A Fashionable Philanthropy

A Fashionable Philanthropy

Cincinnati Fashion Week is finally here! While you strap on your stilettos for the fab-filled week of couture clothes and posh parties, you’re also styling a brighter future with the Cincinnati Design & Fashion Fund. Learn more about it!

Since 2010, Cincinnati Fashion Week (CFW) has developed into the premiere "industry level" fashion destination for the Central Midwest, garnering national attention, international designers, corporate sponsorships and undeniable momentum.

The 2010 CFW has since paved the way for a myriad of fashionable organizations and a new era in fashion, an era which celebrates big city opportunities in the conservative Midwest. As an organization built on the idea of talent retention, economic growth and expanding cultural diversity, CFW aims to encourage others to invest in our city as we invest in them. In 2011, CFW will launch the Cincinnati Fashion Fund (CFF). The retail and creative endeavor-based opportunity will promote fashion-based business start-ups, show rooms, events, retail spaces and more.

Among the many events of Fashion Week, one of the most highly anticipated is the Designer Meet and Greet Happy Hour and Dinner at Via Vite on Friday, May 13th. Via Vite is one of Cincinnati’s finest Italian restaurants, and a custom three course gourmet menu is planned for the gala. The dinner is $65, and tickets can be purchased at the CFW Web site. The happy hour is free to the public with a suggested donation of $10. A portion of the funds is designated for the CFF.

"Cincinnati Fashion Week has become a resource for social and economic development. The introduction of the Cincinnati Fashion Fund allows us to continue our mission to further economic opportunities for the city of Cincinnati by investing in the future, now," CFW founder and CEO, Nathan Hurst says. "Through Cincinnati Fashion Week and the

Cincinnati Fashion Fund, I hope to encourage others to view our city for ‘what it can be.’ This opportunity to create the world we live in is ours and should not be overlooked."

All of the information for the CFF can be found at Cincinnati Fashion Week’s Web site, along with the schedule for the rest of the week’s exciting events. Here’s a taste of what’s in store:

Monday, May 9, kicks it all off to bring you a Warhol inspired launch party of dancing, fashion and creative expression at the Old Contemporary Arts Center.
Tuesday May 10, the gentlemen have a chance to dazzle us with the latest in menswear at the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company Event Center. Ladies, you're welcome to come to this, too!
Wednesday, May 11, brings a special fashion treat: Tea with international fashion guru Mary Baskett at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Tea with Mary is a special exhibition featuring Mary's personal collection of Japanese haute couture.
Thursday, May 12, global branding and design firm Landor Associates Cincinnati will host Graphic Fashion, an evening exhibition of fashion as seen through the windows that once housed the Shillito Department Store. Everyone is invited for the unveiling of the windows at 8:30, with an after party taking place in the building itself.
Friday is the aforementioned CFF fundraising dinner at Via Vite.
Saturday brings the Spring Production Finale & After Party, an industry-level runway production featuring national and international designers held at Cincinnati’s premiere location, The Edge. Models will snake across this 20,000 sq. ft. industrial loft, through pillars of concrete, and flashes of photography, wearing the latest trends in fashion design. "I can’t think of a more fashionable finale," says Hurst.

Tickets for the events can be purchased at the Cincinnati Fashion Week’s Web site. You may purchase tickets for separate events, or purchase an all-access pass for the whole week, offering a 20% discount.

Ilene Ross -
	Ilene Ross is a staff writer and the producer for the "Cincy Chic Show." E-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Read More >>

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