Flora Montes

Fashion has never been just about what we wear. It's about who we are, the stories we carry, and the opportunities we create for others.

A Bronx-born creative leader, proud Puerto Rican, and visionary founder of Bronx Fashion Week and Bronx Fashion NYC, Flora has spent over a decade proving that fashion is far more than what you wear. It is a language. A lifeline. A force for change.

What began with a $200 unemployment check and a vision has grown into a platform that celebrates emerging designers, elevates overlooked talent, and creates space for Bronx creatives to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

Through Bronx Fashion NYC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Flora has expanded that vision beyond the runway, creating pathways through education, mentorship, workforce development, and community outreach.

Through its signature program, Fashion Redefined, she connects creativity with mental health, wellness, and career readiness, empowering young people to build confidence, discover their potential, and develop skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

Her contributions have been recognized by the Bronx Borough President's Office, Morris Heights Health Center, The New York Times, and elected officials, among others. Yet her greatest honor remains the lives touched and the opportunities created.

She is living proof that the industry can be reimagined. And she continues doing exactly that — one collection, one community, one life at a time.