Nashville’s place in the fashion world is evolving, so now is the perfect time to hear directly from those who are shaping its future!

Join the Arts & Business Council to kick off our Salon Series with Nashville: Style in the Making, an engaging evening of fashion industry networking and conversation where local leaders in fashion reflect on how craft, design, and innovation set Nashville apart. Guests will gain insight into building successful fashion brands in Music City and how emerging (and established) voices are elevating Nashville’s style.

Fuel the dialogue with light bites and drinks while connecting with fellow creatives!

Evening Program
5:45 p.m. — Guest Arrival and Welcome
6:00–7:00 p.m. — Networking and Interactive Experiences
7:00–7:45 p.m. — Featured Panel Conversation
7:45–8:00 p.m. — Audience Questions and Panel Response
8:00 p.m. — Closing Remarks and Farewell

Lead Conversationalist

Emmanuel J. LeGrair, M.Ed., Creative Director, R.H. Boyd

Emmanuel J. LeGrair is a creative strategist, community builder, and the Creative Director at R.H. Boyd, where he leads brand storytelling and design initiatives rooted in cultural heritage. As co-founder of The Commonwealth, he curates conversations around style, culture, and brotherhood, collaborating with brands like Longines, Blackstock & Weber, Billy Reid, Soho House Nashville, and Buck Mason. His career spans education, nonprofit leadership, consulting, and entrepreneurship, with board service at the Arts & Business Council, Frist Art Museum, PENCIL Foundation, Kindling Arts Festival, and Nashville Public Radio. Emmanuel holds a B.S. in International Business from the University of Akron and an M.Ed. in Leadership and Organizational Performance from Vanderbilt, bringing a human-centered approach to creative leadership and strategy.

Panelists

Savannah Yarborough, SAVAS : American Luxury Menswear

Alabama native Savannah Yarborough received her BA in Menswear and Tailoring at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London. Her design career began as the Senior Men’s Designer of award-winning Billy Reid. Known for her eye for cut, fit and material expertise, her designs are shaped by a combination of European tailoring and American grit. Savas was created in 2015 to create a unique offering of expertly crafted luxury leather and suede garments that are now sold in the finest retailers in the United States, such as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and other fine men’s stores. The brand placement is adjacent to Brunello Cucinelli, Tom Ford and Zegna.

Ethan Kiyoshi Summers, Oil/Lumber

Ethan Kiyoshi Summers is a Nashville-based designer focused on small-batch, sustainable garments with a foundation in workwear. Drawing from his background in woodworking and industrial design, Ethan weaves his Japanese heritage and everyday practice into each piece he creates. He founded his company, Oil/Lumber, in 2014, beginning with one garment at a time before moving into made-to-order production, and has since grown into small-batch manufacturing within his Kingston Springs, TN studio and through partnerships with domestic factories. His designs have been featured in GQ, Monocle, Forbes, Garden & Gun, and Dwell, recognized for their balance of craft, culture, and sustainability.

Michael Stricklin, Loyal Stricklin

Loyal Stricklin is a leather, denim, and waxed canvas specialist brand based in Nashville Tennessee. We are intently focused on building the highest quality clothing, bags, and accessories as we possibly can, using materials only form the best mills, tanneries, and suppliers around the world, and assembling them all right here in the USA.

Loyal Stricklin is owned and operated by Michael Stricklin with significant help from his trusted staff Sarah Stricklin (also his wife), Zach Kennedy, and Elliot Martinez. Almost all of our goods are produced in house, and what isn't, is always produced in the USA.

About the Salon Series

The Arts & Business Council’s Salon Series is a new event platform designed to spark conversation, gather insight, and build community across Nashville’s creative sector. Each gathering spotlights a different area of the creative economy such as fashion, film, or design through interactive experiences and thoughtful dialogue with local leaders. It’s a space to connect, share ideas, and shape the future of the arts in our city.

The Salon Series is made possible by funding support from the Tremaine Foundation.