Feast on Fashion: Fashion, Food & Community Come Together

There's something especially compelling about bringing fashion and food together in a way that feels both intentional and rooted in community. Feast on Fashion is a curated series presented by Nashville Fashion Week and the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee—an invitation for distinct experiences that celebrate the creative disciplines shaping our city right now.

“In Nashville, fashion and food are both powerful expressions of culture, creativity, and community—they are part of the fabric of who we are as a city. This event is an opportunity to celebrate that intersection more intentionally, while uplifting AAPI voices whose influence continues to shape and inspire both industries. It also directly supports the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund, helping us invest in and advance the future of creative talent in our city.”
— Nashville Fashion Week

This evening will reflect what we value most: craft, connection, and the people behind the work. Tuesday, May 19 will unfold with lively conversation and a shared table where fashion, food, and identity meet in an intimate dialogue-driven setting—supporting and strengthening the future of creative talent in our community.

At the heart of this event is the work of Peter Som—lifestyle expert, award-winning designer, and author of Family Style: Elegant Everyday Recipes Inspired by Home and Heritage. A CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist and two-time CFDA Emerging Designer Award nominee, Peter’s creative life has long existed at the intersection of fashion and food. During his years in high-intensity fashion, cooking became both a grounding ritual and a creative outlet, ultimately evolving into The Extra Taste, his culinary platform exploring fashion, interiors, design, and entertaining. His debut cookbook Family Style brings together 100 elegant, approachable recipes rooted in his Chinese American heritage, Bay Area upbringing, and French-influenced family traditions—offering a modern, personal take on gathering, memory, and creativity at the table.

“I’m excited to be heading to Nashville to support the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund. It’s an honor to be part of such a community-driven event alongside incredible partners like Giving Kitchen, API Middle TN, Anna, Chef Arnold Myint, and Parnassus, and have the opportuntity to share my Family Style cookbook along the way. I’m looking forward to connecting and celebrating Nashville’s vibrant creative spirit.”

- Peter Som

---

FEAST ON FASHION 

A Shared Commitment to the People and Disciplines that Continue to Shape our Community Through Fashion and Food.

FEAST ON FASHION: FAMILY THAI X FAMILY STYLE
DINNER & CONVERSATION

Tuesday, May 19 | 6PM
International Market
2013 Belmont Blvd

Dinner + Signed Book: $125

An intimate, three-course family-style dinner experienced through a collaborative three-course dinner by Chef Arnold Myint, inspired by Peter Som's Family Style followed by curated conversation at each table.

Inspired by Peter Som’s Family Style, this dinner hosted by Chef Arnold Myint and Anna Myint at International Market is designed as a shared table—honoring heritage, memory, and the quiet luxury of gathering well.

The evening will feature intimate, table-led conversations with featured guests, thoughtfully designed to spark meaningful dialogue at the intersection of food, culture, fashion, and the API experience.

We’re so excited to welcome Peter Som to International Market for AAPI Month. Pairing Family Style with Arnold Myint’s Family Thai feels especially close to home for us — it’s about honoring where we come from, celebrating the stories behind the food, and bringing people together around the table.”  - Anna and Arnold Myint

Arnold Myint is a celebrated chef, restaurateur, TV personality, author and performer whose vibrant career bridges food, culture, and self-expression. A 2024 James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist, Arnold is the chef of International Market and co-owner with his sister Anna Myint — a tribute to their family’s culinary legacy first established in 1975. 

In the fall of 2025, Myint released his highly-anticipated debut cookbook, Family Thai: Bringing the Flavors of Thailand Home, offering readers a vibrant and comprehensive guide to Thai cooking techniques and pantry staples for modern kitchens and was named one of the year’s best new cookbooks by publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Southern Living, and more.

We are also proud to recognize and break bread with API Middle Tennessee and Giving Kitchen, whose work brings compassion and critical support to food service workers facing crisis.

The dinner table is where community happens in Asian culture, so I can't think of a more exciting way to explore and share identity than through food.” - Joseph Gutierrez, API Middle Tennessee

Limited Availability. A portion of proceeds from both events will benefit the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. 

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 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 ensures that Nashville Fashion Week is not just a high-profile event to celebrate creativity, but also an ongoing, sustainable focus for philanthropic support of our community for years to come.

