Ed Hardy To Sergio Hudson: Building Back LA Fashion Week With N4XT

It’s been three years since the strategic acquisition of Los Angeles Fashion Week (LAFW), transforming the once “mom-and-pop shop” operation into a dynamic platform for established and emerging designers, as co-founder Imad Izemrane described it. The purchase by N4XT Experiences was more than a financial investment; it was a deliberate step toward reimagining the IP and making the fashion week a cornerstone of a larger creative and fashion business ecosystem in the City of Angels.

Los Angeles fashion, a melting pot of influences from surfers, skaters, Hollywood, and the diverse neighborhoods across the valley expanse, is the perfect backdrop for this vision. Beyond simply reviving LAFW, the vision includes launching auxiliary platforms like Beauty Days, a health, beauty, and wellness festival scalable to multiple cities.

With legacy brands like Ed Hardy resurging through the platform and newer brands such as Private Policy NY, Tombogo, BruceGlen, Theophilio, Head of State, RIO World, and Sergio Hudson finding support, LAFW is gaining momentum. However, Izemrane acknowledges a “ceiling” for the platform. “But with Beauty Days, we can scale to meet the needs of cities worldwide that care about conversations beyond fashion, into health and wellness,” he says.

“Many designers are creatively brilliant but lack the expertise or resources to scale their brands. Through the Society, we aim to support them in building sustainable businesses, sourcing local manufacturing, and accessing key networks. It’s about fostering community and ensuring that the talent coming out of LA has a foundation to grow. For example, Tribute has led the way in sustainable, tech-driven fashion, and these collaborations set us apart.”

The LAFW team helps emerging designers through LAFW Society, a nonprofit initiative supporting their growth. Izemrane elaborates, “Through this platform, we’ve also created the LAFW Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting emerging designers. We raise funds separately to provide opportunities for these designers to showcase their work at LA Fashion Week, making resources and connections more accessible to them.”

This initiative, funded through its network, provides grants for designers to showcase their work at LAFW, ensuring accessibility for young talent lacking the resources or connections needed to scale their ideas into sustainable businesses. The program exemplifies a commitment to empowering designers through mentorship, resources, and community building, supported by corporate staples and partners such as W Hollywood and Stella Jets, while premier partners include Snapchat, Nike, and Citi.

While legislation like California’s SB 62, which ensures fair treatment for garment workers, isn’t currently part of their agenda, the founders acknowledge its relevance and express interest in exploring involvement in such initiatives.

“When we took over, the LA Fashion Week IP had been around for 21 years, but it needed a complete overhaul. We stripped it down, reimagined it, and rebuilt it to resonate with the city and its community.”

Izemrane continues, “We’re now in our third season, and it feels like we’ve proven the value of this platform financially, as well as in terms of energy and effort. We’ve curated a mix of young, diverse, and emerging designers alongside established names like Ed Hardy while integrating industries like technology to push boundaries,” Izemrane explains.

The revitalized LAFW has faced its share of challenges. Izemrane describes the extensive effort required to clean up the IP and reposition it for today’s audience: “We had to strip everything down.” The reimagining process has focused on connecting adjacent industries such as fashion, technology, and sustainability, offering a stage for innovative collaborations.

This revitalization has sparked global interest, particularly among Asian brands. “We’ve seen heightened interest this season,” co-founder Ciarra Pardo shares, emphasizing the transformation from an overlooked platform to one in demand.

A highlight of this season has been the resurgence of legacy brands like Ed Hardy. “It’s nostalgic and exciting,” says Pardo, reflecting on the importance of creating a unique LA identity while reaching broader audiences.

“When we take a moment to ideate around how LAFW, Beauty Days, and N4XT Experiences support the greater vision here in California, there’s so much more to come,” Pardo explains. “Supporting emerging designers through the LAFW Society is so important to us. We curate a cool, young, and diverse group of designers, helping them gain visibility. At the same time, big brands like Balenciaga are also coming out here.”

Pardo highlights the synergy between big-name designers, emerging talent, and cross-industry collaborations that position LAFW as a scalable model for creative growth: “We have great designers already coming on for next season who are bigger and more established. Having the opportunity to be part of the resurgence of a nostalgic brand like Ed Hardy… it’s incredible.”

With their infrastructure, expertise, and partnerships, the LAFW team has successfully repositioned the platform as a hub for innovation. Izemrane sums it up: “We’ve built something worth the time, money, and energy.”

Through N4XT Experiences, the acquisition of LAFW was just the beginning. The team envisions a broader impact, leveraging their growing infrastructure—design expertise, sponsor relationships, and operational knowledge—to launch new initiatives. Their work underscores that innovation in fashion goes beyond aesthetics; it’s about creating sustainable ecosystems where ideas thrive, designers grow, and businesses scale. From LAFW Society’s grants to the global ambitions of Beauty Days, the future is as expansive as its vision.