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Learning Labs

Your Guide to NFW 2021

October 7, 2021

YOUR GUIDE TO NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK 2021

Nashville Fashion Week officially kicks off on Monday. Will you join us?

The entirely re-imagined schedule is HERE for you to conveniently access.

Don't have a VIP Pass yet? It's not too late to get in on all of these events and experiences. Purchase your VIP Pass NOW before we sell out. You may also reserve and purchase individual tickets to events at NashvilleFashionWeek.com. Make plans now to support and experience Nashville's fashion community.

GET YOUR VIP PASS & TICKETS NOW!

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11

VIP | HOW FASHION IS MADE TOUR + MIXER
Presented by Prange Apparel
4 - 6 PM

VIP Pass holders will enjoy an interactive open house and private tour to Prange Apparel to gain insight into the process and innovation of how fashion is made right here in Nashville. This is a private event for NFW VIP Pass holders ONLY.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12

VIP | NFW VIP MIXER
Presented by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce at The Westin Nashville
5 - 7 PM

This is a private event for NFW VIP Pass holders ONLY. Enjoy the tunes of DJ Maggie Wells while enjoying light bites from The Westin and cocktails provided by Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Blade and Bow. This is a private event for NFW VIP Pass holders ONLY.

VIP | COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM "SUITING THE SOUND: THE RODEO TAILORS WHO MADE COUNTRY STARS SHINE BRIGHTER" PANEL DISCUSSION
Presented by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
7 - 9 PM (Doors Open at 6 PM)

In partnership with Nashville Fashion Week, the museum will host a program examining the emergence of this unique “rhinestone cowboy” look in the 1940s and 1950s, largely from the tailor shops of Eastern European Jewish immigrants, and how the style has inspired fashion far beyond the stages of barn dances and honky-tonks. Limited program tickets are available with museum admission HERE and are also included in the NFW VIP Pass.

Our 2021 designer runway collections will launch digitally on Tuesday for VIP Pass holders and on Wednesday for the public. Stay tuned for more information on how to support and view.

VIEW THE FULL SCHEDULE

All three of the NFW Learning Labs are designed to support and showcase the local fashion community by providing a platform to engage, learn and connect. Each of the immersive educational sessions offer a FREE opportunity to grow and imagine.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13

LOW TICKET ALERT: ONLY 5 TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE

Our Learning Lab series begins on Wednesday, October 13 with "Make + Innovate: A Fashion Manufacturing Open House and Tour" at Prange Apparel. From designers and students to curious fashion lovers, we invite anyone and everyone who are interested to attend this interactive open house and tour to gain insight into the process and innovation of how fashion is made. The 2019 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipient, Megan Prange of Prange Apparel will share the step-by-step process of how garments are manufactured right here in Nashville, Tennessee. From the initial consultation to development of tech packs and the creation of muslin samples to shipping the final product, this event will give a guided tour of the business of fashion while also offering an opportunity to have your questions answered while enjoying a tour of a facility where fashion is at work!

Two timed sessions are available to choose from beginning at 4 and again at 5 p.m. Registration is FREE and includes a NFW x Prange Apparel goody bag. Refreshments will be served featuring Tito's Handmade Vodka and Blade & Bow Bourbon.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14

ONLY 30 TICKETS ARE LEFT!

TikTok, Tech & Trends: The Evolving Business of Fashion will be presented in partnership with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and the WB Collective Powered By WBEC South on Thursday, October 14 at the WB Collective Nashville.

This interactive panel discussion will offer varying perspectives on evolutionary business practices in the fashion and retail industry. This event will also include an opportunity to shop a curated selection of #Nashpreneurs pop-up shops and time to network while enjoying light bites and refreshments provided by Titos Handmade Vodka and Blade and Bow.

The panel will be moderated by Phala Mire, President and CEO of WBEC South. Panelists include Steven Romeo, Founder/CEO, Music City Creative; Trinity Wiles, Co-Founder, Where and Share Inc.; and Anna Caroline Toms, Owner, LA Green Nashville.

