This is the story of a woman who turned her personal trials into a platform that inspires an entire community and propels young designers and models into the spotlight. Her work is built on the pillars of resilience, creativity, and community—creating an inclusive space where fashion serves as a tool for self-expression, healing, and social transformation. In this article on bronxanka.com we dive into the life of the Bronx’s fashion pioneer and explore how Flora Montes inspires new generations through runway shows, mentorship, and social advocacy.
The Bronx on the Runway: How Flora Montes Redefined Local Fashion
In 2014, Flora Montes organized the first-ever Bronx Fashion Week with nothing but a $200 unemployment check and a gut feeling that fashion is about more than just fabric. Back then, she couldn’t have imagined her idea would spark a massive movement. Every stitch, every show, and every modeling class has been part of a singular mission: to give the Bronx’s young talent a chance to break into the fashion world without ever leaving their home borough.
“Bronx Fashion Week was born after I attended a show in Manhattan,” Montes recalls. “I was mesmerized. I walked out of there and realized: if I want to change fashion, I have to start at home.”
But Flora hit a wall of harsh reality early on. The fashion market in the Bronx was virtually dormant. Out of over 70 designers she called at the start, most told her they were no longer in the business. Montes didn’t flinch. She built a platform that kicked the doors open for local creators and models. Eventually, this evolved into Bronx Fashion NYC—a non-profit dedicated to mentorship, education, and supporting mental health through the lens of fashion.
Her initiative, Fashion Redefined, helps young creatives explore their identity through design and modeling while strengthening their emotional well-being.
“What moves me most is seeing someone find their voice, reclaim their confidence, and walk forward with courage,” Flora says.
This isn’t a story about an easy path. Montes survived the loss of her daughter, domestic violence, and constant trials that would have broken anyone else. Instead, she turned that pain into fuel. She created a space where overlooked talent finally gets a shot. Bronx Fashion Week has become a movement that challenges beauty standards and opens doors for underrepresented communities.
Even the pandemic couldn’t stop her momentum. After a two-year hiatus, Fashion Week returned to inspire a new wave of designers and models.
“I’m a Puerto Rican woman from the South Bronx, and my life was shaped by struggle,” Montes says. “I refused to let pain define me. Instead, I rewrote my story—and now I’m helping others rewrite theirs.”
Bronx Fashion NYC is her love letter to the Bronx—a playground for creativity and a place where fashion meets strength, resilience, and hope.
Under the Spotlights: A Decade of Dreams
On May 25, 2024, at the Bay Plaza Shopping Center, Flora Montes and her team celebrated the 10th anniversary of Bronx Fashion Week with an event titled “A Decade of Dreams.” Approximately 200 models and a lineup of designers showcased their creations on a runway that has become a symbol of a new era for the local fashion scene.
According to the organization, Bronx Fashion Week has supported over 500 young designers and 800 models, earning the backing of major players like Fashion Row, H&M, Sephora, and Macy’s. The anniversary show at the Mall at Bay Plaza alone helped over 300 small businesses network and strengthen their brands.
Success stories confirm the platform’s power. Delcio Hilario, a Latino model from the Bronx, landed contracts with Macy’s and Josue Champagne after participating in Montes’ show; her career is now managed by the prestigious Bailey agency. Another model, Natalie, found her stride after previously being rejected elsewhere for her natural curls. Her experience contributed to the conversation surrounding the 2019 New York CROWN Act, which bans hair discrimination. Even international actor and model Sergio Delavicci, known for John Wick: Chapter 3, got his start on these Bronx runways.
Designers are also finding their voices here. Dominican couturier Habia Manzanillo has showcased three collections at the event, each time reaching new audiences and forging partnerships with models and photographers.
Flora’s work, however, goes beyond the catwalk. In 2022, she was invited to South Bronx Community Charter High School to organize events for students interested in fashion. Since then, she has spearheaded several prom dress donation initiatives supported by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office.
This dream—to bring fashion into schools in a district that is 56% Latino with a poverty rate near 27%—is becoming a reality because of Montes’ unshakable faith in the Bronx.
“The only thing these kids need is someone who cares about them,” Montes says.
Fashion as Therapy: Flora Montes’ Story of Resilience
Flora has always maintained that three qualities define her path in life and fashion: empathy, creativity, and community. Empathy is her bedrock. Having navigated childhood trauma and living with PTSD, she learned to see people beyond their circumstances, listening with compassion and without judgment. Every day, she reminds herself that true healing begins when people feel seen, valued, and understood.
For Montes, creativity equals freedom. She transmutes pain into purpose, using fashion as a tool for self-expression, confidence, and transformation. Bronx Fashion NYC and the Fashion Redefined project have become sanctuaries where young people discover their worth through art. She has witnessed firsthand how creativity helps individuals find themselves—especially those who previously felt invisible.
Community is the heartbeat of Flora’s work; the Bronx raised and inspired her. Leadership, as Montes puts it, isn’t about power or perfection—it’s about service. Fashion played a crucial role in rebuilding her own self-esteem. Through design, wardrobe curation, and event production, Flora learned to organize chaos and pain into structure and goals. Every garment and every look became a suit of armor—a symbol of resilience that allowed her to face the world with renewed strength.
Flora is candid about her own mental health journey.
“I live with PTSD resulting from childhood trauma. For a long time, I didn’t realize how deeply it affected me,” she shares. “Eventually, I understood: it made me sensitive, creative, and determined to build spaces where healing and self-expression coexist.”
Fashion and journaling became her therapy, and Bronx Fashion NYC became her way of watching an entire community heal.
A New Level of Impact: Flora Montes Post-2024
Following 2024, Flora Montes’ work has ascended to a new level, expanding in both scale and depth of influence. Her platform, Bronx Fashion NYC, is steadily transforming from a local initiative into a powerhouse cultural and social movement.
In February 2025, the Spring/Summer season kicked off with a showcase at Bronx Borough Hall—a symbolic venue that highlights the project’s growing city-wide recognition. The event brought together designers and models from across New York, creating a stage where new voices could finally be heard. For many participants, this wasn’t just a runway; it was a first step toward professional development and personal empowerment.
By the fall of that same year, the organization’s work took on an even deeper social dimension. In late September, Bronx Fashion NYC partnered with the American Cancer Society for the Making Strides Survivor Fashion Showcase. The event was a profound testament to the human spirit. Cancer survivors took to the runway as icons of strength, proving that beauty isn’t about rigid standards—it’s about experience, dignity, and a life lived with courage.
Parallel to these events, Flora continues to spearhead educational and mentorship programs, ensuring the next generation has the tools to succeed.
Flora Montes’ journey—from personal struggle to the creation of an influential platform—is the cornerstone of this transformation. her work proves that even through pain, one can build spaces of power where people heal, find their identity, and inspire others. That is why Bronx Fashion NYC is more than a series of shows; it is a growing legacy that changes lives and reshapes the role of fashion in society.