International designer Shahida Clayton will showcase her contemporary women’s clothing collection including her resort wear, spring and summer 2017 looks and elegant evening wear pieces at Tucson Fashion Week.

Clayton has lived in Tucson for eight years now after moving here from California and this is her second year participating in TFW.

“I live here—I have been here for eight years and since I’m the local here, it’s the perfect place for showcasing my work,” Clayton said.

Clayton began five years ago with this resort wear brand, but now in her sixth year, she has added a contemporary and a ready-to-wear women’s collection.

“I’m so proud to be here [where] we have such a small community, especially for the fashion,” Clayton said. “I’m really happy to be here, because I usually do fashion shows in [Los Angeles] and New York.”

Over the past eight years that Clayton has worked as a designer in Tucson, she has experienced the development of the industry on both the national and local levels.

Within TFW specifically, she saw the ownership change and notable events such as the 2013 presentation of the first Inspired Icon Award to international designer Betsey Johnson. Clayton also saw major developments in Tucson fashion, with notable artists and designers coming out of the Art Institute of Tucson.

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