Free Learning Lab Announced with Tennessee State Museum

NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK AND THE TENNESSEE STATE MUSEUM PARTNER FOR A FREE EVENT WITH A FOCUS ON THE INTERSECTION OF SOCIAL ACTIVISM AND STYLE

Nashville Fashion Week is excited to announce the first of our Learning Lab events for 2020. We will launch our Learning Lab Series with "In Dialogue: Suffrage, Style and Social Movements" on Thursday, March 26 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at The Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard. This FREE event is the first of several NFW Learning Labs to be held throughout Nashville Fashion Week. These educational opportunities provide a platform to engage, learn and connect experientially within the Nashville community. 

Throughout history, clothing and fashion were always and continue to be a powerful form of expression. What we wear can define us, inspire us, and say to others that we are individuals empowered with confidence. This year, in collaboration with Nashville Fashion Week’s 10th Anniversary and in celebration of the upcoming women’s suffrage exhibit, The Tennessee State Museum will host student designers and their modern interpretation of objects in the museum’s collection. Each artifact, chosen by a curator,  represents a historical moment when a person or movement fought for social change. The artists will show how the modern can be “in dialogue” with the past by creating work inspired by people who came before them and featuring their same spirit of diversity and inclusion. This collaborative process is a unique way to show that fashion isn’t frivolous - it is dynamic, inspiring, and timeless. 

The Tennesee State Museum will open their "Ratified! Tennessee Women and the Right to Vote" exhibit on March 27. Be among the first to visit this exhibit before it opens to the public. This captivating exhibit uses artifacts, documents, large-scale graphics, videos, interactive elements and public programming to share the stories of the Tennesseans who came to have decisive roles in American women’s struggle to gain voting rights. 

This FREE engagement will include mingling, a conversation with The Tennessee  State Museum's fashion curator, presentation of the student's work and a tour of the new exhibit. There are a limited number of tickets available, so secure your spot now!

---

DREAM NASHVILLE IS THE OFFICIAL HOTEL PARTNER 
FOR NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK 2020 

BOOK YOUR ROOM AND GET YOUR TICKETS NOW

Dream Nashville is offering a special room rate for Nashville Fashion Week guests. Book your Gold King Room for $250 per night March 30 - April 2 and for $365 April 3 and 4. Located on the higher floors, these 320-square-foot, king bedded-rooms showcase 13-foot-high, loft-like ceilings and deco-inspired furnishings. Book HERE or call 615-622-0600 to book with Group Name DREAMNFW and use Booking Code "DNA0330NFW". Availability is limited so don't wait to secure your Dream room.

---

VOLUNTEER, OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER AND MEDIA APPLICATIONS NOW ACCEPTED!

Click the images below for detailed information

NFW 2020 To Feature Tanya Taylor, Timo Weiland & 19 Middle Tennessee Designers

TANYA TAYLOR TO HEADLINE NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK WITH TIMO WEILAND AND NINETEEN MIDDLE TENNESEE DESIGNERS

Thank you to the packed room of 300+ attendees who joined us for our Nashville Fashion Week 2020 Kickoff Party last night at Graduate Nashville! We were excited to announce the first details of our 2020 schedule and introduce our "We Are Nashville Fashion" campaign to a sold-out crowd and to hint at many more announcements to come. This campaign features notable contributors and partners of Nashville Fashion Week that have spanned a decade of service. From hospitality and production to retailers and beauty teams, we are Nashville fashion.

The tenth annual Nashville Fashion Week will take place Tuesday, March 31 through Saturday, April 4 in partnership with OZ Arts Nashville for the third consecutive year. Four nights of runway shows will be followed by our 10th Year Celebration Party and Nashville Fashion Forward Awards on Saturday night to celebrate the unique impact award receipients have made on the Nashville fashion community. 

