Over 170 years after his death, the enigmatic and enthralling works of Edgar Allan Poe continue to sow the seeds of sumptuous despair in the hearts of fans around the world. Over time, the image of Poe himself — a cravat-wearing, brooding figure in dark gentleman’s attire — has become nearly as iconic as his writing.

Today, members of the Richmond sewing group Richmond Really Sews are using their annual Richmond Frocktails event to merge Poe’s written and sartorial styles into one, partnering with the Poe Museum for a Poe-themed fashion show.

Led by founder and director Karen Keech Swerling, Richmond Really Sews uses its Frocktails event to raise funds for supplies used by the sewing collective. Swerling runs a sewing studio (she calls it her sewing haven) from her home where members gather, and all supplies and machines are free to anyone who wants to learn to make and mend their own clothing, with everything from patterns to fabric provided by Swerling herself. A former Hollywood costume designer, Swerling was the first to bring Frocktails to Virginia — similar events take place throughout the world to celebrate local sewists.

“We come together in friendship, and we sew — that’s my entire mission statement,” Swerling says. “I’m here to inspire people to sew and support them; the final step is to show them off. That’s what Frocktails is all about.”

The show, taking place inside Old Town Manchester’s Basic City Brewing, will put Poe’s poetry center stage, with handcrafted looks from Richmond’s sewing community paying homage to works from “Annabel Lee” to “The Raven.” Backed by an eerie soundscape, models — both adults and children — in melancholic looks will make their way down the runway as poems are recited aloud.

“Poe’s fierce, strong words and repetition translate so well to principles of costume —boldness, structure,” Swerling says. “Poe has been such an inspiration and has really spun a web around Richmond.”

The event’s fashions will be divided into eras of Poe’s life and legacy, from his childhood and the teen years of “Poe in Love” to the period surrounding the writer’s mysterious death (at 40 years old, Poe was found delirious in the streets of Baltimore and died days later).

To commemorate the time in which Poe lived, many looks will be historically accurate, incorporating styles pulled from 19th-century American fashion — think empire-waist gowns, high necklines, long sleeves; starched, turned-up collars and silk waistcoats. To help guide the construction of these pieces, Chris Semtner, curator at the Poe Museum, opened up the archives and shared information on design in Poe’s day.

“Fashion really changed a lot between when he was born in the early 1800s all the way to the middle of the century, so we tried to get representative samples that would reflect his early years in Richmond as a teen versus his later years,” says Semtner, who will himself be one of several Poe’s walking the fashion show.

Other ensembles will speak more to the spirit of Poe’s poems, including a series of steampunk looks that draw on the writer’s more fantastical themes.

No aspect of fashion is neutral — whether chosen for utility, aesthetic appeal or thrown on in an act of ostensible disregard for style, all attire is chosen (cue the ‘cerulean monologue’ from “The Devil Wears Prada”). Each item of clothing or accessory, beyond situating a person in time and place, often inevitably speaks to the wearer’s sentiments about themselves and the world. Several pieces of Poe’s own wardrobe are part of the Poe Museum’s expansive collection of relics, and speak to his own penchant for style.

“Poe took a lot of pride in his appearance and spent a lot of money on the finest clothes,” Semtner says. “He grew up in wealth, and when he was poor as an adult barely making it as a freelance writer, he still portrayed himself as the gentleman he was raised to be. People also said he had a peculiar way about himself. For example, he’d button the top of his vest and leave the bottom part open, or button his jacket all the way to the top; in his late 20s and early 30s, he’d wear a Spanish cloak. These things were pretty weird for the day.”

When speaking with Swerling, it quickly becomes clear that her excitement about bringing Poe’s works to life through fabric is matched — if not surpassed — by her enthusiasm for sewing’s ability to provide a sense of wellbeing and liberation with every garment.

“It’s excellent for your mental health,” she says. “When you’re sewing, you don’t think about your problems — you think about sewing. Otherwise, you’re going to sew over a finger! It’s very freeing. Sometimes people will tell me they’re intimidated and don’t know what to make. But if you don’t know how to make it, I’ll teach you. If you don’t have fabric, I’ll give you some! Let’s sew, and let’s be proud of ourselves.”

Nicole Coppino, the museum’s community engagement manager, notes that visitors to the museum often feel compelled to show up in their best romantic, gothic ensembles — among enthusiasts, there is an eagerness to pay homage; to draw the anguished and fantastical energy of Poe’s work out into the physical.

“There’s a lot of intersectionality between people who enjoy Poe and who have a distinctive personal style,” she says. “His work is just so visceral and expressive.”

For nearly two centuries, new generations have continued to engage in this ritual of dress in hopes of becoming possessed by the spirit of Poe, if only for a moment.

A little bit of madness, it seems, will always be in vogue.

The public has really been able to embrace his work, from his detective stories to his horror stories, Semtner says, pointing to the many iterations of Poe stories that have been made and remade in pop culture over time.

“People are fascinated by his melancholy, his use of arcane symbolism. Something about, for example, focusing on the idea of being in the dark knowing that someone is watching you but not being able to see them, is always going to feel contemporary.”

Richmond Really Sews’ 2025 Frocktails fashion show will take place on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 6-9pm at Basic City Brewing, located at 212 W. 6th Street. Get tickets here.