Building a Fashion Platform from Nothing
Boise Fashion Week is a nonprofit fashion platform hosting multi-day live events that showcase local designers and connect Boise's fashion community. As a startup nonprofit with no brand recognition, no marketing budget, and no previous track record, we led marketing strategy and execution from the inaugural show in October 2023 through June 2024, building awareness, establishing credibility, and driving live attendance across two seasons.
The Brief
Launch a fashion platform in Idaho with zero budget, no brand awareness, and no previous track record. Build credibility with designers, media, and ticket buyers. Drive sold-out attendance for the inaugural show and create sustainable momentum for future seasons.
Our Role
Brand identity and visual design
Marketing and growth strategy
Social media strategy and content creation
Website development and management
Public relations and media outreach
Event promotion and awareness campaigns
Audience growth and discovery initiatives
Challenge
Launching a fashion platform in Idaho presented unique obstacles. The state has limited recognition as a fashion destination, making it difficult to attract designers, attendees, and media attention that established markets take for granted.
As a startup nonprofit with zero budget, no brand awareness, and no previous track record, Boise Fashion Week faced skepticism from potential partners, sponsors, and ticket buyers. Competing against established regional fashion events with significantly larger resources meant proving credibility and value at every step.
The challenge was not just marketing an event, but building an entire brand from scratch, establishing legitimacy in a non-fashion-forward market, and creating sustainable growth across multiple seasons without any paid advertising.
Approach
We started with brand identity, creating visual systems that positioned a startup nonprofit as a credible fashion platform from day one. The website served as both a ticket sales hub and a digital foundation for legitimacy.
Social strategy focused on Instagram and TikTok, platforms where visual storytelling could reach beyond Idaho's limited fashion community. Content highlighted designers, behind-the-scenes moments, and the energy of the events themselves, creating discovery with audiences who had never heard of the platform.
We secured local news coverage to build credibility and extend reach beyond social media. Instead of chasing quick wins, we built momentum season over season. Each campaign window reinforced the brand, expanded reach, and deepened engagement with Boise's creative community, proving that consistent execution could build credibility and drive results with little-to-no advertising spend.
Results
In under a year, marketing drove measurable growth across every metric that mattered, from live attendance to digital reach and sustained engagement.
Event Growth
OCTOBER 2023
425+
EVENT ATTENDEES, SOLD OUT
JUNE 2024
800+
EVENT ATTENDEES, SOLD OUT
Both shows sold out. Attendance nearly doubled from the first to second season. Instagram followers grew 48% organically (2.3K to 3.4K) with sustained engagement averaging 31K+ accounts reached per month. Designer participation increased from 9 to 12, while media coverage grew from 15 to 25 outlets. Beyond the numbers, Boise Fashion Week established credibility with designers, partners, and attendees despite having no previous track record, and built momentum that positioned the event as a legitimate competitor in a market with established regional fashion platforms.
245%
AVERAGE MONTHLY GROWTH RATE
408k+
TOTAL INSTAGRAM REACH ACROSS 12 MONTHS
60–92%
ENGAGEMENT FROM NON-FOLLOWERS
48%
FOLLOWER GROWTH IN ONE YEAR
38k+
PROFILE VISITS IN 12 MONTHS
16.5k+
WEB VISITS IN 12 MONTHS