Tickets for Nashville Fashion Week 2020 are now available to purchase at NashvilleFashionWeek.com. Complete details on the 10 Year Celebration Party and Awards, Fashion Talks, the Influencer Brunch, Men's Style Event, Learning Labs and Shop Nashville will be released over the next month.

TWENTY-ONE 2020 DESIGNERS ANNOUNCED

Nashville Fashion Week is honored to welcome our opening night headline designer Tanya Taylorand Timo Weiland to our runway on March 31 at OZ Arts Nashville. For the first time in Nashville Fashion Week history, nineteen of our twenty-one designers, all hail from Middle Tennessee. This is in direct response to the quality of applicants and our community's growing interest and support of local designers. Eleven of these designers are NFW alumni and eight are new designers showing their collections at Nashville Fashion Week 2020 for the very first time. Please check out all the 2020 designer bios HERE.

Tanya Taylor started her namesake label in 2012 with the mission to inspire all women to live in color. By celebrating individuality, the brand aims to create a community where every woman feels included. Through the artful use of color, texture and original hand-painted prints each Tanya Taylor collection is designed to bring confidence and high-energy happiness into a woman’s daily life. The collections are sold at retailers including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. 

The brand has been worn by a diverse range of inspirational women such as Former First Lady Michelle Obama, Tracee Ellis Ross, Awkwafina, Jennifer Garner, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Kristen Wiig and Aidy Bryant. Tanya Taylor is an inclusive brand defined by a point of view and is proud to offer styles in sizes 0-22. 

“I’ve been trying to get to Nashville for quite some time — the culture, music, food and especially dancing has always enticed me — and I can’t think of a better time to go than during Nashville Fashion Week. I’m excited to explore the city and to present my Spring 2020 collection!” - Tanya Taylor

Timo Weiland is an award-winning Creative Director, serial entrepreneur and DJ based in New York City. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska and raised between Florida and New York. After graduating from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, he worked for several years as an investment banking analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. covering Media & Technology before launching his first startup. Since 2010, Timo has successfully built a namesake lifestyle brand, as well as businesses across food & beverage, design, media, B2B intelligence, real estate, technology, and venture capital.

"It is an honor and a pleasure to come back to the original source of my inspiration, Music City. From the days of living in Nashville while attending Vanderbilt University, the cultural flavor and vibrant pulse of the community has fueled my creative process. Sourcing designer vintage in East Nashville and learning how to DJ both were awesome career building aspects of the city that added value to my education on-campus!" - Timo Weiland

Tuesday, March 31

• Tanya Taylor

• Timo Weiland

• Laura Citron

• Article X

• Mary Violet Woosley

Wednesday, April 1

• Amanda Valentine

• Truly Alvarenga

• Lily Guilder

• The Morgan Factory

• Erica Knicely

Thursday, April 2

• Black by Maria Silver

• Justin Mark Richards

• Ola Mai

• Ken.Drama

• H. Lane Design

Friday, April 3

• Any Old Iron

• Rank & Sugar

• Eileen Kelly

• No Worries

• Moore by Paige

• Emily Phillips

"Tanya and Timo represent the core values of Nashville Fashion Week. We have been committed to diversity and inclusivity both on the runway and through our eclectic mix of events for years, but we desire to do and be more. Both of these talented designers have based their careers on these important values that further the mission of the fashion industry as a whole. We look forward to learning more from them", said Connie Cathcart-Richardson, Nashville Fashion Week co-founder and managing partner.

"The fact that our tenth anniversary lineup is also filled with designers from Middle Tennessee is a big deal. It is very rewarding to look back at all of the people that have been impacted by Nashville Fashion Week over the years and to think about how far Nashville fashion has come", Cathcart-Richardson added. "We are delighted to showcase eleven of Nashville’s leading designers with eight newcomers discovered through our designer application process.”  

