(DE-FI)ance Magazine: Midwest Fashion's Independent Voice
About (DE-FI)ance Magazine
(DE-FI)ance is a fashion magazine and editorial publication platform providing opportunities for industry game-changers to re(DE-FI)ne the future of independent fashion and design. (DE-FI)ance is a pivotal part of The Fashion Pipeline.
Building the Fashion Professional
(DE-FI)ance Magazine helps participants in our incubators and independent fashion professionals from around the country to:
- Identify their target market
- Develop marketing campaigns for their work
- Learn the art of storytelling
- Develop a complete look from hair to toenails and understand how it all photographs
- Organize casting calls
- Create multi-page editorial content
A Global-Minded, Award-Winning Publication
A meticulously designed, award-winning, independent fashion, art, and lifestyle publication, (DE-FI)ance is curated for a global-minded audience and has sold in 13 different countries.
Created to give voice and career advancement to aspiring and emerging fashion-based talent, the magazine continues to grow in influence well beyond the Midwest. Our style is confident and authoritative, yet conversational and at times, controversial.
Our voice is both insider and outsider: the trusted friend in the business, and the black sheep who refuses to conform... the “(DE-FI)ant one.”
The Essence of (DE-FI)ance
We are the accessible voice and inspiration for confident, creative individuals who love fashion but reject pretension.
We are the still, non-attention-seeking presence in the room whose quiet confidence commands respect.
Our work may be dismissed or overlooked, not for lack of merit, but because we discarded the rule book and built our own. Yet when we move, the industry pays attention, takes notes, and levels up.
Our Readers
Our readers are smart, strategic, and hardworking. They see themselves as business leaders more than fashionistas. They own every room they walk into.
They are mentors unafraid to share their failures, to admit mistakes, and to lead with grace and humor. They have no interest in popularity or validation. They stand confidently and (DE-FI)antly, knowing they’ve overcome more than critics will ever understand.
They find happiness in the little things, lessons in failure, wisdom in silence, power in their voice, and success through purpose, not accolades.
Our Mission
We are committed to elevating fashion, couture, style, and fashion professionals across the country. (DE-FI)ance Magazine raises awareness of world-class talent and expands opportunities for designers, models, and creatives to grow their market and client base.
We are the go-to publication for industry insiders seeking a networking tool, continuing education, and a platform to shine.
What We Cover
Our focus is on the talent driving the industry featuring diverse disciplines such as designers, models, photographers, hair and makeup artists, stylists, and more.
Our readers include fashion insiders, business professionals, and supporters of the creative economy.
Our brand recognition continues to grow exponentially.
During The 2025 A Weekend of (DE-FI)ance, 7 Models Participated in the Cover Model Shoot for (DE-FI)ance Magazine. Who Will Land the Cover?
Fashion Week of Cincinnati...You're on Deck!
The inaugural Fashion Week of Cincinnati is here and we’re doing things differently. This isn’t a traditional runway-heavy fashion week. This is the foundational year that's taking a bold, unorthodox step toward amplifying Cincinnati’s incredible fashion talent and laying the groundwork for what’s to come.
We’re building bridges, elevating voices, and weaving together the fabric of the industry one designer, collaboration, and one moment at a time.
Invitation requests are now open. Space is limited, and this is where it all begins.
Be part of the foundation.