Nichole M. Bess is a global impact leader, fashion strategist, and cultural architect widely known as the Harriet Tubman of Fashion for building an underground railroad of access, opportunity, and visibility for BIPOC and global designers.
With over two decades of experience across fashion public relations, brand development, and international production, Nichole has dedicated her career to dismantling gatekeeping systems and creating pathways for designers historically excluded from the global fashion economy. Her work is rooted in the belief that access is power and that visibility must lead to ownership, sustainability, and legacy.
As the Founder of Noir Fashion Week, Nichole has built an internationally recognized platform that bridges emerging markets with global fashion capitals, showcasing designers from Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and the global diaspora. Beyond runway production, Noir operates as a comprehensive ecosystem, connecting designers to media, buyers, investors, education, and long term economic opportunity.
A defining milestone in Nichole’s global leadership came when she successfully signed the United States into the International Fashion Federation, positioning American independent and BIPOC led fashion platforms within formal global fashion governance and advancing international collaboration through cultural diplomacy.
Nichole’s leadership and impact have been recognized by major global media outlets including Forbes, USA Today, Essence, and others, further solidifying her voice as a thought leader shaping the future of fashion, culture, and creative economies.
More than a producer, Nichole is a systems builder. She creates infrastructure through global partnerships, summits, educational pipelines, and economic frameworks designed to move creatives from talent to ownership. Her work prioritizes legacy over hype, systems over seasons, and global equity over surface level inclusion.
Through Noir Fashion Week and its expanding international footprint, Nichole M. Bess continues to reshape the fashion industry by creating corridors where none existed, opening doors once closed, and ensuring that global designers are not just seen, but sustained.