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"Success comes to the underdog who doesn't let sleeping dogs lie...
Community. Education. Incubator. Celebration.
(DE-FI) Gloabl INC's Vision, Mission, and Core Values
Our Vision
Our Mission
Our Mission
Our vision is to celebrate Dayton, Cincinnati, and Southwest Ohio as the Birthplace of Aviation and a Hub of Innovation, and to further that legacy by becoming the Birthplace of Tomorrow’s Fashion Stars and a cornerstone for the national fashion pipeline. Rather than pursuing the title of fashion capital, our goal is to nurture, launch, and sustain the careers of fashion-based talent and innovation from the ground up through design, development, manufacturing, and market integration.
By embracing a Farm to Fashion philosophy, we are connecting agriculture and fashion, supporting sustainable practices that unite local farmers, natural fibers, material scientists, textile makers, engineers, and garment production, creating a thriving infrastructure of opportunity and innovation.
We also recognize that our work is not limited to physical attributes, it includes lived experiences and ways of thinking. It must be authentic, not performative. It requires an understanding of barriers, and a commitment to removing them. Our work is more than a gesture, it’s about giving people the tools to succeed in spaces where they were once denied access.
By fostering innovation, sustainability, ethical production, and interdisciplinary collaboration, we aim to build a fashion infrastructure that serves as a launchpad for the next generation of creators, makers, and industry leaders.
Our Mission
Our Mission
Our Mission
The mission of (DE-FI) Global INC is to support aspiring and independent fashion-based talent by providing education, business resources, workforce development, industry access, and legitimate career advancement opportunities.
Our work builds the fashion pipeline by uplifting not only designers and models, but also textile makers, stylists, photographers, writers, producers, beauty professionals, engineers, and those in agriculture and material science. We prepare them to thrive both regionally and nationally.
Through our Farm to Fashion initiative, we integrate local agriculture into the fashion supply chain by supporting regional farmers, promoting the use of natural fibers, and encouraging environmentally responsible production methods. In doing so, we’re laying the foundation for long-term economic growth and leadership in ethical, sustainable fashion.
Core Values
Our Mission
Core Values
By reimagining Dayton, Cincinnati, and Southwest Ohio as the foundation for fashion’s future, our values guide everything we do:
- Excellence – We hold ourselves and our talent to the highest standards.
- A range in People and Ideas – We value difference, complexity, and multiple perspectives.
- Open Support – We ensure guidance, access to resources, support, and mentorship to all who seek to grow and contribute.
- Access & Affordability – We create opportunities that don’t depend on financial means.
- Innovation – We push boundaries through creativity, sustainability, and interdisciplinary exploration.
- Collaboration – We build partnerships across sectors,fashion, agriculture, tech, and beyond.
- Healthy Competition – We nurture growth through excellence, not scarcity.
- Cross-Disciplinary Engagement – From engineering and education to textile production and design, we unite varied disciplines.
- Integrity – We operate with transparency, accountability, and ethical responsibility.
- Trust & Transparency – We foster open dialogue and mutual respect across every relationship.
- Sustainability & Stewardship – We are committed to environmentally responsible practices through our Farm to Fashion initiative, empowering a new generation of designers, engineers, and textile innovators who build fashion with purpose and care.
(DE-FI) Global INC: Birthplace of Tomorrow’s Fashion Star
Reimagining the Fashion Infrastructure, From Fiber to Fame
(DE-FI) Global INC is not striving to become a fashion capital, we’re building something greater. We are establishing a national fashion infrastructure that doesn’t just serve designers and models, but engages every element of the fashion supply chain: from farmers and textile makers to engineers, educators, manufacturers, and beyond. Our work is about legacy, laying the foundation for a more equitable, sustainable, and localized fashion industry that serves as a blueprint for regions across the country.
Why Southwest Ohio?
Southwest Ohio is uniquely positioned to lead the future of American fashion. With Dayton and Cincinnati as anchors, we sit at the crossroads of I-75 and I-70, offering fast access to major U.S. cities like Chicago, Atlanta, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Memphis, and Nashville all within an 8-hour drive. Our proximity to historic fashion hubs like Columbus (home to the third-largest concentration of fashion designers in the U.S.) and Cincinnati (former headquarters of Macy’s) gives us a logistical and cultural advantage.
But even more critically, this region has something that most fashion capitals do not: room to build. Dayton's legacy as a manufacturing stronghold gives us the industrial foundation. Ohio’s thriving agricultural economy provides a direct link to natural fiber production like hemp, cotton, silk, wool, and alpaca. And our communities are filled with untapped creative, technical, and entrepreneurial talent ready to shape the next chapter of fashion.
