Juan Delgado, CEO and Co-Founder of Fashion Night Out Westchester, traces his creative roots back to the Southern Westchester BOCES Center for Career Services. Mr. Delgado studied fashion design there from 2011 to 2012. It was there he learned the fundamentals of garment construction, design, and professionalism — lessons that would shape his career.
“That program built the foundation for everything I do now,” Delgado said.
Today, Mr. Delgado leads Fashion Night Out Westchester, a platform he launched four years ago with partner and COO Colleen Cushman. Their vision was to unite fashion, art, music, and community while giving opportunities to emerging designers and students. As CEO, Mr. Delgado oversees creative direction — from curating designers and developing runway concepts to defining the event’s aesthetic — while Ms. Cushman manages operations, logistics, and production. Together, they’ve built an experience that connects established talent with the next generation of creatives.
To those who have known Mr. Delgado since he was a student, his success comes as no surprise.
“He was always a very social and charismatic student with a high interest in fashion,” said his former instructor Carmen Galiano, who still teaches Fashion Design & Merchandising for Southern Westchester BOCES. “Even as a beginner, he displayed natural talent in his fashion work. He always loved ruffles and was very inspired by Oscar De La Renta, who is also from the Dominican Republic. To sit at the front row of the Fashion Night Out show and see his current collection come down the runway was such a proud teacher moment for me. I can still clearly see his DNA in his fashion designs even after all these years.”
One of Mr. Delgado’s proudest collaborations has been with students from his alma mater, the Center for Career Services. Under the guidance of Ms. Galiano and Mr. Delgado, six senior design students presented original designs in the “Purple Dress Challenge” at the most recent Fashion Night Out Westchester show.
Delgado first came to Galiano’s classroom with his team, bringing a signature purple fabric provided by Fashion Night Out Westchester. He also reviewed sketches, and helped select models and accessories, including jewelry. Each student then created a garment celebrating Women’s History Month and honoring the nonprofit My Sisters’ Place.
“Their work brought such fresh energy and creativity to the runway,” Mr. Delgado said. “It felt full-circle to see them experience what it’s like to show their designs professionally.”
Helping those students take their first steps in fashion, he added, was one of the most meaningful parts of his work — a way to give back to the program that began his own journey.
