When the 3rd annual Charlotte NC Fashion Week kicks off today in uptown, organizers say it will be their largest showcase yet – 18 designers and boutiques representing a host of up-and-coming talent.

This year’s theme -- City Confidential: the Fashion Chronicles -- will highlight Charlotte’s growth and budding fashion scene. It also will pay tribute to aspiring individuals who are making it happen.

In case you are scratching your head wondering when Charlotte became a fashion center, you probably are not the only one. Despite getting bigger and better each year, the city’s three-day fashion extravaganza is hardly a household event.

Fashion Week organizer and co-founder Anthony Simons admits that he has his work cut out for him.

"It is not trying to be a New York fashion week," he said in a recent interview. "It is designed specially to give exposure for those individuals that have the talent and have the desire to grow within this industry."

How Charlotte came to host such an event is the story of one man’s vision and determination.

Simons, 46, would be the first to admit that he is no fashionista, although he does love clothing.

He first began noticing fashion, he said, at age 13, when an older brother who was serving in the military and collecting custom-made clothing, gave him a brown linen suit.

"I appreciated the tailored suits he wore,” Simons now recalls. “I started paying attention to detail, and when I could afford to, I started to buy my own custom suits."

These days, Simons’ look is more uptown banker than fashion entrepreneur.

He began dabbling in fashion as a side hustle in the '90s. He noticed that New York had all types of opportunities to promote big-named designers but little for aspiring talent, so he and a friend began throwing parties to promote some of the up-and-coming designers. Their monthly events eventually drew 2,500 people.

"We saw a niche. Something like that didn't exist," he said. "Our business wasn't just about fashion. It was marketing first."

Simons came to Charlotte in 2002 when his former employer, TIAA-CREF, moved its headquarters here.

"After 9/11, (New York) changed and it gave me a different perspective on things. I lost a very good friend," he said. "All the parties and promotions we were doing came to a standstill. I had this offer to move with the company and I thought maybe it was time to consider that."

Despite leaving New York, Simons' love for fashion stayed with him. He tried to get involved in Charlotte's fashion scene. He started a meet-up group but it drew only about a dozen people. That’s when the vision for Fashion Week began to take shape.

He held a couple of focus groups to gauge local interest. Participants said they were eager to see more fashion events here. He decided to go for it.

"They love the glitz and glam part of fashion, and they didn't see anything like that in uptown," Simons said of those who gave him early feedback.

He held his first event in 2008 at The Blake hotel. Simon said local boutiques were reluctant to participate the first year. He was just starting out and no one knew him. Still, the event drew 1,500 people during the three days.

Each year the event has moved to more prominent facilities. Now, he said, boutique owners ask to participate. Although the event has grown, it still faces challenges. He hasn't received any support from large retailers such as Nordstrom, Macy's and Belk.

"As a new event, we knew we weren't going to get money. We just wanted any type of participation, but it didn't work out," he said.

Simons also hasn't attracted as many financial sponsors as he would like. The first year, he spent nearly $70,000 of his own money. Last year, he spent $50,000. Simons said he does get support from organizations such as Vitamin Water Zero, Fox News, Center City Partners and Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority and Uptown Charlotte Magazine.

To offset the cost, Simons has tried partnering with other local fashion event planners but said he hasn't found the right partner. It's critical, he said, that potential partners have a strong brand and financial backing.

"We looked at the track record of other companies and the track record of my company. It has to make sense to come together,” he said. There is the saying, ‘You can do bad all by yourself.’"

But Simons has his critics. One designer complained that Simons charged too much money to participate in Fashion Week. Other fashion event planners have said he is difficult to work with and unorganized.

Partner or not, Simons is determined to forge ahead. In the future, he wants to make Fashion Week a non-profit company. His goal is to raise money to help young design professionals learn the business of fashion.

"I've learned, seen and have worked with people that don't get it," he said. "They look at it from a glitz and glam standpoint, but there is a lot of hard work that goes into this business."
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IF YOU WANT TO GO:
Date: Sept 23-25
Place: Bank of America Urban Garden (1 Bank of America Center) and Founders Hall (100 N. Tryon St)
Cost: $35 general admission, $70 VIP and $195 for a three day VIP experience

For more information, visit the CNCFW website at www.charlottencfashionweek.com.
 

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