#WHYNFW

Are You The Next Nashville Fashion Forward Recipient?

ARE YOU THE NEXT NASHVILLE FASHION FORWARD RECIPIENT?

This month marks five years since Nashville Fashion Week was forced to make a hard pivot when a tornado devastated Nashville. Just a few weeks later, the world changed forever. So much has happened since then, but through it all, the Nashville fashion community continues to evolve. While our focus has shifted from producing the events you may have attended in the past, we remain committed to supporting our fashion community by continuing to build the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund to ensure its impact endures for years to come.

Some things never change!

We're preparing to launch our 12th Nashville Fashion Forward Fund application in a few weeks, so start thinking about what experience would help elevate both you and your business to where you want to go. 

Established in 2011, 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 a financial reward and resources for EXPERIENTIAL professional development opportunities each year with proceeds from Nashville Fashion Week. ALL fashion industry professionals with ties to Middle Tennesse are encouraged to apply to be our twelvth Nashville Fashion Forward Fund award winner.

Previous recipients include our most recent award winner Rhea Daniels, apparel designers Haley Maddox, Van Hoang, Maria Silver, Eric Bornhop, Lauren Leonard Phelps and Julianna Bass Brea; small batch apparel manufacturer Megan Prange; fashion photographer Brett Warren; accessory designer Ceri Hoover; and content creator Elise Joseph.

Dream big. You could be next! You won't know unless you apply.

---

Step into a world where sneaker culture meets artistic expression at the Air Max Art Crawl on March 26, 2025 in downtown at The Arcade Nashville! For the 3rd Annual Air Max Day,  Melissa Watkins, creator of FabGlance, is elevating the experience in collaboration with Arcade Arts Nashville! This unique event brings together local artists, fashionistas, sneaker lovers, and creatives for an unforgettable celebration of style, culture, and community in a one-of-a-kind fusion of sneakers and street art. 

What to Expect

* Live art installations & sneaker-inspired exhibits

* Exclusive sneaker showcases & custom designs

* Music, fashion, and interactive experiences

* A curated space for creatives to connect

We are honored to have you consider the Nashville Fashion Foward Fund as the recipient of your next charitable event. Please complete the sponsorship form at NashvilleFashionWeek.com
to discuss potential partnership opportunties to financially support the Nashville fashion community through The Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. We appeciate your continued support. 

Thank you! 

Country Music Hall of Fame And Museum Hosts "Suiting The Sound Panel Discussion

COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME® AND MUSEUM
HOSTS “SUITING THE SOUND” CONVERSATION
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum, presented in partnership with Nashville Fashion Week, will host a conversation with designers Marina Toybina and Maria “Poni” Silver. The program, “Suiting the Sound: Designers Marina Toybina and Maria ‘Poni’ Silver in Conversation,” will take place on Wednesday, September 4, at 6 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater.

Country music performers have been turning heads in custom-designed stage wear since the late 1940s. During this program, moderated by Museum Writer-Editor Angela Stefano Zimmer, Toybina and Silver — who both work with Carrie Underwood and other musicians — will discuss their careers and their design processes. Underwood is loaning stage wear created by both designers for display during the program.

Toybina is a seven-time Emmy-winning costume and fashion designer who has collaborated with Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, P!NK, Taylor Swift and many others, as well as on television shows such as “The Masked Singer,” “So You Think You Can Dance” and “The X Factor.” She is also a judge and mentor on the Hulu competition series “Dress My Tour.” Toybina is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and launched her first fashion line, Glaza, while still in school. Her work has been featured in various magazines including Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, People, Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue and Variety.

Silver is head of wardrobe for Underwood’s REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency and has also designed stage wear for Ruby Amanfu, Adia Victoria and others, as well as for the Nashville Ballet production “Seven Deadly Sins.” She is a Fashion Institute of Technology graduate and Nashville Fashion Week’s 2017 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipient. Designs from her brand, Black by Maria Silver, which launched in 2011, have been featured in Elle, Glamour, Vogue and other publications. Silver is also a musician: she has been a touring drummer since 2004 and has recorded six albums.

