Angela Watts is the founder and executive director of Atlanta Fashion Week, also known as ATLFW, which strives to celebrate diversity, innovation, and creativity in fashion and to redefine the boundaries of creativity and style.
Between Oct. 5-8, this year’s ATLFW will feature visual art, live DJ performances, over 15 fashion presentations, product launches, interactive experiences, culinary options from a diverse food truck park, and engaging panel discussions.
Watts opened up about what we can expect to see from the designers she chose.
What inspired you to create Atlanta Fashion Week?
Atlanta Fashion Week was created as a fashion platform for emerging designers and brands. Our goal is to provide these designers and brands with resources, support, venue space, and production to showcase their collections. Atlanta is the intersection between fashion, art, music, and culture. Our goal is to empower the next generation of diverse designers through a multiple-day experience that includes fashion shows or fashion presentations, retail drops, cultural conversations, music experiences, and more. This experience helps cultivate and champion the next wave of emerging brands.
What do you look for when it comes to designers and models?
Designers should have a strong creative flair and should be able to produce innovative and unique design concepts. They should have technical skills and a strong portfolio showcasing [their] past work and projects. It demonstrates the designers’ skills and styles. Attention to detail is also important, [and] designers should pay attention to every detail, from typography to color choices. Models should be able to pose and move gracefully, be comfortable in front of a camera or audience, and have the ability to adapt to different styles and looks. Models also need to be reliable, punctual, and professional in their interactions with clients, photographers, and agencies.
What is your inspiration when it comes to runway design?
Runway design in the context of fashion shows is a creative and dynamic process that draws inspiration from a variety of sources. For me and my team, I find my inspiration from fashion collections. The most direct source of inspiration for runway design is often the fashion collection being showcased. As producers, we may draw on the themes, colors, and materials used in their clothing designs to create a complementary runway setting. Artistic movements, cultural references, and historical periods provide rich inspiration for runway design. We may take cues from specific art styles, famous artworks, or cultural traditions to create a visually captivating runway.
What will be different this year from previous years?
This year is our year of collaborations. This year will include 17+ fashion presentations with live mannequin models, live DJ experiences, pop-up shops, industry talks, and more. Our partnerships include BMW, Fulton County Arts and Culture, Remy, Bloomingdale’s, Trap Music Museum, One Music Fest, Wish, Sole Play, Original Fani, Arts Atlanta, Underground, Atlanta Influences Everything, and more. Atlanta is ready for fashion. This year is going to be one of the biggest years to date. It is going to be amazing.
