TELFAR Celebrates 20 Years of Independent Fashion with Community-Powered Runway Show
By PAGE Editor
In a triumphant celebration of two decades in fashion, TELFAR presented its Spring Summer 2025 collection through an unconventional runway show staged in the alley behind its SoHo flagship store. The event marked more than just a seasonal presentation – it was a living manifesto of the brand's radical independence and deep community roots.
Runway Courtesy of Don Ashby
Twenty years ago, a teenage Telfar Clemens launched the label from his family's apartment in Lefrak City, Queens. What began as a Queens-born dream has since grown into the largest Black-owned fashion brand globally and likely the most enduring genderless label in history. The numbers speak volumes: over three million customers worldwide, a prime SoHo flagship, its own public access TV channel, and complete in-house media and production capabilities – all achieved without investors or traditional fashion industry support.
This remarkable autonomy has been sustained through what the brand describes as "total interdependence" with its community. The anniversary show embodied this philosophy, with every model representing a chapter in TELFAR's collective story. In a groundbreaking approach, the casting process was opened to the public through "NEW MODELS," a series of open auditions at the brand's store. The final lineup was determined by public vote during the June 18th premiere of the "NEW MODELS" reality-style show on TELFAR's platform.
The collection itself defied conventional fashion week norms. Rather than creating samples for buyers, TELFAR presented seven distinct capsules that showcase the infrastructure it has built over three years to serve its customers directly. Some pieces were available immediately, with others set to release monthly through fall 2025.
The show opened with "T-Shirt Suiting," featuring formal shirting and suiting silhouettes reconstructed from printed T-shirts commemorating the brand's history. This segment introduced the highly anticipated TELFAR Plastic Bag – a nostalgic nod to early-2000s downtown New York deli bags, rendered in crinkly nylon with functional upgrades like interior zip pockets. The collection continued with a khaki-focused offering in beige, black, and camouflage, paired with minimalist polo pieces featuring signature insignia detailing. Body-conscious ribbed ensembles transitioned into stretch denim that spanned decades of style references, while the innovative Tie Bag presented an evolution of the iconic shopper with adjustable gusset ties. The presentation culminated with the show-stopping Infinity collection, featuring endless ribbons of T-shirt fabric sculpted into wearable art.
The June 21st event transformed Cortlandt Alley into a fashion theater starring up to 200 models – a mix of TELFAR's extended creative family including designer Raul Lopez, artist Ryan Trecartin, and musician Teezo Touchdown alongside newcomers discovered through the public casting process. Creative director Babak Radboy and styling team Avena Gallagher, Katiuscia Gregoire, and Kadeem Lamorell crafted a visual narrative that blurred the lines between fashion show and community celebration. The production featured music by Standing On The Corner, with beauty direction by makeup artist Raisa Flowers and hairstylist Jadis Jolie.
As the final models walked, the message was clear: TELFAR's 20-year journey proves that radical independence in fashion isn't just possible – it thrives when rooted in genuine community connection. The brand continues to rewrite the industry playbook, one plastic bag and public-casted model at a time.
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