FASHION

Moss Adams Resurrects Its MAFI Award

After a two-year hiatus, the Moss Adams Fashion Innovator award will return with the coveted honor being presented on Oct. 6 at the opening night of LA Fashion Week at the Petersen Automotive Museum.

The MAFI is given every year to a California-based apparel company that has in the past 12 months exemplified creativity and innovation from design, to marketing and commerce, noted Martin Hughes, the national practice leader for apparel at Moss Adams who will be presenting the award on behalf of the accounting firm. The award includes $5,000 worth of Moss Adams services.

The last MAFI was given in 2016 to Rails, a global lifestyle brand launched by Jeff Abrams in 2008. The presentation took place at the annual October fashion show organized by Fashion Business Inc. at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. FBI disbanded in 2017, and Moss Adams had been searching for a new fashion-week presentation partner. Other winners of past awards include Frankie B, Nally and Millie, AS by DF and Petro Zillia.

“Finding the right partner to fulfill our goal of giving back to the industry and honoring innovation was a lengthy process, and we are thrilled to have selected LAFW for this year’s award,” Hughes said.

LA Fashion Week, organized by Arthur Chipman, held its first fashion show at Union Station several years ago and now has a permanent location at the Petersen Automotive Museum. This year, its five days of runway shows will take place Oct. 6–10.

“LA Fashion Week represents cutting-edge designers from all over the world who aspire to be part of that West Coast renaissance happening within the creative community,” Chipman said. “Moss Adams has been one of the biggest supporters of that very idea, and we’re proud to have their support.”