Pop-up vendors will include Music City Creative, LA Green, Neta's Natural, Kandles by Kierra along with Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipients Prange Apparel + Innovate by Prange Apparel, Black by Maria Silver, Eric Adler Clothing, Van Hoang and others.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15

ONLY 20 TICKETS ARE LEFT!

The Fashion x Design Innovation Learning Lab will be presented by the Wond'ry, Vanderbilt's Innovation Center on Friday, October 15 at noon.

Nashville Fashion Week is partnering with the Wond’ry to explore the latest innovations in design, technology, and adaptive fashion. Hear thought leaders speak to the emerging trends in the industry. This two-hour session features three industry spotlights, Q&A with esteemed presenters, interactive innovation booths, and networking opportunities. Join Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center for a fashion-forward line up of presenters.

Fashion x Design Innovation Learning Lab panelists include Deanna Meador, CEO of Couture Technologies; Shannon North, Director of Design Technology at Workwear Outfitters; Rebeccah Pailes-Friedman, Founder of Interwoven; and Stephanie Brakefield and Mary Cayten Brakefield, Co-founders of Brakefields.

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHTS

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATIONS | 12 - 12:20 PM
Deanna Meador, CEO of Couture Technologies and Shannon North, Director of Design Technology at Workwear Outfitters
Q & A | 12:20 - 12:30 PM

DESIGNING FOR IMPACT | 12:30 - 12:50 PM
Rebeccah Pailes-Friedman, Founder of Interwoven
Q & A | 12:50 - 1:00 PM

ADAPTIVE FASHION | 1 - 1:20 PM
Stephanie Brakefield and Mary Cayten Brakefield, Co-founders of Brakefields
Q & A | 1:20 - 1:30 PM

INNOVATION SHOWCASES & NETWORKING | 1:30 - 2:00 PM

Join us on October 15 for The Intersection of Sound + Style: A Conversation + Museum Tour presented by the National Museum of African American Music. NMAAM's mission is to educate the world, preserve the legacy, and celebrate the central role African Americans play in creating the American soundtrack. This special engagement with Nashville Fashion Week will also highlight the central role of how these artists and musicians have and will continue to lead the way with their impact on style and fashion trends. Nashville Fashion Week has enlisted Charles Brown and Bentley Caldwell as style ambassadors for the event. Enjoy a cocktail reception feauturing Tito's Handmade Vodka and Blade and Bow, an interactive tour of the museum and engaging coversation about the prominent influence of black culture and music on the fashion industry with the NMAAM’s curator Dr. Steven Lewis and these two stylish Nashville men, moderated by the NMAAM's Senior Director of Education and Exhibition, Tamar Smithers.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

Nashville Fashion Week has hosted Shop Nashville, a city-wide celebration designed to encourage and support the Nashville retail community with creative and interactive ways to support our Nashville businesses, since our inception in 2011. While our runway format puts the focus on apparel creators, for this year we have created an opportunity for Middle Tennessee’s creative maker and retail community as well. Seven NFW designers and a diverse selection of twenty-five fashion-related vendors will showcase their brands at the first Shop Nashville Pop Up Market presented by oneC1TY on Saturday, October 16 from 12 - 4 p.m. 10% of all vendor sales will be donated to the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to show their support for our local fashion community.

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. This is #WHYNFW!

While we are excited to gather both digitally and in person for NFW 2021, the health and safety of our guests, participants and team remains our top priority. A full COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID-19 test will be required to attend or participate in any Nashville Fashion Week 2021 event.

NFW strongly encourages vaccination. For anyone who is not fully vaccinated, a negative COVID-19 test result must be obtained within 48 hours of attending any event. NFW now requires that everyone must wear a mask indoors at all times. This protocol is based on current CDC standards. Any changes to these procedures will be communicated prior to each event.

COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available to all Tennesseans ages 12 and up in all 95 counties across our state. Find a location close to you at VaccineFinder.org to insure that you’ve done your part to keep NFW 2021 and our community safe for everyone.

NFW Learning Lab Presented by The Wond'ry, Vanderbilt's Innovation Center

October 5, 2021

NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK ANNOUNCES
FASHION X DESIGN INNOVATION LEARNING LAB FOR 2021

PRESENTED BY THE WOND'RY, VANDERBILT’S INNOVATION CENTER

RESERVE YOUR FREE TICKET NOW

Nashville Fashion Week is excited to announce our third FREE Learning Lab for 2021. NFW is designed to showcase and support the local fashion community by providing educational opportunities to engage, learn and connect experientially within the Nashville community. The Fashion x Design Innovation Learning Lab will be presented by the Wond'ry, Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center on Friday, October 15 at noon.

Nashville Fashion Week is partnering with the Wond’ry to explore the latest innovations in design, technology, and adaptive fashion. Hear thought leaders speak to the emerging trends in the industry. This two-hour session features three industry spotlights, Q&A with esteemed presenters, interactive innovation booths, and networking opportunities. Join Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center for a fashion-forward line up of presenters.

“We are thrilled to partner with Nashville Fashion Week in showcasing innovations and trends in technology, design, and adaptive fashion in the industry. Creativity is at the core of the vision of the Wond’ry, Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center, and it is truly a delight to collaborate with an organization promoting and capturing innovation in Nashville’s fashion community.” - Dave Owens, Evans Family Executive Director of the Wond’ry

FASHION x DESIGN INNOVATION LEARNING LAB

Presented by the Wond'ry, Vanderbilt's Innovation Center

Friday, October 15 | 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Location: The Wond'ry
2414 Highland Avenue, Suite 102, Nashville, TN, 3721

Admission: FREE ticket with registration

Deanna Meador is the CEO of Couture Technologies and the Director of Entrepreneurship at the Wond'ry, Vanderbilt University’s Innovation Center. Her company Couture Technologies, was formed to empower apparel companies with cutting edge tools to enhance their customer experience, in turn reducing return rates and increasing conversions. Couture is funded by the National Science Foundation and has developed a novel virtual try on technology and automated 3D garment creation system. Deanna is a serial entrepreneur and inventor and received the Young Alumni Achievement Award from her undergraduate university for her innovations.

Shannon North currently leads 3D design, pattern making and technical design for Workwear Outfitters in Nashville, Tennessee. During her 25-year career, she has held roles in teaching, merchandising, product development, and design in couture, footwear, and workwear apparel markets. She is most passionate about bringing 3D design capabilities and solutions to the apparel industry to promote sustainable practices.

Rebeccah Pailes-Friedman is the founder of Interwoven Design Group, where she combines her expertise in wearable technology and smart textiles. Some of her latest projects include "BioWear," a kinetic accessory that communicates the wearer's emotions; Remo Haptics, a wearable sports training device; and the Delta Glove by PureCarbon. She is also the author of Smart Textiles for Designers; Inventing the Future of Fabrics, and former design director at Nike, Champion and Fila. A pioneering researcher in design methodologies and smart materials, her latest work includes the Apex exosuit by HeroWear and the redesign of the Miami Dolphins Cheer Squad uniforms.

After Graduating from Vanderbilt with a Master's in Special Education, Stephanie Brakefield started her career as a teacher, transitioned to raising her four children full time, then worked with hundreds of students at her kids' schools to create programs to support all students. She now uses her background and love of design and art to create universally designed clothes for women. Her active lifestyle has shown her firsthand how important it is to have clothes that move with you, and as she ages, she has seen that at some point that everyone experiences declines in our ability levels. Stephanie's favorite part of creating this brand is getting to work with her daughter to solve problems that arise when getting dressed with a disability!

