Tampa Bay Fashion Week (which we also refer to as: Fashion Week Tampa Bay, cause we like to switch it up sometimes!) is a week-long event where people from all over the Southeast region come to Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater,  to be submerged in style, beauty, aesthetic, and art via fashion. (Some years our event has attracted people from all over the country like Miami and Portland, OR; or the world – last year we had a designer from Cuba!)

The team behind Tampa Bay Fashion Week, including designers, brands, sponsors, models, volunteers, and more, all work with one another to put together a great show and week of events, and positively impact both the fashion and Tampa Bay communities.

It’s important for those who are interested in the industry to learn how to operate in the fashion space and take advantage of opportunities like Fashion Week. Patrons can network with designers and purchase one-of-a-kind creations; and aspiring fashion designers, buyers, stylists and business professionals, as well as students, can connect with Tampa Bay’s movers and shakers. Those already active in the industry can exchange tips with one another and collaborate.

And let’s face, we all we want to be inspired! No, we are not all going to run to the sewing machine after attending Tampa Bay Fashion Week (due to lack of a sewing machine and those necessary sewing skills), but we will be able to take and combine ideas on the runway with what’s in our closets to create high fashion attire out of our own wardrobes. We may also purchase pieces from the runway to add to our wardrobe. Plus, we’ll see attendees in their best gear, too! Basically street style x1000 because there are so many different looks contained in one space, purely for our enjoyment and shopping pleasure!

Many of our designers have e-stores, which make it convenient to (literally) buy an outfit off the runway. Or, if you aren’t able to catch the name of the designer that caught your eye, take a quick pic. With the use of fashion app, MeSpoke, attendees can use that picture to ID clothing they like and find out where they can purchase the item.

One of the best benefits of all in attending is the community impact. Each year we select non-profit organizations as beneficiaries and this year we’ve partnered with PACE Pinellas for a supplies/toiletries drive on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016 and Dress for Success Tampa Bay, where we’ll host a Purse Drive, on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016.

And none of this would be possible without our fantastic sponsors! International Plaza and Bay Street is our 2016 Trendsetter Sponsor and also host to our main runway shows on Friday, Sept. 23 and Saturday, Sept. 24. Additional sponsors this year include: J Thor Productions, Sanford Brown IADT School of Design, New Identities, White Book Agency, tbt*, Sprinkles, 83 Degrees, Tampa Downtown Partnership, The Hideaway, Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine, Elli Quark, Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, Fashion United, Glazer Children’s Museum, Fashion Week Web, Working Women of Tampa Bay, and Vertical Tampa Bay.

Peep our schedule of events here and we look forward to seeing you at Tampa Bay Fashion Week!

~Jessica

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