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Fashion doesn’t just live in New York or Paris. It thrives wherever creators take the risk to build a stage. We sit down with Ann Ward Lester and Jennifer Lester of Splash Entertainment Group to trace how a model management experiment became Virginia Fashion Week, why they aligned this year’s showcase with Timbaland Way, and what it takes to turn a local runway into a real creative economy in Hampton Roads.
Ann opens up about the early vision shared with stylist Ron Cook and the late, beloved Cookie Dabney, and how that collaboration set a professional standard for fittings, lineups, and show flow. Jennifer reveals the moving parts you don’t see: model calls, designer coordination, communications, and the 48‑hour scramble before lights up. Together, they map a pipeline where first collections evolve into paid work in New York, Paris, and Dubai—and how those alumni circle back to teach, mentor, and vend, keeping the ecosystem alive. We talk candidly about sponsor realities in a military‑leaning market, the rising tide from Pharrell’s Something in the Water, and why honoring local music on the runway turns a fashion show into a cultural salute.
You’ll also hear beauty and skincare wisdom from Ann’s channel, Fabulous Life 101—practical routines for midlife skin health that complement the runway’s artistry. From vendor curation that favors actual makers to collaborations with Team Lamb, the episode offers a grounded blueprint for building a scene: focus on craft, elevate community, and let fashion, music, and film amplify each other. Join us, grab tickets via VAFashionWeek.com, and help push Hampton Roads further onto the creative map. If the episode resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to support the artists shaping our city’s future.

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