How We Accomplish Our Mission
(DE-FI) Global INC is transforming the future of fashion by building a comprehensive, inclusive, and locally rooted infrastructure that connects the dots between agriculture, science, design, business, and education.
We accomplish our mission by:
- Growing our fashion pipeline through inclusive outreach, hands-on training, and opportunities across every level of the industry including designers, models, manufacturers, textile producers, engineers, stylists, journalists, and more.
- Supporting aspiring and emerging fashion-based talent by providing the resources needed to advance their careers.
- Providing a robust support system for talent by educating them on the industry and offering legitimate opportunities for paid work and professional growth.
- Establishing a fashion design school in Dayton, built on ethical and sustainable practices, that integrates science, technology, and entrepreneurship.
- Developing garment manufacturing and warehousing operations to anchor Southwest Ohio as a hub for micro-production, fulfillment, and distribution.
- Bridging agriculture with fashion through our Farm to Fashion initiative, using Ohio-grown fibers and natural dyes to create a localized, ethical supply chain.
- Investing in material science, fiber innovation, and dye technology to reduce industry waste and position Ohio as a national leader in fashion R&D.
- Retaining talent by offering affordable, collaborative workspaces and long-term advancement through incubator and accelerator programs.
- Building relationships and establishing partnerships by recognizing that a strong community is the key to success. Bridging the gap between the Southwest Ohio market and larger fashion markets across the U.S.
Highlights of Our Strategic Plan
Our strategy is grounded in bold, actionable goals that elevate the region and prepare talent to compete on national and global stages:
- Our Fashion Incubators have made Dayton the fashion capital of the Midwest for the development and success of fashion-based talent, and we are adding Cincinnati to the list.
- The strategic plan is built on a robust financial roadmap emphasizing multi-year investments in support of our mission.
- We will develop diversified revenue streams and maximize opportunities to leverage our resources across Ohio, the Midwest, and external collaborations.
- We will integrate our Farm to Fashion initiative into our strategic priorities by building partnerships with regional farmers, supporting sustainable agriculture, and promoting the use of natural fibers in garment production.
- We will offer mentoring and retention programs for our team, including education on sustainable practices, farm-to-fashion methodologies, and ethical production.
- We will support our team through a strong merit-based compensation program and professional development opportunities, including sustainability and supply chain training.
- We will ensure our operations are efficient and streamlined, incorporating environmentally conscious practices and circular economy principles.
- Our team will be highly trained in financial analysis and resource management, including securing funding and partnerships that support our mission.
Our Strategic Goals
- Invest in engaged scholarships to support students pursuing sustainable and ethical fashion practices.
- Conduct commercially viable fashion industry research and lead collaborations with agriculture to drive environmental and economic innovation.
- Provide a world-class fashion advancement program grounded in farm-to-fashion principles.
- Be a national leader in fashion manufacturing integrating agricultural innovation.
- Be a national leader in professional development that includes education in sustainable sourcing, fiber production, and ethical fashion.
- Create and sustain a top-performing, diverse advancement organization that attracts experts across agriculture, sustainability, and fashion.
- Promote the (DE-FI) Family of Brands to enhance reputation and revenue through unique value propositions like Farm to Fashion.
- Broaden constituent engagement to develop lasting philanthropic and collaborative relationships.
- Increase and strengthen corporate and industry partnerships that support experiential learning and supply chain integration.
- Sustain $250,000 in private funds raised annually to support education, research, and community programming.
- Intentionally advance equity and inclusive excellence across fashion and agriculture.
- Grow and transform our physical spaces to support fiber research, dye innovation, and sustainable garment production.
- Implement a centralized business operations model focused on service, efficiency, and environmental sustainability.
- Advance responsible resource use across agriculture and fashion through aligned, sustainable strategies.
These goals will be supported by the strategic investment of our financial resources, human capital, and physical infrastructure, with a clear emphasis on building a localized, self-sustaining, and nationally scalable fashion infrastructure that centers sustainability, ethics, and community impact.
We are not just shaping the future of fashion, we’re anchoring it. Right here. In the heart of the Midwest.
Copyright © 2025 (DE-FI) Global INC - All Rights Reserved.
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The Fiber Forum's Trashion Show Applications Are Live!
Applications are now open for designers interested in showcasing their work in the Trashion Show during (DE-FI) Fashion Week’s Fiber Forum on September 16th in Strategic Partnership with the Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub. If you're ready to turn trash into couture, submit your application by August 30.