Photography by Catherine Rafferty
CHRIS WASHINGTON
Christopher Washington is the face of 10th annual Rochester Fashion Week, appearing in marketing campaigns and billboards around Rochester. He is the owner of the brand TopFlight, which encompasses his clothing line, motivational speaking and videography business. He is also father to three
sons, Caleb, Chris Jr. and Caden. As Fashion Week approaches,
Chris balances preparing for the event with his responsibilities as a dad.
Above: Chris centers himself on the roof of the Sibley building on Oct. 6, 2018. He uses the building as a workplace and as a space to focus on his planning his next business moves. This place is “For me to step back, especially after having the boys all day, and to just think through…I need to make sure I talk to these people, open my list of what’s important to get done, to just be in this moment and maximize.” he said.
Top Left: Chris contemplates a video edit while working at the Sibley Building in Rochester, N.Y. on Oct. 6, 2018. Chris is in the process of creating reels for upcoming athletes who want to go into professional basketball
Above: Megan Mundy, director of Rochester Fashion Week, and Chris sort through TopFlight clothes at a model fitting on Sept. 27, 2018. Chris has recently made new designs that have not been sold in-store yet and will be appearing for the first time on the runway.
Left: A magazine cover for Fashion Week of Rochester featuring Chris. .
Left: Chris waits in line to walk on the runway for the Lead the Way show on Oct. 10, 2018.
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Right: Chris discusses the TopFlight clothes walking in the Lead the Way show with Megan Mundy on Oct. 10, 2018. Megan and Chris had chosen the outfits during the fitting and the models were getting ready moments before the show.
Left: Chris carries his son Caden through Medley Center, where his clothes are sold, on Sept. 9, 2018. Chris is currently working on building the brand of TopFlight to better reflect who he is. “The whole movement is to just live above average. Like things go on like on the surface level, but when you’re in a plane, none of that affects you no matter what.”
Chris prepares lunch for his sons Chris Jr. and Caleb before they leave for school on Sept. 24, 2018. He brings them to school every day because his partner is already at work.