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SOUTHERN TIER FASHION LIFE
Fashion Life in the Southern Tier (and beyond)
The Southern Tier is full of creatives with a strong sense of grassroots entrepreneurship. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the fashion genre. In addition to being the hometown of the legendary Hilfiger Family, the region continues to inspire new generations of innovative fashion artists like streetwear designer, reality TV star and fashion consultant Eddy Knoxx, fashion mentor, designer and entertainment guru Jordan Brooks, and the local fashion influencer and philanthropist Emmi Saufley, CEO of the nonprofit Runway For A Cause and owner of Le Kim Associates, LLC.
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Southern Tier Fashion Life explores the region's influence on all aspects of the fashion world, locally and globally with stories, podcasts and more.
Fashion Sense with Le Kim
Explore the ins and outs of the fashion business industry with Emmi Saufley, owner of Le Kim Associates, LLC and CEO of Runway For A Cause.
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Join Emmi as she navigates the creative and business aspects of the fashion industry, from the Southern Tier to the hottest runways and fashion houses around the globe.
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Fashion Sense with Le Kim gives you a peek behind-the-scenes at fashion and social events, take you to exotic places, and introduce you to the creatives working inside and outside the region to make a name for themselves in the fast-paced, competitive world of fashion.
The Juice Collective, LLC
A local juice business located in Horseheads, NY is the place to get all of your clean juices, sea moss, wellness shots, and more! It is one of my favorite places to visit for a quick healthy fix.
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Teka is the best. I've had the pleasure of getting to know her for a couple of years now, her family are some of the kindest people I’ve ever met. She always greets you with a smile, and recommends the best products to suit your needs with exceptional customer service!
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The wellness ginger shots are my favorite. She offered a 3-day cleanse that I was eager to try out. The cleanse consisted of a sea moss ginger shot along with 4 different juices to drink throughout the day. It gave me a boost of energy throughout the day and kept me full and focused. My days start at 5:00 am and end around 7:00 pm, with a great kickstart to the day the juices were a key element to getting through the day!
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I HIGHLY recommend running not walking to check out her place located at the Arnot Mall in Horseheads, NY! I couldn’t be more excited to see the continued success of her business and have a black-owned juice business so close to home!
In February, Emmi Saufley attended The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes' signature fashion fundraiser New Boots. Check out the video she created of her experience, and her column.
2023 has been quite the ride for me. Launching Le Kim website with the help of Elmira instructor/influencer, Meg Kapral, supporting local businesses like See the Glow, who makes one of my favorite lip balms; Fit with Nae and eleven.22.
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I also got to go behind-the-scenes of an Elmira College photo shoot, directed by David Lee and Betsy Hilfiger; and we welcomed fashion designer and influencer Knoxx, who shared her experience and passion for the fashion industry as a Le Kim workshop guest speaker.
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I had the pleasure of volunteering with GST BOCES (where it all started for me) for their Fashion Design program year-end fashion show, which showcased the Junior and Senior collections.
Supporting local means a lot to me. I look to work with fellow small businesses and nonprofits whenever I can, as well as participating in women-owned, small business vending opportunities. Networking is such an important part of the success of running a business, in my opinion. The connections you make can be invaluable! Visibility within the community is also a great way to stay relevant.
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Cheering on and mentoring the RFAC models is another aspect of my job that I absolutely love. Nurturing new talent and providing a platform for them to grow, build their confidence and develop new skills is top priority. Being part of the industry for over a decade now has given me the opportunity to share all of the ins and outs, share my experiences and provide opportunities to all, which is a personal passion for me.
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I’m so excited to share my business knowledge and passion for fashion with you. Stay tuned for more videos and more information on what I’ve learned about running a business and nonprofit in the southern tier.
Video photo montage available on Emmi's IG. Photo credits / descriptions in order of appearance: Celebrating launch of the Le Kim website, co-designed by Meg Kapral; supporting Painted Post business See the Glow with my favorite lip balm, Tropical Kiss; Behind-the-scenes of a college photoshoot directed by David Lee and Betsy Hilfiger; Volunteering with GST BOCES for their end-of year Fashion Design program’s fashion show showcasing the Junior and Senior collections; Guest speaker Knoxx sharing her experience and passion for the fashion industry at a Le Kim workshop; “Starting a Business” Le Kim workshop, photo taken by Tia Emanuel, owner of Big Star Photography; supporting some of my favorite women-owned businesses – workout outfit by Fit with Nae and customized runway cup by eleven.22; Tabling Runway For A Cause at a vendor event hosted by women-owned businesses; Mini RFAC showcase at the Elmira Shines ribbon-cutting which featured several 2023 models and designer collections for the fourth annual show; At a speaking engagement with IncubatorWorks Youth Entrepreneurial program in Elmira; Receiving a check donation to Runway For A Cause at a fundraiser dinner hosted by the Elmira Sunrise Rotary Club; Attending a Women’s Empowerment Brunch hosted by Jerakah Heady for her “and she brunches” event with incredible speakers and powerful women; Enjoying a soccer game at Elmira College to support a few of the students participating in the RFAC fashion show; Speaking engagement at Elmira College in the Soaring Higher Leadership program taught by Larry Parker; Wax’d by Steph, Fit with Nae and Le Kim event at The L in Horseheads; RFAC model practice, photo taken by RFAC model, Jodi Hammond Behind-the-scenes video of a model practice featuring models Shaq Hinton, Kash (Shaq’s dog), and Hailey White; A few RFAC committee members, Director of Talent Jaimie Hand; and CFO Dustyn Ordway; Le Kim and Runway For A Cause 2024 new opportunity; Leadership dinner at Elmira College to congratulate 2023 graduates of the program; RFAC fashion show nail prep; Dermaplaning service at the new Safahla Medical Spa: service by Sydney; Interview-ready with De’Jah at WETM for the fashion show with intern Jenna; The night before show day; Eye mask, lip scrub and mask for fashion show prep; Hyping the RFAC fashion show on WENY’s Good Morning Twin Tiers; and RFAC’s second show, photo taken by Miranda Waterman.
This is just the beginning! Follow Emmi Saufley's journey and keep track of fashion biz in the Southern Tier at Southern Tier Fashion Life. You can also find Emmi on Instagram at Le Kim Fashions, Runway For A Cause and Emmi Saufley.
Southern Tier Life Fashion Stories
Sweet Home Southern Tier: Shannah Warwick creates flowing, mystical designs and custom haute couture based on her heightened energetic senses, which have become stronger since she moved to the Southern Tier region.
Sweet Home Southern Tier: Elmira fashion designer Emmi Saufley combines fashion and philanthropy with her nonprofit Runway For a Cause.
Fashion Kulture
Podcast
In Part 1 of Ep. 2 of Fashion Kulture by Laced by Lacroix, host Jordan Brooks gets real with media personality Sharif D. King, who talks about his roots and rise through the broadcast industry and what he's learned during his time living and working in the Southern Tier. Check out Part 2 of this episode at STL's YouTube page.
Podcast Ep. 1: Fashion Kulture by Laced by Lacroix premieres with an interview featuring fashion designer, celebrity stylist, creative director and entertainer Eddie Knoxx, who discusses building her reputation and brand. Knoxx aka Brittney Brooks went from working at Wegmans in Elmira, NY to designing the DVMN Pigeon fashion line. She appeared in season 2 of HBO Max's The Hype.
Thank You to FMG Recording Studios for production of the Fashion Kulture Laced by Lacroix podcast. Learn more at fmgrecordingstudios.com