. Corresponding paintings were used as backgrounds as the models strutted down the runway dressed in her colorful creations.

Edwards’s stellar show felt like the perfect culmination of her artistic growth: a journey from propelling other creatives to the forefront to taking center stage herself. For her, it’s about more than just sharing her art; it’s about fostering genuine connections within the Minnesota community. “Realizing that I created these here in Minneapolis, with people here in Minneapolis, feels really, really good.”

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By Marisa Petrarca

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