FashioNXT, held annually in Portland, Oregon, is known for its pioneering spirit and a curated showcase of fashion talent with high production values. The fashion week showcases the collections of independent designers and large brands from the United States and the world on the runway in an innovative fashion experience. It is also an exhibition of fashion and lifestyle accessories and Fashion-Tech, making it a global showcase to experience “What’s Next” in Fashion. The show is recognized by Portland’s mayor as the Official Fashion Week of Portland.
This fashion forward annual runway show has established a reputation as the one to watch for fashion trends and is recognized by TIME Magazine. Having launched many designers since its inception, the runway event and competition has gained mass recognition. Tito Chowdhury, the CEO & Executive Producer continues the annual Fashion Week on October 6-9th, 2021. This year, the show will be available for the world to see virtually as well as in-person audiences.
Tito and I have spoken on and off over the years. We met at LA Fashion Week’s closing runway show in 2012, and have kept in touch. Now with the pandemic disrupting our routine and our lives, Chowdhury has maintained momentum for his pioneering runway event. With a brief hiatus, as scheduled, FashioNXT will be in full production soon, and it promises to be beyond spectacular!
Interview by Kaylene Peoples
Responses by Tito Chowdhury, CEO of FashioNXT
Kaylene Peoples: How did you start FashioNXT?
Tito Chowdhury: I started the event in 2012, which the mayor deemed it he official fashion week in Portland. From the very beginning we showed designers from all over the world. We are known for showing amazing independent designers from all over the United States as well as internationally.
Kaylene Peoples: What I understand about your fashion week is it’s about gadgets with the designs?
Tito Chowdhury: The tagline of FashioNXT Week is “Experience What’s Next in Fashion.” So it’s just like any real fashion week where we show the next season’s collection of fashion designers. But what we’ve noticed as we’re gearing up for FashioNXT is technology is what’s next in fashion. And we’re ahead of the curve with the understanding of where fashion’s going. As you know [much of] today’s fashion experience is the apps. We have been the leading fashion weeks in the world to showcase this. We’ve been showing what’s next in fashion both in the collections, with emerging designers, and also the current technology, especially the fashion experience apps. It captures the imagination across the spectrum of fashion for the customers.
Kaylene Peoples: What you are doing is novel and it was the first-of-its-kind fashion week. You are an innovator.
Tito Chowdhury: We have been getting a lot of attention in the media. We’re giving a great audience the innovative fashions and tech to take to the consumer. Some fashion weeks in other countries are beginning doing this.
Kaylene Peoples: As a pioneer for this particular kind of fashion week, I agree there are some countries that are catching up. I was exposed to something similar in Sweden, but nothing like yours. So people are getting hip to the idea of fashion tech, not just fashion for fashion sake. And you started this. That’s amazing. What can we expect to see on your runways during this next fashion week?
Tito Chowdhury: Along with showing the most up and coming, amazing designers we launched on runway, Project Runway winners have been shown here. And of course L.A. designers like Michael Costello who came from Project Runway also started showing on our runway, as well as Walter Mendez. A few years ago we collaborated with a 3D shoe company to help them create a designer shoe line. We were in charge of coming up with the right kind of designers. And Seth Aaron designed the world’s first 3D printed ready-to-wear shoe design.
Press: “Project Runway Designer Launches 3D Printed Show Collection”
“ . . . Aaron’s Inspiration came from the traditional Japanese block sandal (the uppers are flexible, but the soles do indeed emulate the blocks. The entire construct is nonetheless 3D printed. Three styles hit the runway on Friday night: a high heel with a calf-length boot, a high heel with an ankle-length boot, and an oxford with an elevated block sole, as well as some bracelets. A lower version of the oxford will also be made for men. FashioNXT founder and CEO, Tito Chowdhury, said: ‘So much of what has been done in 3D printed fashion is like art, to be appreciated, but not lived. This innovative collaboration redefines the relationship between technology and fashion. People will wear the shoes, not because of the technology, but because they are fashionable.’”—Forbes. Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelarthur/2017/10/15/project-runway-designer-launches-3d-printed-shoe-collection/?sh=38f646ea2929
Kaylene Peoples: Tell me about your fashion technology competition.
Tito Chowdhury: We are the first to show fashion forward wearable technology, the core of our presentation, Fashion First. Even during the pandemic when all the other fashion weeks literally stopped, we started a social media platform: FashioNXT Online, highlighting all these different fashion designers who just were not getting the right [kind of] exposure. We put a spotlight on them and interviewed them, showing the world what they are doing. The Black Lives Matter Movement also played a big role in FashioNXT. Black creatives shared their experiences in America through our platform. Last October, we launched a few designer collections digitally. But the most interesting part was we were the only ones in the fashion game who did a fashion mask design competition.
Press: “Portland’s FashioNXT Face Mask Competition Merges Advocacy With Fashion”
“The competition has brought forth the missing creativity and camaraderie after the pandemic prevented the industry from coming together in-person to celebrate fashion this year. ‘Portland’s contagious independence, artistic ethos, and hyper-progressive community have become its signature. At the core of sustainable design is the practice of lesser quantity, higher quality. We are looking to inspire consumers not to be drawn to disposable single-use practices,’” said Chowdhury.
“Anna’s design not only exhibits the functionality that masks require, but serves as a commentary regarding these challenging times. Brilliant in its simplicity and complexity,” said Boddie-Anchor, Forbes Magazine
Kaylene Peoples: Talk about your digital platform.
Tito Chowdhury: We launched FashioNXT 365, which is the other side of fashion—creators of the fashion experience [that include] makeup artists, models, and photographers. This is so they can get their curated fashion work out there, especially during this time of Covid.
Kaylene Peoples: I am on your website looking at the Fashion Forward Experience. You guys have been busy!
Tito Chowdhury: Yes. It’s about the industry and elevating the talent . . . and that’s what we have been doing. In spite of the difficult times with the pandemic, we have brought attention to these fashion creators!
Check out the upcoming highlights of FashioNXT, beginning on October 6-9, 2021
For more information: FashioNXT Week, Experience What’s Next in Fashion (Live and Virtual): www.FashioNXT.com and UpNXT: FashioNXT Emerging Designers’ Accelerator (Live and Virtual): www.FashioNXT.com/UpNXT
