La vie après l’amour, CEO

HVSFW, CEO + Founder

Originating from a small town in the Hudson Valley, Kaitlyn moved to New York City to pursue her career in fashion, studying merchandising at the Fashion Institute of Technology. For eight years she worked as a merchandiser for a luxury fashion brand.

Though she is grateful for her time and experience there, she quickly witnessed the incredible amount of waste created. The fashion industry is the second leading polluter in the world. Relocated back home in the Hudson Valley, she feels that now, more than ever, we need to think twice about how we consume and be a part of the solution.

Thus, la vie après l’amour was born. Inspired by her work and study travels to France, après is Kaitlyn’s upcycled interpretation of the effortlessly chic style all Parisians seem to have.

Beyond her sustainably-designed pieces is a desire to change how we engage with our world, one choice at a time. She hopes to accomplish this through the longevity of HV Sustainable Fashion Week.

HV United Freelancers + Entrepreneurs, Founder

HVSFW, CcO

A native of Rockland County, Joanne is in love with our beautiful region. She believes in the power of community and is passionate about conscious consumerism and supporting local economies.

When she first started working as a freelance writer, she found a need for a cohesive community that she could plug into and lean on. Not able to find one, she created it herself.

The Hudson Valley United Freelancers + Entrepreneurs Facebook group regularly welcomes new bright and motivated folks and, since its inception in 2021, it has grown into the region’s premier resource hub.

Joanne believes that relationship-oriented collaboration is essential to survival, so all the work she does - be it partnering with the Hudson Valley's best and brightest businesses or connecting entrepreneurs with important resources and each other - is held together by this central mission. We are stronger together.

Joanne is excited to be a part of this movement to restore the earth’s richness through wise decisions and simple changes.

So Vicki, CEO

HVSFW, COO

Annie McCurdy is a designer who fell in love with fashion while hunting for gems in Hudson Valley thrift stores. This led her to earn her BFA in women's sportswear design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2015. Annie draws inspiration from classic American sportswear, art, and fashion history.

Working in a factory building that was once the home of the Vicki Clothing Company in her native Newburgh, New York, Annie is inspired by the industrial history of her hometown and the stylish residents that strolled up and down its streets back when it was known as the “All American City.” Annie began her brand So Vicki, using deadstock and found materials to create men's and women's ready-to-wear ranging from outerwear coats, jumpsuits, shirts, pants, accessories, and more.

Annie was part of HVSFW’s inaugural runway show lineup in the fall of 2023 and, due to her enthusiasm and experience, was invited to join the board the following spring. She hosts mending workshops and clothing swaps free to the community.