“Nashville Fashion Week and the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund have raised awareness of creative talent in Middle Tennessee for the past nine years by showcasing 180 designers and hundreds of businesses with an investment of over $1.3 million in the local fashion community", says Marcia Masulla, Nashville Fashion Week co-founder and managing partner. "It's our privilege to support Nashville’s fashion-forward and entrepreneurial talent with this volunteer led and run event and to have provided life-changing experiential opportunities for nine Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipients through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. We could not do what we do without the support of our dedicated sponsors, volunteers and ticket holders.”

Applications for Shop Nashville retailers, volunteers, photographer/videographer and media passes are now open under Contact at NashvilleFashionWeek.com.

Individual runway prices are $50 for general admission and $75 for seated tickets. The four-night Runway Pass is $200 for general admission and $300 for preferred seated with the VIP Experience and entrance to the official Opening Night Party for both passes. The $400 All Access Pass includes front row VIP tickets to all four nights of runway, plus tickets to Fashion Talks, the Official Opening and Closing Night Parties and the 10 Year Celebration Party and Nashville Fashion Forward Awards on Saturday night at OZ Arts Nashville. Tickets to the Official Opening Night Party and the Official AfterParty are $20 each and tickets to the 10 Year Celebration Party and Nashville Fashion Forward Awards on Saturday night at OZ Arts Nashville are $100. Additional details will be announced soon about these parties. All proceeds benefit the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. 

For more information on the schedule, designers, a full list of sponsors, party pics and to purchase tickets for Nashville Fashion Week 2020, visit NashvilleFashionWeek.com. Click HERE to see all of the Know Your Roots Photoboothery antics and photos from the Kickoff Party.

2019 NFFF Recipient & 2020 Dates & Model Search

NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK ANNOUNCES
THE 2019 NASHVILLE FASHION FORWARD FUND RECIPIENT,
2020 DATES, THEME AND MODEL SEARCH LAUNCH DETAILS

WE ARE NASHVILLE FASHION!

Thank you to the enthusiastic and stylish crowd that joined us at Hutton Hotel for our 2020 Nashville Fashion Week Launch Party last night! We were excited to announce our 2019 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipient with exciting preliminary plans for the 10th Anniversary of our city-wide celebration of Nashville's thriving fashion and retail community. It was fitting that we celebrated our ten year launch at Hutton Hotel since the location is where we initially launched NFW in 2011 and 2020 is also the hotel's 10th anniversary.

Nashville Fashion Week will take place March 31- April 4, 2020 in collaboration with our strategic partner OZ Arts Nashville for the third year in a row. The theme of the 10th Anniversary year is "We Are Nashville Fashion". A focus on diversity and inclusion will be the focus for the programming and planning ranging from the AMAX + NFW Model Search and Learning Labs to the runway shows. This theme will also be at the forefront in the upcoming visual campaign and communications that will showcase the diverse contributors from the community who have supported and promoted the growth of Nashville fashion over the past decade.

"Nashville Fashion Week and OZ Arts are both dedicated to shining light on the exceptional artists and creative professionals who call our city home. It's a very synergistic partnership that OZ is proud to be part of, and I look forward to watching the fashion industry's continued impact on our creative community." - Tim Ozgener, President & CEO, OZ Arts Nashville

Ginny Edwards Maxwell from AMAX Talent, also announced that the 2020 AMAX + NFW Model Search will be open for the first time in its nine year history to aspiring models of all ages and sizes in an effort to find the best of the best. Applications will be accepted from November 19 - December 31 at NashvilleFashionWeek.com.

"In the last few years, we have seen more clients requesting models in a greater range of sizes and ages. We are thrilled to be expanding the model search for 2020 in the hopes of finding potential stars to represent brands both locally and internationally. I am committed to doing whatever I can to help move the modeling industry forward in terms of diversity." - Ginny Edwards Maxwell, Director of Scouting & Development, AMAX Talent

Nashville Fashion Week was founded in 2010 as an all-volunteer led and run event spotlighting Nashville’s growing fashion community with a sustainable focus of philanthropic support of the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Nashville Fashion Week features local, regional and national designers and industry professionals in an array of creative events throughout the week to encourage both Nashvillians and visitors to explore the city’s diverse fashion and retail spaces through promotions, partnerships and educational workshops.

