While many of us, as consumers, enjoy shopping it’s not always a pleasant shopping experience when you cannot find clothing that fits your needs or size. Fashion options should not be limited to the size, shape, height, ability or gender of our bodies. Instead these features should be embraced. Brands and businesses can do this in a variety of ways, such as creating inclusivity in their campaigns, using different sized mannequins, and marketing inside fitting rooms to spread the message of body positivity.
Throughout my internship for the Chicago Fashion Incubator I’ve learned a little about each designer and the contributions they’ve made to their community. It’s amazing to see how a group of designers can make an impact and devote change in their own ways. These designers must get support for what they do so they can continue helping locally. Now the real question is how do we support them?
Chicago Fashion Incubator (CFI) hosted a sold-out public panel discussion on size-inclusivity in fashion at Ampersand in Logan Square on March 12, 2020. Topics discussed included designing with inclusivity in mind, strategizing retail sales around an underrepresented target market, and the current state of size-inclusivity in education and advertising. This public panel was moderated by Chicago Fashion Incubator Director of Programming, Anna Hovet. The panel of guest speakers include: Shannelle Armstrong-Fowler (Haute & Co), Natalie Craig (@natalieinthecity_), Sky Cubacub (Rebirth Garments), Robin Harris (Model Atelier & Confidence Apparel), Lauren Downing Peters, PhD (@fatfashionhistory - did not attend), and Gibeon Tolbert (@gibeontolbert). Special thanks to event sponsors Boxed Water and Ampersand. Follow us on Instagram @chicagofashioninc for the latest, and follow the hashtag #fashioninclusivitychicago.
Chicago Fashion Incubator (CFI) hosted a public panel discussion on Wearable Technology in Chicago at Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago (ICNC) on November 14, 2019. This public panel event was moderated by Chicago Fashion Incubator's Director of Programming, Anna Hovet and guest speakers included: Chris Houghton, Dani Louise Nathanson, Kathleen McCarthy, Lee Anderson, and Victor Mateevitsi. Topics discussed included current research, in-action design initiatives, and the many ways that wearable technology is changing the human experience. Special thanks to ICNC for hosting and to Burnt City Brewing for donating beer. For more information about similar events, please follow us on Instagram: @chicagofashioninc
Chicago Fashion Incubator (CFI) hosted a public panel discussion on Ethical Fashion in Chicago on June 25, 2019. This public panel event was moderated by Chicago Fashion Incubator Director of Programming, Anna Hovet and guest speakers included: Jamie Hayes, Apparel Designer & owner of Production Mode, Hoda Katebi, Writer/Activist/Influencer & founder of Blue Tin Production, Anna Brown, Apparel Designer & owner of Anna Brown, Jonit Bookheim, Mata Traders & Chicago Fair Trade (CFT). Special thanks to Siren Betty Design for hosting and to Wiseacre Brewing for donating beer. For more information about similar events, please follow us on Instagram: @chicagofashioninc
NEWS & EVENTS
HAPPENING NOW
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Blog ARCHIVE
While many of us, as consumers, enjoy shopping it’s not always a pleasant shopping experience when you cannot find clothing that fits your needs or size. Fashion options should not be limited to the size, shape, height, ability or gender of our bodies. Instead these features should be embraced. Brands and businesses can do this in a variety of ways, such as creating inclusivity in their campaigns, using different sized mannequins, and marketing inside fitting rooms to spread the message of body positivity.
Throughout my internship for the Chicago Fashion Incubator I’ve learned a little about each designer and the contributions they’ve made to their community. It’s amazing to see how a group of designers can make an impact and devote change in their own ways. These designers must get support for what they do so they can continue helping locally. Now the real question is how do we support them?
PAST PUBLIC EVENTS
Chicago Fashion Incubator (CFI) hosted a sold-out public panel discussion on size-inclusivity in fashion at Ampersand in Logan Square on March 12, 2020. Topics discussed included designing with inclusivity in mind, strategizing retail sales around an underrepresented target market, and the current state of size-inclusivity in education and advertising. This public panel was moderated by Chicago Fashion Incubator Director of Programming, Anna Hovet. The panel of guest speakers include: Shannelle Armstrong-Fowler (Haute & Co), Natalie Craig (@natalieinthecity_), Sky Cubacub (Rebirth Garments), Robin Harris (Model Atelier & Confidence Apparel), Lauren Downing Peters, PhD (@fatfashionhistory - did not attend), and Gibeon Tolbert (@gibeontolbert). Special thanks to event sponsors Boxed Water and Ampersand. Follow us on Instagram @chicagofashioninc for the latest, and follow the hashtag #fashioninclusivitychicago.
Chicago Fashion Incubator (CFI) hosted a public panel discussion on Wearable Technology in Chicago at Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago (ICNC) on November 14, 2019. This public panel event was moderated by Chicago Fashion Incubator's Director of Programming, Anna Hovet and guest speakers included: Chris Houghton, Dani Louise Nathanson, Kathleen McCarthy, Lee Anderson, and Victor Mateevitsi. Topics discussed included current research, in-action design initiatives, and the many ways that wearable technology is changing the human experience. Special thanks to ICNC for hosting and to Burnt City Brewing for donating beer. For more information about similar events, please follow us on Instagram: @chicagofashioninc
Chicago Fashion Incubator (CFI) hosted a public panel discussion on Ethical Fashion in Chicago on June 25, 2019. This public panel event was moderated by Chicago Fashion Incubator Director of Programming, Anna Hovet and guest speakers included: Jamie Hayes, Apparel Designer & owner of Production Mode, Hoda Katebi, Writer/Activist/Influencer & founder of Blue Tin Production, Anna Brown, Apparel Designer & owner of Anna Brown, Jonit Bookheim, Mata Traders & Chicago Fair Trade (CFT). Special thanks to Siren Betty Design for hosting and to Wiseacre Brewing for donating beer. For more information about similar events, please follow us on Instagram: @chicagofashioninc
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