Angela Watts is the Founder & Executive Director of RAGTRADE ATLANTA/Atlanta Fashion Week (ATLFW), and a founding member of CFDA Connects. Here, she discusses her organization’s mission, programming, and what we need to know about the opportunity in her region.

Why did you feel the need to start RAGTRADE ATLANTA?

I wanted to be a resource to design talent trying to get their business off the ground. Working as a publicist since 2006, my goal was to always work in the fashion industry. From 2006 to 2012, I produced various fashion shows and events around the city, however, it was in 2013 when RAGTRADE ATLANTA was formed, and I decided to move my fashion show productions and events under a brand name. After many conversations with our designers, we learned they wanted more than just a fashion show, they wanted a community that provided education, workshops, and opportunities to network and socialize…and we listened.

Your mission states that RAGTRADE ATLANTA continues to provide leadership through strategic and creative programming to re-position Atlanta’s fashion industry as a key player in the global fashion space. As Founder, what do you feel Atlanta, and Georgia as whole, uniquely contributes to the fashion industry? 

Our contributions to the fashion industry are influenced by our youth, diversity, and creative entrepreneurship. We are a hub for all things ‘cool’ and have always been an ambitious city that creates our own rules. It’s our city’s effortless ability to stride the line of culture and commerce.

As a flagship program, Atlanta Fashion Week is supported by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment. How does this relationship benefit your programming & initiatives? 

Support from the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment encourages growth in the creative industry sector of Atlanta. Atlanta is the cultural capital of entertainment with a unique vibe and strong identity. Our fashion and creative industries are and has always been the critical drivers of economic growth and tourism. Therefore, the support of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment sends a strong signal that City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office wants to take this industry global, and it will happen.

Keep us in the know. Who are some designers you’d name as “ones to watch” that are coming through RAGTRADE Atlanta’s programming? 

The one thing that I love about our fashion community is that we are ALL working together. Since relaunching our designer meetups in July 2021, we have built a community that is willing to share resources, provide additional hands when needed, and simply share. It is amazing to see the genuine camaraderie in our community.

Each designer in our community is in different stages of their career; however, there are few who are quickly scaling to the next level:

• Octavius Terry of Octavius Marsion – recently collaborated with eyewear brand Native Ken on a new collection and will be featured in Neiman Marcus for Black History Month.
• Reco Chapple of House of Chapple business scaled up by 20 percent since being featured in Atlanta Fashion Week and he will also be featured in Neiman Marcus for Black History Month.
• Kenya Freeman of Sylvia Mollie is our “Queen of Collaborations” …she has curated collections for brands such Torrid.com, Shein.com, and most recently Hallmark.
• Archie Clay and Tajh Crutch of Wear Brims recently secured two big-box retailers and is currently selling in Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.
• Tracy Nicole of Tracy Nicole Clothing is currently selling at the Four Seasons’ Hotel Spa and recently launched Tracy Nicole Athleisure Collection. This collection will be featured in Best Self Magazine this month (February 2022).
• Fred Foster of Cease and Desist‘s most recent collection was spotted on Kanye West and Gunna and is currently selling in H. Lorenzo in LA.
• Melrose High by Darryl Mapp (DMapp) will introduce his Fall-Winter 2022 collection soon to major retailers. However, DMapp has been instrumental in developing brands for some of the biggest names in hip hop such as Jeezy, 2 Chainz, and T.I.

What can we expect to see in 2022 from RAGTRADE ATLANTA and Atlanta Fashion Week? 

This year is the year of GROWTH. In 2022, we are expanding our educational and workshop programming to include a masterclass series; we recently collaborated with POLIMODA, one of the biggest private fashion schools in Florence, Italy, to launch it. We are also launching additional programming with our soon to be announced partner that will foster economic empowerment for our design talent.

As for Atlanta Fashion Week, we are looking to scale this platform by 20 percent with the full support from the city of Atlanta and other partners that are involved with its development.

Looking ahead, what is your wish for the future of fashion in Atlanta?

Simply…for Atlanta to become the next great fashion capital.