CFDA Ethical Fashion

Click here to read the formerly secret draft written on the future of fashion weeks and their ethical business practices.

In 2015 Mercedes-Bemz pf Wilconville Portland Fashion Week executive Producer Tod Hunter Foulk received an email querying him on his ethical business practices. at the time Mr. Foulk did not recognize the entity communicating and asked a PFW producer to answer for the company and receive a bit on notoriety ion so doing.

The reply came asking to interview Mr. Foulk and was accompanied by a litany of questions which Mr. Foulk was happy to answer. The email was from the CFDA aka…The Council of Fashion Designers of America asking Mr. Foulk how he produces Portland Fashion Week without seeking additional monetization, a la charging designers high participation fees. Mr. Foulk replied simply stating that after the series is budgeted the designers are prorated as to number of participants and an equitable fee is assessed to each which pays for the event itself, but not seeking any extra ‘‘cheese’’ or profit for the company.

9 months later Mr. Foulk received an email with a rather ominous header stating DO NOT SHARE with a scathing report on the future of fashion weeks and the inability for designers to participate at the levels they desired. It turned out that Mr. Foulk was the only Executive Producer interviewed, though the excoriating report was mainly directed at IMG Inc, the producers of NY, Paris and London Fashion Weeks.

Soon after Mercedes-Benz, the long running titular sponsor of NY, London and Paris Fashion Weeks dropped them. Leaving all to wonder just what impact the CFDA’s report actually had!

The report can now be viewed here.