Best American Fashion Weeks for Emerging Designers (part 2)
Fashion weeks are happening across the globe. If this year’s events haven’t already commenced then the final steps are being set in motion. Turning to America you have traditional fashion weeks like NYFW, Miami Fashion Week and many more that captivate fashion lovers. Presenting your collection at any of these events is the dream and goal for many designers. It means that you have made it after all your hard work not only to yourself, but also to the fashion world.
Let’s have a look at some of my top picks for fashion week events in the U.S. that actually support emerging fashion designers. In my previous post I highlighted Fashion Week San Diego and DC Fashion Week. I am moving further up the East Coast to Brooklyn. I had the chance to talk with Colleen Armstrong, Media Director of Fashion Week Brooklyn.
FW Brooklyn: When asked about their origin
“Our event, formerly called Brooklyn Fashion Weekend, and now known as Fashion Week Brooklyn, launched on May 10, 2006. The event was created to support and launch emerging designers, while showcasing Brooklyn as a creative borough and ultimately as a fashion destination. Our next Fall/Winter 2015/2016 collection show begins April 16-19, 2015.”
FW Brooklyn: Greatest challenge facing emerging designers and brands
“Many of our emerging designers are based abroad. One of the main challenges they face is finding a platform to showcase their work to press and media, so that they can gain a public following and pique the interest of buyers and potential investors.”
FW Brooklyn: Success of a designer that was launched on your platform
“There are several designers that have launched with our platform. One designer that comes to mind is Laurel Dewitt. She designs Laurel Luxe custom metal couture pieces for artists and celebrities including Will.I.Am and Lady Gaga.”
You can find more about Fashion Week Brooklyn at their website . They are also can be found via social media at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
Lastly, I went down to my own region of the country the South. Erin Bradley is Director of Business Development of Fashion X and Editor of Fashion X Austin.
Fashion X Austin: When asked about their origin
“Fashion X founder/CEO Matt Swinney introduced Austin Fashion Week in 2009 and it has been recognized as one of the top fashion events in the South. Over the course of the past five years, Austin Fashion Week has provided a platform for independent designers to show their work to the general public, consumers, buyers and media.”
Fashion X Austin: Greatest challenge facing emerging designers and brands
“When launching a label, it is often difficult for emerging designers to act as the creative, managing design and production, while also having to build a cohesive brand with marketing and sales. Limited resources may not only mean limited dollars but also a small team or in some cases a team of one. Budget is constantly a concern and the cost of showing at a major fashion week like New York Fashion Week or attending national markets and tradeshows is often out of reach. This makes it extremely difficult for emerging designers to connect with retail buyers, which means most of these designers sell directly to the end consumer through their websites. ”
Fashion X Austin: Success of a designer that was launched on your platform
photo courtesy of Fashion X Austin ©
“It has been a joy to watch Austin-based designer Isabella Rose Taylor flourish over the past few years. She presented her very first runway show at just 12 years old during Austin Fashion Week in 2013. We put her brand front and center with local and regional media and helped build her early consumer base. Since then, she earned a Rising Star Award at the Austin Fashion Awards, headlined Fashion X Dallas and showed at New York Fashion Week this past September. Her Fall 2014 collection was picked up by Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com. She was recently named as Dreamer on The List of People Shaping Retail’s Future by the National Retail Federation and included in Latina Magazine’s 30 Under 30.”
You can find Fashion X Austin at their website, and on the following social media websites: Facebook (FashionXAustin), Twitter,(fashionxaustin) & Instagram (fashionxaustin).
There you have it. Here a just some of the American Fashion Weeks that you should check it out especially if you are an emerging designer. With any chance you found some fashion weeks to add to your lists while finding some helpful information in the process.
This article was written by our guest blogger Tamarah Brown. You can follow her on Tumblr and Twitter.
