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2025 FEATURED DESIGNERS

FELY TCHACO

My journey into fashion design began in 1991 during a pivotal summer visit to Assinie-Bassam, Ivory Coast. There, I first met my uncle Wangni Paul, my mother's younger brother and an extraordinarily talented tailor. We formed an immediate connection through our shared passion for fashion. During our conversations, I would playfully tell him I would model his creations someday, which always brought us both to laughter. At the end of my visit, Uncle Paul surprised me with a beautiful gift—a custom-made skirt and matching hat crafted from exquisite, lustrous fabric. The outfit fit me perfectly as if it had been created specifically for my spirit. I cherished this ensemble so deeply that I wore it until I simply couldn't fit into it anymore. Tragically, just months later, I received news of my uncle's sudden and unexpected passing. His death profoundly affected me, as he was the only family member with whom I truly bonded and who supported my modeling aspirations. Though life initially led me toward a successful career in music rather than modeling, I never forgot Uncle Paul's influence. Today, I proudly walk in my uncle's footsteps as a fashion designer, creating pieces that honor his craftsmanship and vision. My creative process begins with hand-drawn designs that I then transform into patterns and carefully sew to match my original vision. I have always showcased my designs on stage during my live music performances, creating a multidimensional artistic experience. My brand uniquely blends traditional fabrics with textiles from around the world to create pieces that are truly one-of-a-kind in their genre. Each design I create carries the legacy of his gift to me—not just the physical garment, but the permission to pursue my passion for fashion. My collection at SF MODEFA 2025 is a testament to this journey and a tribute to the uncle whose brief presence in my life forever shaped my creative path.

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WEST COAST LEATHER

West Coast Leather has been creating beautiful leather clothing since 2003. West Coast Leather creates new collections every season that reflect the latest styles in Europe and put their unique spin on them. West Coast Leather continues to push the envelope in leather design, offering the largest selection of fashionable men’s leather coats, and women’s leather jackets, dresses, skirts, and pants on the West Coast. They use friendly vegetable-tanned leather from Italy and chrome-free skirts, and many of their leather creations, are always pushing the boundaries of leather style. At West Coast Leather, Skip and his staff strive to help each customer create a unique leather wardrobe. They treat every client like a Rock Star.

Skip oversees the day-to-day operations of our flagship store in the Marina District, which includes sales, customer relations, marketing strategy, profit and loss analysis, business operations, internet sales, social media blogs, and postings, as well as managing a mailing list over 100,000 clients. He was commissioned to make two jackets for former Playmate of the Year Jenny McCarthy and a custom jacket for Victoria Fuller, who was Playmate of the Month in January of 1996, to promote Generation Rescue, which Jenny McCarthy founded to help other parents of autistic children. For the charity Wounded Warrior, West Coast Leather also produced two jackets for the Shannon Twins, who are also Playboy Playmates. We outfit stars for music, television, major motion pictures, sports, and high fashion magazines, and our clothing has appeared on many covers. We recently were awarded the “California Made, California Proud” designation, further signifying the high quality of the brand.

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AREEBA
REYHAN KHAN

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