Modern Visionaries : Jackson D. Ray (Fashion Moves Forward)
Fashion Journalism has turned into it's own evolution and it's a lot of publications that reflect that. Fashion Moves Forward has become a hot spot for millennials to pick up on the latest individuals and news that's happening in the industry. The publication is showcasing people in a way where we have a chance to learn about some of the new tastemakers. The young and ambitious publication has made a fierce splash on the scene and their drive tells people that they're going to be a force to be reckoned with.
We recently had a chat with their founder, Jackson D. Ray about his influences, the idea of Fashion Moves Forward, what he likes, and more.
Read it here.
Who Are You?
My name is Jackson Ray, and I am the founder of Fashionmovesforward.com. I am 18 years old, and currently live in Queens, Ny.
What are your influences?
I would say music in general really influenced me. Hearing songs like Peso for the first time, and hearing “Raf Simons, Rick Owens usually what i’m dressed in” really got me into clothing.
Kanye was a big influence for me at the beginning as well. He brought fashion to the masses. I had always liked clothes, but after I recognized Kanye’s urge to create, I felt like I had to do something.
What drew you into fashion?
I was always drawn to dressing up, you could really become anyone you wanted to be through clothing. I was pulled into fashion because I loved the idea of expressing yourself through clothing. After I got my first pair of Y-3 sneakers, I knew there was no going back.
When did you come up with the idea of Fashion Moves Forward?
I came up with the idea for fashionmovesforward first as just an instagram. I honestly just made a separate page to post my outfits. I felt like the people who followed my personal account wouldn’t want to see my outfits. Then I started to repost outfits that I liked. When I had about 3,000 followers, I thought it was time for a website. It was a real organic experience. It really took a form of its own. I started to reach out to the individuals that inspired me, and I wanted to share their insight with everyone. You never saw people that weren’t famous get interviews, but to me these people were famous because I looked up to them.
Where do you see FMF going in the future?
I see it going very far. I just started a women’s section on the website, so I am pretty excited about that. I think fashionmovesforward has affected people in a positive way, and I hope to continue that and affect more people. Fashionmovesforward isn’t just a website or instagram fashion page, it is a life style. Me and my team are fully immersed in the fashion world, and we work hard to give people a solid outlook on fashion. If I can help someone express themselves through clothing, then I am succeeding at my mission.
What makes you a Modern Visionary?
I believe I am a Modern Visionary because I am trying to change the way people visualize fashion. People don’t read print magazines for style anymore. I am giving people style through my content. Most people need help building an identity in fashion, and I try to adhere to them. When I was younger, I had no idea what to wear, or what was cool. So I made FashionMovesForward to help others that were like me in the past.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
10 years is a long time. I see myself having a creative workspace in Manhattan. Me and my team want to have a building with a studio and a production studio. We want to be able to design and create clothes and have a place to do shoots for our designs, and other brands. I just want to have the capitol to create whatever I envision. I will hopefully be able to work for myself. I definitely see fashionmovesforward at the forefront of style in 10 years.