Review Our Year-by-Year Impact

Chronicle foundational milestones: the original Dayton Fashion Incubator launch, model development, and early signature runway showcases. 

This report highlights how (DE‑FI) laid the foundation for a regional fashion ecosystem: launching immersive events like A Taste of (DE‑FĪ)ance and First Flight Now Fashion, hosting sold-out runway shows, mentorship sessions, and even a Habitat for Humanity build, all while having a presence at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. 

This year showcases how (DE‑FI) gained local recognition through media features such as Meet… Caressa Brown in The Clarion, highlighting continued growth in branding, regional visibility, and impact across Dayton and emerging fashion communities.   

The 2016 report details how (DE‑FI) helped launch and support the Dayton Sewing Collaborative, positioning itself as a key incubator for building garment infrastructure in Southwest Ohio and extending local manufacturing capabilities.   

This edition reinforces (DE‑FI)’s leadership in building regional fashion infrastructure, workforce development, and educational programming continuing to drive momentum and community engagement across Dayton and Cincinnati.  

Highlights include creative recognition, with Caressa L. Brown being featured as Daytonian of the Week, underscoring (DE‑FI)’s growing influence and local positioning as a catalyst for fashion innovation in the Midwest.  

(DE‑FI)’s 2019 report reflects on its community planning work for launching the House of (DE‑FĪ)ance co-working experience, a pivotal moment that signifies deepening engagement in design coworking, regional infrastructure, and creative space-building in Dayton.   

In the wake of the pandemic, (DE-FI) pivoted to sustain and grow the Midwest fashion pipeline and expanding virtual education and model training experiences in Dayton and Cincinnati. The report highlights creative adaptability, community support initiatives, and strategic groundwork for future fashion innovation in the Midwest region. 

This report captures a period of major expansion, with the revival of Dayton Fashion Week, the debut of Fashion Week of Cincinnati, and deeper integration of sustainable practices through Farm to Fashion and micro-manufacturing initiatives. It showcases (DE-FI)’s growing impact on Midwest designers, from incubator graduates reaching national runways to workforce programs creating tangible economic opportunities in Ohio’s fashion sector.  Highlighting our expanded programming across Dayton and Cincinnati, STEM-integrated workshops, alumni runway placements, and sustainable fashion developments.