Rainbow Fashion Week™ Kicks Off NYC Pride Week

Inclusion and Body Positivity Were Showcased on the Runway

News provided by

Jun 28, 2017, 08:26 ET

NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, June 24th, Rainbow Fashion Week™ (RFW) successfully kicked-off NYC Pride Week with the conclusion of its fourth annual carbon neutral fashion week.

An eight-day series of curated events which brings awareness to social issues through fashion, film, art and technology, RFW™ is more than a series of fashion events, but a platform that fosters activism, social responsibility and sustainability while giving visibility to LGBTQ creatives, businesses and other marginalized communities.

Rainbow Fashion Week 2017, photo provided by BluPhotoArt

Founder, E. Jaguar Beckford recounts, "We were welcomed by a wonderful host church, Epiphany on the Upper East Side who opened their doors and hearts to our community in solidarity for Pride Week. We could have not asked for more and we are so looking to bringing you greater things next year, so get ready for the ride."

This year, RFW™ welcomed Petr Nitka, from Czech Republic, the first gender-neutral model to walk fashion shows in the countries India, UAE and South Africa. On a global level, Petr is challenging stereotypes and social stigmas about trans identity while also promoting body positivity within the trans community. She continued this message on the catwalk of Rainbow Fashion Week 2017.

Living up to its message of inclusion, RFW™ extended its runway to

three deaf models, a handsome amputee stud model and a wheelchair

bound Army veteran who heard about RFW™ through social media and

wanted to participate, hence the creation of our hashtag

#whoarewetosayno. In addition to acceptance, Rainbow Fashion Week's

platforms included:

Environmental Responsibility - proceeds from "Top New Media Moguls" aided in the planting of trees across America
Child Abuse Awareness - proceeds from "Rainbow Tots" went to the Rainbow Ribbon Project, an organization that holds a mission to end child abuse through the voices of child advocates
Domestic Violence Awareness and Youth Empowerment - portions of the proceeds from "Haus of Jagandco," whose theme illustrated the impact of domestic violence, were donated to the James Baldwin School to educate and inspire youth
Teen & LGBTQ Homelessness and Sustainability - proceeds raised from "Queer Kids Kick Azz" and "Urban K'Nights" were allocated for housing and skill building for at risk youth
Bullying - creatively addressed through the artistry of make during "PHOTOVIEW: Strike A Pose"
Human Trafficking - "BodyGods™" was dedicated to spreading awareness to the prevalence of human trafficking through RFW's Metamorphic Corner
Mental Health - creatively addressed through a hair show rendition of The Wizard of Oz in "Hair du Soleil"

Community organizations who contributed to the dialogue, providing information and resources for the critical topics at hand included: True Colors Residential Fund, The Trevor Project, James Baldwin School, ETSY GOL Outreach, WaterAid America, The Molecule Project and The Water Keeper's Alliance.

Rainbow Fashion Week™ will return next year, June 15th - 22nd, to continue the promotion and advancement of its missions, and you can be sure it will be back with style!

For more information visit www.rainbowfashionweek.com or download the RFW app via GooglePlay or the Apple Store.

Media Contact:
Jenelle Hamilton PR
Toni Akindele
[email protected], 832-768-5551

SOURCE Rainbow Fashion Week