The Creative Ecosystem
Fashion, Culture, and Creative Incubation for Emerging Artists at Columbia Fashion Week 2025 | VRTY Arthouse ™ Editorial
Photography & Writing by Kylan Stephon Hayes
Aspiring artists, when mastery is your goal, results follow naturally. When you forsake the ego drivers of the creative industry like your follower count, reposts, views, etc. and focus instead on creative development, you begin a lifelong journey that generates cultural influence.
Every artist needs a community, a set of mentors, and an opportunity to showcase your work. When creativity becomes a community endeavor, results follow naturally. It’s like riding a creative wave rather than fighting against it. That’s the benefit of a fashion culture ecosystem.
Stop letting the social media algorithm dictate your success. Creativity is an act of service as much as expression. Community, then, is both a motivator, a revenue driver, and an educational system that leads to creative incubation.
What I’m outlining is the need of a true creative ecosystem - an environment that transforms you as an artist by revealing both who you are and who you can become. It’s an environment that not only inspires you, but also provides the resources you need to grow if you choose to take advantage of them.
This week, the VRTY Arthouse ™ team had the opportunity to attend the 15th anniversary of Columbia Fashion Week - a creative ecosystem located within the capital of the state of South Carolina. The South Carolina fashion scene is growing rapidly, and independent artists are the backbone. I’d like to express my sincerest gratitude to CEO Juliette Muller and CMO Darain Ginyard for their hospitality, organization, and willingness to allow our team to experience this years’ production.
A creative ecosystem is transformative. Sitting at the intersection of fashion, culture, & business, they incubate aspiring artists and drive regional economic growth at the same time.