Free tickets can be reserved on the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum website. Separately, the museum also has a free-to-access online exhibition, Suiting the Sound: The Rodeo Tailors Who Made Country Stars Shine Brighter. Drawing from the museum’s galleries and extensive collection of stage costumes and archival materials, the exhibition examines the dazzling artistry of western-wear designers whose couture fashions helped create an indelible image for country music.

Nashville Fashion Week kicked off in 2010 with a city-wide celebration of Nashville’s thriving fashion and retail community and its vast array of creative talent and has continued to gain momentum each year. Featuring local, regional and national designers and industry professionals in an array of creative events encourages both Nashvillians and visitors to explore the city’s diverse fashion and retail spaces through events, promotions, partnerships and educational workshops. NFW was founded and directed by a collaboration of fashion, retail and media professionals who combined their passion and resources to create a completely volunteer-led and run event spotlighting Nashville's growing fashion community with a sustainable focus for philanthropic support of our creative community through the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. For detailed information, please visit NashvilleFashionWeek.com.

A Conversation with Joseph Altuzarra & Pop-Up Shopping Experience at The Hermitage Hotel - CANCELLED

Nashville Fashion Week and The Hermitage Hotel Present 
A Conversation with Joseph Altuzarra and Pop-Up Shopping Experience  | October 22 and 23 at The Hermitage Hotel

"I am so honored to be able to participate in Nashville Fashion Week and have the opportunity to connect with the fashion community in Nashville. I believe that fashion is a universal language that brings people together and I am excited to be a part of an event that fosters collaboration and celebrates creativity." 
- Joseph Altuzarra

Join Nashville Fashion Week for an engaging conversation with globally recognized designer/creative director Joseph Altuzarra. Founded in 2008, Altuzarra is a luxury women's ready-to- wear and accessories brand.

Joseph's seductive aesthetic combines modernity, femininity, and an unapologetic sexiness. Anchored in artisanal craftsmanship, and a curiosity about the world, the collection is informed by Joseph's own multicultural background and upbringing. The Altuzarra brand speaks to the power, fearlessness and sensuality of the modern woman’s wardrobe.

Joseph Altuzarra is a luxury womenswear designer and is widely recognized as one of the most talented and lasting of his generation.

Born in 1983, Joseph was raised in Paris by a Chinese-American mother and French father. His multicultural upbringing and avid interest in different facets of culture–ranging from film to literature to craft–are key influences throughout his work.

Since the launch of Altuzarra in 2008, Joseph has received numerous accolades for his work, from inclusion in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and Business of Fashion’s BoF500 to the Swarovski Award for Womenswear Design.

Joseph is currently a 2023 nominee for American Womenswear Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers America (CFDA). He was previously named the Womenswear Designer of the Year in 2014 and the Accessories Council’s Designer of the Year in 2017 by the CFDA.

“Nashville Fashion Week is thrilled to host Joseph and his team for the first time in Nashville,” said Marcia Masulla, NFW Co-Founder | Managing Director. “We have long been enamored with his sophisticated and modern design with timeless uncompromising artisanal craftsmanship. I personally have always felt a deep connection to Joseph for our shared multicultural background and upbringing." - Marcia Masulla, NFW Co-Founder | Managing Director

Sunday, October 22
4pm - VIP Meet + Greet, Photo Opportunity with Joseph Altuzarra, First preview of Altuzarra collection 
5:00 pm - General Admission Mixer 
5:45 pm - A Conversation with Joseph Altuzarra
7:00- 8:00 pm - Shop with Joseph at Altuzarra Pop-Up Shop

VIP Tickets $100
Includes: VIP Meet & Greet with Joseph with a Photo, preview of the Collection and Shop with Joseph at Altuzarra Pop-Up Shop, one drink ticket, A Conversation With Joseph Altuzarra

General Admission Tickets  $50 
Includes: General Admission Mixer, Cash Bar, A Conversation with Joseph Altuzarra, Shop with Joseph at Altuzarra Pop-Up Shop

Monday, October 23 
9:00 am - 4:00 pm - Pop-Up Shop + Appointments all-day
Please email brandon@altuzarra.com to schedule your appointment for Monday, October 23.

Valet Parking is available for a reduced rate of $25. Street and additional parking is available. 
Rideshare is always encouraged.  