Nashville Fashion Week Co-Founders and Managing Partners, Connie Cathcart-Richardson and Marcia Masulla are eager to celebrate year ten with the Nashville creative community.

"Nashville Fashion Week and the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund have helped raise awareness of Nashville’s vast creative talent by showcasing close to 140 designers and hundreds of local businesses with an investment of over $1.3 million in the local fashion community over the past nine years," said Connie Cathcart-Richardson and Marcia Masulla. "We look forward to continuing to foster Nashville’s fashion-forward and entrepreneurial talent for many years to come with this volunteer led and run event.”

---

MEET OUR NINTH ANNUAL 
NASHVILLE FASHION FORWARD FUND RECIPIENT 

We are proud to announce Megan Prange, owner and creator of Prange Apparel as our 2019 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipient. A committee from The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee selected Prange from a diverse group of experienced fashion industry applicants based on specific criteria set by the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund co-founders.

"I am beyond thrilled to be this year’s Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipient! I first learned about Nashville Fashion Week seven years ago and since then have been a huge believer in the amazing opportunities if offers to everyone who participates in it every year. I am honored to be a part of it and am incredibly grateful for the opportunity the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund will allow me." - Megan Prange, Owner & Creator, Prange Apparel

Megan Prange started Prange Apparel six years ago in response to the demand from independent designers and boutique owners for small batch production. At the time, Megan was doing freelance pattern and sample work for local designers when she noticed the struggle they were having scaling their businesses. They couldn’t keep up with the demand by sewing everything themselves.

She decided to go out on a limb and open a small batch manufacturing business. She started off with just three home sewing machines and a few interns.

Six years later, Prange now has a full-scale business that employs twenty-five full time employees, has over 30 industrial machines and a client base that spans from coast to coast.

“The Nashville Fashion Forward Fund Award represents an investment in the creative and inspired individuals looking to expand the perspectives that will contribute to their personal growth and the growth of their role in the fashion industry. Megan joins a terrific and ever growing list of talented individuals who’ve put their vision to paper for a compelling experience that inspired the Award selection panel.” - Amy Fair, Vice President of Donor Services, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

The Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee is an endowed fund that supports the next generation of fashion industry professionals with ties to Middle Tennessee by providing an annual financial award and resources for experiential professional development opportunities to advance the career of select local talent with demonstrated experience in a fashion-related field based on pre-established criteria.

Previous Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipients include apparel designers Van Hoang, Maria Silver, Eric Bornhop, Julianna Bass and Lauren Leonard Phelps; fashion photographer Brett Warren; accessory designer Ceri Hoover, and Elise Joseph, brand strategist and creative director.

The establishment of the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund in 2010 by the co-founders of Nashville Fashion Week was inspired by the professional development provided by the Council of Fashion Designers (CFDA) through programs such as the CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund. The Nashville Fashion Forward Fund is a component fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee that is funded with charitable donations and proceeds from Nashville Fashion Week. The Nashville Fashion Forward Fund ensures that Nashville Fashion Week is not just a signature high-profile event to celebrate creativity, but also an ongoing, sustainable focus for philanthropic support of our community.

---

THE CELEBRATION CONTINUES
ON SATURDAY AT DREAM NASHVILLE!

Hurry, Only 10 Seats Are Left...

Feast on fashion by supporting the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and three of our most recent Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipients on Saturday, November 16 at Dream Nashville! Make your reservation now for the Fashion Show Brunch at Stateside Kitchen featuring presentations with Fund recipients Eric Adler, Black by Maria Silver and Van Hoang. There will be one seating at noon where you may order lively libations and tasty offerings from Stateside's sumptuous brunch menu. The participating designers will also have items available to purchase at their pop-up shops in the Back Bar during the event. Your $10 ticket reserves your seat at brunch and one complimentary Absolut Juice signature cocktail. Seating is limited to 60 spots and are going fast! All ticket proceeds benefit the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK 2019 ENDED WITH A BANG!

NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK 2019 ENDED WITH A BANG!

We did it! Everything about Nashville Fashion Week 2019 was BOLD. We presented four nights of diverse runway shows featuring twenty local and regional designers with our partner OZ Arts Nashville; five Learning Labs, including the live broadcast of our first Sustainable Summit moderated by Fern Mallis; fifty interactive Shop Nashville events all across town; the party of all after parties at Dream Nashville. We had hundreds of models and volunteers, with more supportive and engaged sponsors than ever along with thousands of attendees. We could go on and on about all of the goodness, but we invite you to view the gorgeous images captured by our talented visuals team at NashvilleFashionWeek.com and follow the hashtag #whynfw on social media to see for yourself. Thank you for our biggest, brightest and boldest year yet!

---

We ended year nine with a very special evening at OZ Arts Nashville that put the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund front and center. Our fifth annual Nashville Fashion Forward Gala and presentation of the Fashion Forward Awards was the perfect punctuation to celebrate and support the resolute, entrepreneurial spirit of our Nashville fashion community following the week-long festivities.

Amos Events and Bright Events designed a BOLD and colorful environment with the perfect touches from Please Be Seated and Oshi Floral Design. Colorful cocktails curated by Titos Handmade Vodka and immersive experiences from CraftCourse and Hi-Fi Media engaged the guests while they mingled. Local artist Tess Ernlenborn was center stage creating live art that utilized the colors pre-selected by our guests. Two of her beautiful paintings were then auctioned off to benefit the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner by G Catering, wine from Love and Exile and spirits from Titos Handmade Vodka, Beefeater London Pink Gin and Jameson Black Barrel.

Nashville Fashion Week co-founders, Connie Cathcart-Richardson and Marcia Masulla welcomed the guests and thanked sponsors and volunteers before turning it over to Amy Fair from The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to share the mission of the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund. Eric Adler (2015), Maria Silver (2017) and Van Hoang (2018), previous Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipients each shared in their own words what their award has meant to them to the fashionable crowd.

Guest host Nikki Burdine, anchor of Good Morning Nashville, WKRN, took the mic to emcee the evening and announce the Fashion Forward Awards to this year's recipients. Congratulations to Andrew Clancey (Rising Star), Margaret Ellis (Humanitarian), Claudia Fowler (Fashion Forward), Margo Price (Style Icon), Linda Roberts (Legacy), Sofie Rovenstine (Face of Fashion) and Olia Zavozina (Point of View)! Click HERE to watch each of their gorgeous videos and the Gala photo above for their bios.

2019 is a year that Nashville Fashion Week will not soon forget, however, who's ready for our 10th Anniversary? Planning begins in weeks and we want you to be a part!

---

One More Way To Support the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund...

SAVE THE DATE! The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s The Big Payback is May 2! The goal of this 24-hour, online giving event is simple – inspire Middle Tennesseans to come together, show their pride in their communities, and contribute to support the life-changing work of local nonprofit organizations. This is a great way to show all of Nashville just how much the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund means to you and our fashion community.

The Nashville Fashion Forward Fund is an endowed fund established in 2011 to support the next generation of fashion industry professionals with ties to Middle Tennessee by providing a financial award and resources for experiential professional development opportunities. All proceeds from Nashville Fashion Week benefit the Fund.

Fashion designer Van Hoang is our 2018 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipient. A selection committee from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee selected Hoang from a diverse group of experienced fashion industry applicants.

"I am incredibly honored to be the recipient of this years Nashville Fashion Forward Fund. This award will enable me to attend the Copenhagen Fashion Summit which is a global conference about sustainability in fashion and this opportunity will allow me to learn from top leaders in the field. I hope to bring this knowledge back to Nashville and turn ideas into action.” - Van Hoang, 2018 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund Recipient

Previous Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipients include apparel designers Maria Silver, Eric Bornhop, Julianna Bass and Lauren Leonard Phelps; fashion photographer Brett Warren; accessory designer Ceri Hoover, and Elise Joseph, founder of Goodwin.

NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK 2019

CELEBRATE WITH NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK!

Nashville Fashion Week 2019 is going BOLD! We've got a jam-packed schedule with seventy-five events planned next week and we look forward to celebrating with you! Nashville Fashion Week 2019 officially kicks off on Monday, April 1 with Nashville's first FREE fashion-focused Sustainable Summit moderated by Fern Mallis at oneC1TY and quickly ramps up with close to fifty Shop Nashville events, four more Learning Labs, four nights of runway shows featuring twenty local and regional designers in partnership with OZ Arts Nashville, our official NFW After Party presented by Dream Nashville and we close out the week with the 5th Annual Fashion Forward Gala. And don't forget about the Men's Style Event this Wednesday night at Dream Nashville with an After Party for guests at Snitch! There is literally something for everyone! 

Get your tickets at NashvilleFashionWeek.com now! Our Friday night runway shows are SOLD OUT and the other nights are selling fast! Make plans now to support your favorite designers and be introduced to new ones. You are going to be blown away by these BOLD collections!

NFW Learning Labs are designed to showcase the local fashion community by providing a platform to engage, learn and connect and each of these unique educational experiences do just that.

SUSTAINABILITY: Join us on Monday, April 1 at oneC1TY for our Sustainable Summit, an interactive event that will include Nashville's first fashion-focused discussion on sustainability. Our panel of industry leaders - Chrissy Fogerty, Fauxgerty; Barrett Ward, ABLE; David Prentice, OnPoint Manufacturing and fashion designer Van Hoang, our 2018 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipient - will share their insights on how to turn ideas into action and experiences with sustainability. Get your ticket to this FREE event while they last!

MARKETING: Digital Marketing Without Losing Your Mind at emma is SOLD OUT! But, tickets are still available for CREATE: Margaret Ellis Jewelry Intro to Metalsmithing | Make Your Own Stack Rings on Wednesday, April 3; and BEAUTY: Behind the Runway with The Cosmetic Market, and BUSINESS: Feast on Fashion with AMAX Talent presented by Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse - How To Land An Agent on Saturday, April 6 . Don't miss out on these unique educational opportunities!

And then there are the parties… Dream Nashville is presenting the Official Nashville Fashion Week After Party on Friday, April 5 from 10:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. This is sure to be the party of the year!

This is #WHYNFW! The Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee invites you to celebrate and support the entrepreneurial spirit of Nashville’s creative arts and fashion community with Nashville Fashion Week and our partner OZ Arts Nashville at the Fifth Annual Nashville Fashion Forward Fund Gala on Saturday, April 6 at OZ Arts Nashville. This is the fourth year that Nashville Fashion Week will present its Nashville Fashion Forward Awards at the Fashion Forward Gala to recognize community leaders that have made an impact on the Nashville fashion industry. Join us in honoring Andrew Clancey, Margaret Ellis, Claudia Fowler, Margo Price, Linda Roberts, Sofie Rovenstine and Olia Zavozina. Reserve your tickets or table for 10 by Wednesday, March 27th!

You've got all of your tickets, so now the big question is "What are you going to wear to all of these fashionable events"? Click HERE for full details on every Shop Nashville event that will take place next week. Nashville Fashion Week is a great excuse to go shopping! We can't wait to see you at the shows!

All proceeds from all Nashville Fashion Week events benefit the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. The Nashville Fashion Forward Fund is an endowed fund established to support the next generation of fashion industry professionals with ties to Middle Tennessee by providing a financial award and resources for experiential professional development opportunities.