On a rainy evening at 495 Broadway in SoHo, fashion label 6397, founded by designer Stella Ishii, partnered with the Oakland-based nonprofit Creative Growth for a fashion show and fundraiser. The event, hosted by PAPER Magazine's Kim Hastreiter and Mickey Boardman alongside Ishii and Creative Growth's executive director Sunny A. Smith, featured a runway collection of minimalist silhouettes adorned with artworks by Creative Growth's artists, who are individuals with disabilities. Guests browsed limited-edition pieces and wearable art before the show, which included New York creatives as models.
The collaboration matters because it merges high fashion with social impact, spotlighting Creative Growth's mission to champion artists with disabilities through a mainstream cultural platform. The event has become a staple of both the art and fashion calendars, raising visibility and funds for the organization while challenging conventional boundaries between art, fashion, and inclusivity. Attendees, including fashion designer Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen and artist Bobbi Salvör Menuez, praised the initiative as a celebration of creativity without limits.