2025 & AFTER

New Adventures

Brand Alchemist known for crafting magnetic narratives that ladder up to real-world velocity for global brands and creative misfits alike.

Equal parts strategist, storyteller, and hype-man, I lead with brand clarity, multidisciplinary fluency, and a rigorously human point of view.

Select work available upon request.
For now, enjoy this storyline from the vault

CIRCA 2010's

How do you inspire skeptics to believe in magic?

A lesson in brand alchemy.

In 2009, the Midwest was a cultural flyover for the fashion world. Designers left. Buyers looked east. Brands ignored the region entirely. But what if fashion didn’t have to orbit just New York or LA? What if a city like Cincinnati could become a bridge between global talent and emerging markets—before the word “creative economy” ever made a headline?

At the time, the fashion industry was deep into its coastal echo chamber. Emerging designers outside NYC and LA had minimal visibility, and regional markets lacked infrastructure for fashion storytelling—let alone commerce.

Yet culture was shifting. Post-recession consumers were looking inward, craving local identity and analog connection. At the same time, the democratization of content through early social platforms (Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook Pages) made it possible to activate regional narratives at both speed and scale.

We launched CFW in 2010 as a radical experiment in brand alchemy. With zero media spend and no blueprint. What followed was a magnetic cultural engine that united legacy brands with emerging designers, activated the city’s most storied spaces—from 10k sq. ft. industrial lofts to hidden overlooks of Fountain Square to defunct libraries and iconic cultural spaces—and introduced the region to talents who would soon grace red carpets, fashion weeks, and Hollywood screens.

In three short years, the platform catalyzed careers, curated discovery, and gave rise to a distinctly Midwestern voice in fashion.

And it did it outside the coasts, before it was cool.

Disciplines:

Brand strategy

Partnership strategy

Experiential design

PR & Influence

"A truly wonderful achievement."

Laura Dawson, Designer, LONDON

Highlights:

Experience

Activated 10k+ style-forward consumers over 3 years spanning 32+ immersive brand moments from fashion to nightlife and retail.

Early-Moves

Launched in 2010 and became the Midwest’s leading fashion week by 2011, catalyzing a wave of similar platforms in numerous cities within 18 months.

Industry Springboard

Hosted designers from London to Shanghai, including alumni who would go on to Project Runway, Loewe, and Mary Katrantzou.

Partnership Alchemy

Cultivated 20+ creative partnerships, including Macy's, Procter & Gamble, Vitaminwater, Cincinnati Art Museum, and others.

Earned media

~27M impressions: The CW, FOX, NPR, and IHeartMedia afilliates, with additional features in Business Courrier, The Cincinnati Enquirer, & community press.