At this time of year it's easy to get FF, or fashion fatigue.

In New York, friends and associates are scrambling around the city, air kissing, dashing off to shows and cramming into venues. I guess you could say I did all three last week, waiting (and waiting) on lines to get into Essence magazine's party with Tyra Banks and Idris Elba spinning, into the Miss Sixty show and so on. I foolishly thought I'd get to see all my friends, but couldn't because they are super super busy -- going to shows and dashing back to the office at 11 p.m. to write or staying up til 2 a.m. arranging chairs and finishing guests lists and so on.

Back at home, I am scrambling myself now to prepare for a big trip to Las Vegas. The Pilot (in the form of myself and photo/video whiz Leo Kim) are going to the MAGIC convention, a massive trade show for fashion. Every February and August (just after NY's fall Fashion Week and just before the spring one, respectively) thousands of people converge on Vegas to see what's next in fashion, to network, to do business.

We're going because Hampton Roads has a big contingent representing the 757. 

There's

Shmack, the fast-growing brand that's in cities across the country and even Toykyo;

Commonwealth, the great store on 21st Street in Norfolk with another store in D.C.

Blue Taxi, the great store in Town Center

Blac Label, a rapidly growing brand said to be worth over $20 million

Cream, the slick boutique in Military Circle Mall

and a brand called HARDNOX HARDCORE CLOTHING based in Portsmouth.

There's even a fashion merchandising class from ODU going, and teachers from Virginia Beach.

Sure, Vegas is exciting (I guess, if you're into tacky) and certainly there's a potential for "fun" but this means so much more than that. It means Hampton Roads is emerging as a hub for young, creative people establishing themselves as serious entrepreneurs and fashion innovators. Occasionally on this blog there's pushback from folks who wonder why we make such a big deal about fashion. People in this area "aren't into that," they say. Talk about something we like, you cry.

Guess what? You are wrong, and you don't get it.

Millions of dollars are being generated right here and recycled back into the local economy, and the things people from here learn at trade shows and Fashion Weeks come back here to get re-interpreted, shipped out and then influence the globe. Virginia Beach-based Shmack is an $8 million enterprise; people wear it in Japan and Europe. Beach-based Blac Label is in Macy's (!) and soon, Dillard's stores across America. If you don't understand why that's important, then my heart bleeds for you. 

These people are here. They are committed to staying here, growing a future, HERE. And it's sort of ironic that most of these brands take their inspirations from hip hop and skating cultures, when locally there's a wide perception of hip hop as evil, and in most places here, skateboarding is a crime.

It reminds me of that great scene in 'The Devil Wears Prada' when Miranda Priestly says to Andy:

"Oh... ok. I see, you think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select out, oh I don't know, that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because you're trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back...However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and so it's sort of comical how you think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you're wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room." 

And there you have it. That's why we're going to Vegas, because to remain clueless (or worse, unsupportive) about what these young people are doing here, right in your backyard, is a major fashion faux pas. That's why we suck it up, keep going and drink countless Red Bulls and coffees and take Airborne and sleep for three hours a night, because we know fashion is important. It is the future.

Read all about what people from Hampton Roads are doing at MAGIC in the Pilot next week, and stay tuned for live blogging and video!

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