"The changes that I wanted to see for the industry, I couldn't make them happen from inside the hamster wheel." Clothing ...

"It ended up sparking a lot of conversation—which is good. Fashion is so personal," the New York City designer said.

Alexis Kesslen, 25, has amassed over 30,000 followers on her TikTok, where her videos have received thousands and sometimes millions of views.

New York will kick off the month-long catwalk season on Thursday, with several luxury labels making their return to Fashion ...