At the time, the fashion industry was deep into its coastal echo chamber. Emerging designers outside NYC and LA had minimal visibility, and regional markets lacked infrastructure for fashion storytelling—let alone commerce.

 

Yet culture was shifting. Post-recession consumers were looking inward, craving local identity and analog connection. At the same time, the democratization of content through early social platforms (Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook Pages) made it possible to activate regional narratives at both speed and scale.

We launched CFW in 2010 as a radical experiment in brand alchemy. With zero media spend and no blueprint.  What followed was a magnetic cultural engine that connected legacy brands with emerging designers, activated the city’s most storied spaces—from 10k sq. ft. industrial lofts to hidden overlooks of Fountain Square to defunct libraries and iconic cultural spaces—and introduced the region to talents who would soon grace red carpets, fashion weeks, and Hollywood screens.

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During its lifecycle, the platform catalyzed careers, curated discovery, and gave rise to a distinctly Midwestern voice in fashion.