Interview with Fashion District NW CEO David M. Bailey
3 min. read | Interview | A.M.
Perhaps it’s because he shares a rather recognizable name with another prestigious fashion photographer. But David M. Bailey’s road to fashion would be paved with discipline, hard work, and creating opportunities where none existed.
David began his career in teaching. After graduating from Pacific Lutheran University in 2001, he took a position as Football Coach in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. From there, he went to Western Oregon for three years and then Greenville, Illinois for another three. During this time, he picked up photography, beginning with landscapes before moving on to portraits. But it wasn’t until moving back to Seattle that he found an opportunity to explore fashion photography.
Images courtesy David M. Bailey Photography.
David worked nearly 50 fashion events, gaining the experience he wanted and making connections in Seattle’s independent fashion community.
“I really wanted to bring us all together, rather than see each other as competition. Since I began shooting these events, I’ve just thought we were better together.”
In 2012, he began bringing Seattle artists to Vancouver Fashion Week. By 2014, he was involved with Seattle Fashion Week, and by 2015, produced it.
“I think every event I’ve worked on led me to realizations of what I can do better and what the Northwest actually needs to become a better, more established fashion community. From the models to the staff to the people who come to the shows, I want them to feel how much they are respected.”
David left Seattle Fashion Week in March of 2016. There had been a long-standing power struggle between the previous executives in control of the brand which had then—and even now—remained largely out of the public eye. While David would not comment specifically on his professional experiences with SFW, he offered the following as an explanation for his departure.
“It became apparent there was a regime change, and it wasn’t what I was looking for. The arc that I was on with Seattle Fashion Week wasn’t going to get us where I thought we should go.”
Enter Fashion District NW. David founded FDNW with the primary goal of elevating the independent fashion community in the greater Northwest. It would be a 3-Tier, for-profit business dedicated to education, outreach, and events. He recruited former SFW alumni, and shortly after, produced their first fashion event.
“In a lot of ways, I see this staff as family. So I take great pains to make sure we get the right people on board. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care about getting credit. I wouldn’t ask my staff to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.”
And they’ve pulled off an impressive track record. Their flagship event, Couture & Cars, will hold their 4th annual fashion show this July at Tacoma’s LeMay automotive museum. Their latest event, Fashion Is Art, will be held at the Tacoma Art Museum this March, after having hosted 8 Fashion Designers, 34 Looks, 34 Models, and 300 people in attendance at the same place last year. And if you were to ask him, David would be quick to remind you that it’s a team effort, and a team win.
“Valuing people’s insights and experiences—whether it’s directly in fashion, or even how the event flows and succeeds—it’s all about the team we have that makes it happen. I really want people to catch that we’re trying to create win-win situations where people walk away having a great experience with art and fashion. I really believe that if you build it well, they will come.”
“It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care about getting credit.”
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