Mary Cayten Brakefield is a Nashville native and graduate of the University of Tennessee with a degree in Retail & Consumer Sciences. She was a member of the UT swim team and has brought her athletic background into creating clothes that allow for free movement throughout the day. Between getting to work with adaptive athletes in college and experiencing changes in her own ability level soon after, she became passionate about universally designed products. Growing up in a vibrant, colorful home with her fashionable mother Stephanie, Mary Cayten loved fun clothes from the start and is excited to infuse colorful fashion into functional clothing. She can't think of a better partner to work with than her mom to create fashionable, functional designs and support the rest of the adaptive industry.

NFW Digital "Fashion Talks" & Learning Labs

July 20, 2020

Please join us August 4 - 8 for the Nashville Fashion Week Digital Experience. Nashville Fashion Week Fashion Talks and Learning Labs are educational opportunities that provide a platform to engage, learn and connect experientially within the Nashville community. Each attendee that signs in to any of these digital events will be entered into a drawing for two All Access Passes ($800 value) to NFW 2021!

FREE tickets for Fashion Talks and all three Learning Labs are NOW available at NashvilleFashionWeek.com. We also encourage you to please consider making a donation to the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to help support our Nashville fashion community.

Reserve Your Tickets Now!

DIGITAL "FASHION TALKS": DIVERSITY + INCLUSION

MODERATED BY FERN MALLIS WITH TANYA TAYLOR, TIMO WEILAND, PETER SOM, KIMBERLY LEWIS AND BARRY GRIDER

TUESDAY, August 4 | 12:00 p.m. CST

Admission: FREE with ticket reservation

This engaging conversation will be moderated by Fern Mallis, the award-winning creator of New York Fashion Week. A panel of industry leaders - Tanya Taylor, Timo Weiland and Peter Som with Kimberly Lewis, owner of Emerson Grace and Nordstrom Nashville's Chanel Ready-to-Wear Brand Ambassador, Barry Grider - will share their insight on this vital shift in the fashion industry and beyond.

Fern Mallis has been called an industry titan, doyenne, and The Godmother of Fashion. As the creator and host of premiere conversation series Fashion Icons w/Fern Mallis at New York’s prestigious 92nd Street Y, Mallis assembled an incredible roster of guests for her now signature in-depth interviews, including Calvin Klein, Oscar de la Renta, André Leon Talley, Bruce Weber, Bill Cunningham, Valentino, Victoria Beckham, Rosita and Angela Missoni, Alexander Wang, Russell Westbrook, Bob Mackie, and Billy Porter; to name just a few. Her book, published by Rizzoli, Fashion Lives: Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis, is a must read of her first 19 interviews. Stay tuned for Volume 2 coming hopefully in 2021.

Mallis also created and hosted her own radio show, Fashion Insiders w/Fern Mallis on Sirius XM, During which time she interviewed over 400 industry personalities, celebrities, and professionals. In January 2012, she made her theatre stage debut in the Off-Broadway production of Nora & Delia Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Mallis also created her own globally inspired FERN FINDS: jewelry, clothing and accessories line for QVC and HSN.

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.

Timo Weiland_by Drew Levin_Headshot 4.jpg

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.

Peter Som 5 by Ronald James - www.ronaldjames.com.jpg

Born in San Francisco, Peter Som launched his award-winning eponymous collection in 2000. Known for his signature clean-lined yet feminine designs, his clothing has been worn by such notable women as Michelle Obama, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Beyonce and Scarlett Johannson. His clothes have sold worldwide at top retailers including Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, and he has had highly successful collaborations with Kohl’s and Anthropologie. His signature, bold and colorful patterns has inspired a furniture and tabletop collection with The Inside. Peter is also widely known for his love of entertaining and food. His recipes have been featured in numerous publications and digital platforms including Vogue.com, Elle.com, Bon Appetit, Refinery29, Food and Wine and FeedFeed, where he is a contributor. Peter lives in New York City where he can often be found in the kitchen covered in flour.

Kimberly Lewis, owner of the Nashville women's boutique Emerson Grace, was born and raised in Hawaii. She started her fashion career in Southern California. She built an impressive resume as an executive in the fashion industry working in both retail and wholesale for top companies including Ralph Lauren and BCBGMAXAZRIA, where she launched the company's initial retail efforts, growing the chain from zero to100 stores. Her expertly curated selection of merchandise at Emerson Grace encourages women to dress with style and ease for every occasion. She continually works to refine Emerson Grace's vision and carve out its place in the fashion landscape with its “elevated casual” aesthetic. She uses her many years of experience to provide women with a realistic and effortless approach to dressing. This understanding of what women wear is emulated through the store's edited mix of brands and price points. Kimberly lives in Nashville with her husband and daughter.

As the Chanel Ready-To-Wear Ambassador at Nordstrom Green Hills, Barry Grider has grown his career in luxury through decades of service to his hometown of Nashville. He is often recognized for his exceptional selling abilities and service provided to clients, but it is the deep relationships he has created over a lifetime of retail that are most meaningful to him. In his career, Barry has experienced incredible opportunities with Nordstrom and the Chanel brand including buying trips to Paris, exclusive visits to the Chanel archives and Metiers d’art, and most recently opening Nordstrom’s New York flagship store. While Barry’s accomplishments at work give him much to be proud of, he values the time spent with family and close friends most of all. Outside of work, Barry is often traveling, enjoying new dining experiences, dancing, snow skiing, roller skating, or indulging in Netflix.

DIGITAL LEARNING LAB: SUFFRAGE: THE STYLE OF A SOCIAL MOVEMENT

Presented in partnership with The Tennessee State Museum

WEDNESDAY, August 5 | 12:00 p.m. CST

Admission: FREE with ticket reservation

Join the Tennessee State Museum, in collaboration with Nashville Fashion Week’s 10th Anniversary, for a special online presentation and virtual tour of the women’s suffrage exhibition, Ratified! Tennessee Women and the Right to Vote. This FREE event will include a discussion with Amanda Smith, Tennessee State Museum curator of Fashion and Textiles.

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. Learn more about the statement the suffragists were making with the clothing and colors they wore as they marched in parades for women’s voting rights. The Museum’s exhibition, Ratified! Tennessee Women and the Right to Vote, uses artifacts, documents, large-scale graphics, videos, and interactive elements to share the stories of the Tennesseans who came to have decisive roles in American women’s struggle to gain voting rights.

DIGITAL LEARNING LAB: SUSTAINABILITY, MANUFACTURING AND THE FUTURE OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY

Presented by OnPoint Manufacturing with Author Mary Gehlhar of The Fashion Designer Survival Guide and Daniella Platt, Brand Strategist

THURSDAY, August 6 | 4 p.m. CST

Admission: FREE with ticket reservation

David Prentice, Senior Vice President of Sales for OnPoint Manufacturing, Mary Gehlhar, author of The Fashion Designer Survival Guide and Daniella Platt, Brand Strategist and author of Looking Good: Ten Commandments To Be A Sales Rockstar and Fashion Startup Playbook will lead a spirited and insightful conversation on the current state of the apparel industry, what sustainable practices can look like and how designers and brands can see success sooner thanks to new technologies.

David brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to OnPoint's on-demand manufacturing model having been head of sales at Lightning Source, a company that specializes in print-on-demand book manufacturing. With a strong background in all aspects of the world of digital printing and distribution, David’s unique talents and experience gave him the ability to easily transition similar methodologies from books to apparel. During his time at OnPoint, David has single-handedly helped hundreds of designers, brands and companies looking for a better manufacturing solution.

Mary Gehlhar is a writer, curator and consultant with expertise in fashion design entrepreneurship. She is the author of The Fashion Designer Survival Guide a best-selling business book that walks designers through the diverse challenges of establishing and growing their own brands. Mary served for 10 years as Fashion Director of Gen Art, introducing hundreds of emerging designers to the fashion industry and press through New York Fashion Week runway debuts. Mary consulted on show development and led the selection process for the first four seasons of the hit show Project Runway. She is an industry resource for prestigious media outlets, including the New York Times, and British Vogue. She has been an adjunct professor at the Parsons New School for Design and participates on multiple selection committees at fashion colleges, organizations including Fashion Group International, and incubators and grants such as the Woolite Fashion Grant.

Cheerleader to all, Daniella Platt is a Concept-To-Market Strategist, who works with individuals to open doors to success and turn an idea into profit. Her signature program is the Ten Commandments To Be A Sales Rockstar & Fashion Startup Playbook. In fact, she just debuted the book on it called Looking Good. Through her consultancy, Looking Good YAYA!, Daniella offers conceptual marketing ideas and puts strategies into action. Like a primary doctor, LGY leverages the consultancy's relationships with "specialists" to give brands visibility and an edge. Daniella works with emerging and established brands, and artists, teaching creatives how to sell and guiding brands to bring their idea from concept-to-life.

DIGITAL LEARNING LAB: FASHION LAW FOR YOUR FASHION BUSINESS

Presented by Ritholz Levy Fields

FRIDAY, August 7 | 12:30 p.m. CST

Admission: FREE with ticket reservation

Peter Fields and Jenna Harris of the law firm Ritholz Levy Fields LLP will address corporate, commercial and intellectual property law issues faced by emerging and established fashion and apparel businesses, including corporate formations and corporate governance, raising money from investors, choosing and protecting a brand name in the U.S. and abroad, creating protectable designs, tips for battling fraud on digital platforms and preventing ad misplacement, hiring employees and independent contractors, and product sales, distribution and licensing transactions. RLF is a dynamic and fast-growing law firm (with offices in Nashville, New York, Los Angeles and Miami) representing clients in media, entertainment, fashion, technology and general “brand-based” businesses across a wide variety of corporate, commercial and intellectual property law disciplines. With decades of experience as lawyers (and, in some cases, former executives in these fields), the firm brings an insider’s perspective and a sophisticated approach to provide cost-effective and business-centric solutions for its clients. The firm has a key focus in helping its clients fund and launch new businesses, grow them and take them through public and private liquidity events, especially clients that leverage creative works such as fashion and apparel companies.

Purchase A "We Are Nashville Fashion" T-shirt
To Support The Masks Now Coalition of Tennessee

SUPPORT MASKS NOW TENNESSEE

Our limited edition "We Are Nashville Fashion" t-shirts are now on sale for $35 by 85 Supply. 100% of sale proceeds from these shirts will be donated to purchase protective masks from OnPoint Manufacturing to distribute where they are needed most by The Masks Now Coalition of Tennessee.

The mission of MasksNOW TN is to enable everyone to wear a face mask to save lives. Wearing a face mask is a way of protecting each other and caring for one’s community. MasksNOW TN works to ensure every person and service organization has access to face masks. Through their core values of service, collaboration, community, integrity, and empathy, they have organized to match volunteer sewists to ongoing needs in our communities, to match donations of materials to volunteer sewists, and to match volunteers with distributing face masks to those in need and ensure that their face masks are provided as a free donation to those in need. MasksNow TN is working towards normalizing mask wearing through partnerships and outreach in our communities and education. MasksNow TN is a proud member of the MasksNOW Coalition.

“We at MasksNOW Tennessee are so excited to partner with Nashville Fashion Week as we work together to provide more face masks for all Tennesseans. The Nashville fashion community is a special group, and we are all in this together!” - Brenda Gadd, MasksNOW Tennessee

NFW Learning Lab and Shop Nashville UPDATE

March 17, 2020

Shop Nashville

As we continue to monitor the latest developments regarding COVID-19, we have made the decision to postpone our NFW Learning Labs and Shop Nashville events to August as well.

Please support our Shop Nashville partners, designers and other local businesses during this difficult time. Shop online, purchase gift cards and show them some love on socials.

We greatly appreciate the outpour of support and encouragement. Please be safe!

We are Nashville Fashion. We are Nashville strong. #WHYNFW

OnPoint Manufacturing to Present Learning LabsPOINT MANUFACTURING TO PRESENT LEARNING LABS

February 21, 2020

ONPOINT MANUFACTURING TO PRESENT LEARNING LABS

New Events Announced at NFW Learning Lab Hub ONEC1TY

Nashville Fashion Week is excited to announce OnPoint Manufacturing as the presenting sponsor for all of the Nashville Fashion Week Learning Labs in 2020 with ONEC1TY as our official Learning Lab Hub for our Saturday educational opportunities.

Nashville Fashion Week is designed to invest in resources to showcase the local fashion community by providing a platform to engage, learn and connect. In addition to presenting the NFW Learning Lab programming, OnPoint Manufacturing will host a FREE Learning Lab, "Sustainability, Manufacturing and the Future of the Fashion Industry" with author Mary Gehlhar of The Fashion Designer Survival Guide; AMAX Talent will host "How To Land An Agent"; and Ritholz Levy Fields will hold "Fashion Law For Your Fashion Business" with a FREE ticket at ONEC1TY on Saturday, April 4 at OneC1TY. The first Learning Lab announced, "In Dialogue: Suffrage, Style and Social Movements" on March 26 at The Tennessee State Museum, has sold out, so don't wait to reserve your tickets to these new events.

OnPoint Manufacturing specializes in Purchase Activated Mass Customization of apparel. OnPoint has developed technically advanced manufacturing and distribution solutions for the apparel industry. Their factory model automates and integrates almost every aspect of the manufacturing process from order entry all the way to delivery directly to the customer. The integrated components that are driven by complex software allow OnPoint to manufacture millions of unique SKU's on-demand reducing inventory costs and streamlining the whole supply chain.

“We are proud to return as a Nashville Fashion Week sponsor. We love connecting with the talented fashion community here, and NFW gives us a terrific platform to connect with designers and brands about what we do and how we can provide a sustainable solution. We’re very excited to sponsor the Learning Lab series this year and look forward to hosting our program on April 4.” - David Prentice, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing for OnPoint Manufacturing

ONEC1TY has hosted numerous events for Nashville Fashion Week over the years, including last year's Sustainable Summit, and their mission perfectly supports our Learning Lab initiative. ONEC1TY is a vibrant urban community that serves as a center of technology-enabled commercial, residential, research and retail activity catering to the idea that mindful healthy living can be made easy. ONEC1TY’s sustainable design features abundant green space and a community lawn and encourages walking, biking and enjoyment of the outdoors, music and art. Site design, infrastructure, transportation and building design have been planned and are being constructed for LEED Neighborhood Development certification.

Please make your plans early to attend one or more of these special events. Space is limited so register to secure your spot now at NashvilleFashionWeek.com.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

SUSTAINABILITY, MANUFACTURING AND THE FUTURE OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY

Presented by OnPoint Manufacturing with Author Mary Gehlhar of The Fashion Designer Survival Guide

Saturday, April 4 | 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Location: ONEC1TY
8 City Boulevard, 37209

Admission: FREE, Individual ticket

David Prentice, Senior Vice President of Sales for OnPoint Manufacturing and Mary Gehlhar, author of The Fashion Designer Survival Guide, will lead a spirited and insightful conversation on the current state of the apparel industry, what sustainable practices can look like and how designers and brands can see success sooner thanks to new technologies.

David brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to OnPoint's on-demand manufacturing model having been head of sales at Lightning Source, a company that specializes in print-on-demand book manufacturing. With a strong background in all aspects of the world of digital printing and distribution, David’s unique talents and experience gave him the ability to easily transition similar methodologies from books to apparel. During has time at OnPoint, David has single-handedly helped hundreds of designers, brands and companies looking for a better manufacturing solution.

Mary Gehlhar is a writer, curator and consultant with expertise in fashion design entrepreneurship. She is the author of The Fashion Designer Survival Guide a best-selling business book that walks designers through the diverse challenges of establishing and growing their own brands. Mary served for 10 years as Fashion Director of Gen Art, introducing hundreds of emerging designers to the fashion industry and press through New York Fashion Week runway debuts. Mary consulted on show development and led the selection process for the first four seasons of the hit show Project Runway. She is an industry resource for prestigious media outlets, including the New York Times, and British Vogue. She has been an adjunct professor at the Parsons New School for Design and participates on multiple selection committees at fashion colleges, organizations including Fashion Group International, and incubators and grants such as the Woolite Fashion Grant.

“I have been wanting to come to Nashville specifically because of what is happening there in fashion! There are so many fantastic small brands, local and innovative manufacturing, and mission driven companies - I am excited to meet this creative community at Nashville Fashion Week.” - Mary Gehlhar, author of The Fashion Designer Survival Guide

HOW TO LAND AN AGENT

Presented by AMAX Talent

Saturday, April 4 | 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

Location: ONEC1TY
8 City Boulevard, 37209

Admission: $20 Individual ticket

Get the inside scoop on how to land an agent and get signed as a model, talent, wardrobe stylist, hair or makeup artist from the AMAX Talent team. This leading Nashville agency represents fashion, commercial and lifestyle models, as well as actors, hair and make up artists and wardrobe and prop stylists. AMAX takes a full spectrum approach to representation, developing new talent as well as marketing established/experienced talent. Learn from four agents’ combined 50+ years of experience in Nashville, Los Angeles and New York. Topics will include what agents look for in new talent, how they strategize, put together portfolios and match their talents with the right clients.

AMAX owner and director Cherylann Stephens has been in the business since 1984. After positions as director at Next and Wilhelmina in Los Angeles, she opened AMAX’s parent company, Maximum Artist Creative Services, in 2005 to fill the need for an artists agency in the Nashville market. In 2009 MACS acquired AMAX, a well known Nashville Modeling agency founded in 1989 and has built the company to the industry leader that it is today.

Kayla Borg and Becca Chaney, AMAX bookers for models and talent; and Bria Stone, the artist/creative division booker, which includes hair, makeup, styling, props, and manicurists, will also share their industry insight.

FASHION LAW FOR YOUR FASHION BUSINESS

Presented by Ritholz Levy Fields

Saturday, April 4 | 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Location: ONEC1TY
8 City Boulevard, 37209

Admission: FREE, Individual ticket

RLF is a dynamic and fast-growing law firm (with offices in Nashville, New York, Los Angeles and Miami) representing clients in media, entertainment, fashion, technology and general “brand-based” businesses across a wide variety of corporate, commercial and intellectual property law disciplines. With decades of experience as lawyers (and, in some cases, former executives in these fields), the firm brings an insider’s perspective and a sophisticated approach to provide cost-effective and business-centric solutions for its clients. The firm has a key focus in helping its clients fund and launch new businesses, grow them and take them through public and private liquidity events, especially clients that leverage creative works such as fashion and apparel companies.

“Year after year, the Nashville fashion community consistently validates its well-deserved spot on the national and international fashion map. RLF is honored and grateful to be a part of such an incredible group of unique, creative and hard-working individuals and organizations who make the Nashville fashion industry what it is, especially organizations like Nashville Fashion Week who we are proud to support including the upcoming NFW Fashion Talks event focusing on inclusion and diversity.” - Peter Fields, Ritholz Levy Fields LLP

Tickets for each Learning Lab can be purchased at NashvilleFashionWeek.com. Space is limited and reservations are required, even for FREE events. 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.

Nashville Fashion Week will be held March 31 - April 4 in partnership with OZ Arts Nashville. Tickets to individual events are available in a wide range of prices at NashvilleFashionWeek.com.

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