A limited number of tickets are available at NashvilleFashionWeek.com. Ticket proceeds and 15% of sales during both days of the Altuzarra Pop-Up Shop will benefit the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

We are proud to partner and have Dee Patel, Managing Director of The Hermitage Hotel, co-host this engaging event.

“We’re thrilled to welcome fashion visionary Joseph Altuzarra to The Hermitage Hotel for an intimate and elegant shopping experience,” said Dee Patel, Managing Director, The Hermitage Hotel. “Our hotel has long been recognized as Nashville’s premier gathering place for creative and artistic leaders. We’re delighted to host this event, which will not only showcase selections from Joseph’s globally celebrated collection, but also will benefit the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund to support emerging fashion in our city.”

Since opening as Nashville’s original million-dollar hotel in 1910, The Hermitage Hotel has long been known as the top hotel in Tennessee and one of the premier hotels in the country. The tradition of excellence that began that day has remained vibrant and alive throughout the years, being named the first and only five-star hotel in the state. As such, the hotel has received a compelling collection of accolades and honors, and has been ranked highly by the nation’s top travel publications.

---

Join Nashville Fashion Week this Saturday, September 30 at The Belcourt to view INVISIBLE BEAUTY at 1:00 p.m. followed by a post-screening discussion in collaboration with us featuring stylist Bentley Caldwell, model and photographer Charika White, hair and makeup artist Sherita Leslie and fashion entrepreneur/retailer Keith Fulton of the Trenches Gallery, moderated by Nashville Fashion Week co-founder and managing director Marcia Masulla. 

Fashion revolutionary Bethann Hardison looks back on her journey as a pioneering black model, modeling agent and activist, shining a light on an untold chapter in the fight for racial diversity. From walking runway shows alongside Iman to discovering supermodels like Tyson Beckford and mentoring icons like Naomi Campbell, Hardison has been at the epicenter of major representational shifts in fashion. INVISIBLE BEAUTY stands as an absorbing record of Hardison’s accomplishments and a rare contemplation on the life of a radical thinker. 

Tickets to this limited seated event are $12 at Belcourt.org.

NFW + Altuzarra - POSTPONED to October 22 & 23

"I am so honored to be able to participate in Nashville Fashion Week and have the
opportunity to connect with the fashion community in Nashville. I believe that fashion
is a universal language that brings people together and I am excited to be a part of
an event that fosters collaboration and celebrates creativity."
- Joseph Altuzarra

Founded by creative director Joseph Altuzarra in 2008, Altuzarra is a luxury women's ready-to- wear and accessories brand.

Joseph's seductive aesthetic combines modernity, femininity, and an unapologetic sexiness. Anchored in artisanal craftsmanship, and a curiosity about the world, the collection is informed by Joseph's own multicultural background and upbringing. The Altuzarra brand speaks to the power, fearlessness and sensuality of the modern woman’s wardrobe

Joseph Altuzarra is a luxury womenswear designer and is widely recognized as one of the most talented and lasting of his generation.

Born in 1983, Joseph was raised in Paris by a Chinese-American mother and French father. His multicultural upbringing and avid interest in different facets of culture–ranging from film to literature to craft–are key influences throughout his work.

Since the launch of Altuzarra in 2008, Joseph has received numerous accolades for his work, from inclusion in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and Business of Fashion’s BoF500 to the Swarovski Award for Womenswear Design.

In 2014, Joseph was named by the Council of Fashion Designers America as the Womenswear Designer of the Year and, in 2017, the Accessories Council’s Designer of the Year.

---

If your brand or company is interested in being an official Nashville Fashion Week event or programming sponsor, please reach out to us at marcia@nashvillefashionweek.com. Proceeds from NFW events directly benefit the The Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee - 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. ALL experienced fashion industry professionals, including designers, photographers, stylists, models, hair and makeup artists, retailers, content creators, etc., are encouraged to apply for this award to further their career in our local fashion industry.

Established in 2011 by the co-founders of Nashville Fashion Week, the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund is a component fund of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Award recipients are selected by a committee of the Community Foundation board based on pre-established criteria inspired by the Council of Fashion Designers (CFDA)/VOGUE Fashion Fund to advance the career of select local talent with demonstrated experience in a fashion-related field. Applications are accepted each fall with the recipient announced in January. Ticket proceeds from Nashville Fashion Week benefit the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund.