Meet M. Todd Burton

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to M. Todd Burton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

M. Todd, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I find my purpose through the effect I have on those around me. I don’t know that I exactly “found my purpose” as much as it found me. I have always been self driven and passionate about everything I do. But I have learned over the years that when the I becomes a we, so much more gets done and the impact people can have on each others lives is truly profound. The Charlotte Fashion Collective was initially created in an effort to organize the fashion community in a way that we can collaborate and work together in as creative a way possible. The one thing that makes creative people even more creative is when we are surrounded by other creative people. The community existed, it was just never banded together. All I did was establish a forum for us to organize. And when you organize great people, great things happen. When all serve the benefit of the group, everyone wins, and that is the key to everything I do…….everybody wins. I saw the community growing and the positive effect it was having on our members, and The CFC was off to some really great things. But the real birth of purpose is the need to fight for change. As I got more involved in the community and saw some of the things going on I felt the fashion community really needed a makeover. We needed to be more inclusive, honest, generous, collaborative, and fair. I remember the first time a model told me she had to pay to walk in a runway event. I was incredulous and dismayed. And when I realized that was becoming the norm I became dedicated to changing that norm. And that was just the beginning.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I have always had a creative background. I studied music and literature in college; I spent over 10 years of my life building custom high end furniture. I published a national trade publication on Integrated Marketing that was very successful. I started photography about 5 years ago as a hobby and soon became very passionate about it. As I engaged more in my photography, I found I really loved shooting beauty and fashion. I believe what I loved about it most was the people I was getting to work with. The fashion community is an incredible vibrant group of people that love to create and more than anything love to work together. It takes 5 people to take a picture, a model, photographer, makeup artist, designer, hair stylist, and you can add more. The excitement of working with a group of creative people was incredibly inspiring artistically and at a human level. I found that we were all feeding off of each other in a way the celebrated who we are as individuals and as artists. And so I found the Charlotte Fashion Collective, a community of like minded creative people interested in celebrating our art on our own terms. The CFC rapidly grew as the community was not just in need of organization, but it created a healthy path for people to engage in the community that might otherwise not. As we began to organize and have regular events I began to see some areas that needed to be improved in the world of modeling, runway, fashion shows etc….There were bad actors everywhere selling hopes and dreams to models, and parents of kids just getting involved in modeling, fake magazines everywhere, show producers not providing food and water for models at shows, not providing adequate resources at the events etc… . Models were being charged to walk in fashion shows, sold all kinds of unnecessary packages with promises of a future in modeling all that amounted to nothing of real value, and show producers just taking advantage of creative people looking for opportunity. So The CFC became a place to educate, train, and provide valuable resources to our members without all the fake promises and the high price tags. We produce our own events, which includes the largest and most well attended annual fashion show in Charlotte. We have grown to over 500 members. We have seen our models signed with legitimate agencies, get paid for their work and given opportunity to all regardless of size, shape, gender, sexual orientation.

We successfully established a professional Talent Directory at www.thecharlottefashioncollective.com. where we host our member’s portfolios. Every member has a login and is able to manage their portfolio, print out their comp-card and provide access to agencies and producers. Our Talent Directory is comprehensive, professional and will rival any professional talent agency’s directory.

The CFC continues to provide education in modeling, posing, runway, photography, to all of our members at minimal to no costs. We do this through various workshops, and at all of our events. We have industry experts available to assist in all aspects of the fashion industry and strive to be the most transparent organization of its kind.

We have established a talented group of Professional Photographers that provide portfolio pictures of our members at extremely low cost with no sacrifice in quality. We have a CFC Certified Photographer Program, where our most talented photographers are peer reviewed, both in their finished work, but also in their ability to direct photo sessions. All of our Certified Photographers have passed National and local Criminal Background Checks, and are fully backed by The CFC. We have a complete program that brings in new photographers and trains them in the art of fashion photography with a path to becoming certified. We provide income opportunities to our photographers through bookings, and through paid opportunities directly with The CFC.

Most importantly, we have a leadership team. The CFC is the voice of many. Angela Jones, Angelia Ramskill, and Eric Pratt all serve as executive members of the team. We have a host of other members that also serve roles in defining our direction as well. We are dedicated to being the voice of many. Angela Jones takes on as much responsibility as myself and has made countless contributions to the success of The CFC.

We have partnerships, with both Dillard’s and Macy’s which has created a tremendous amount of opportunity for our members and also played critical roles in helping us fund raise for great causes. This year we were able to raise $1000 to Safe Alliance (a local charity that provides resources to victims of domestic violence).

There never was a “fashion community” in Charlotte, at least not a tangible one. Now there is and we are over 500 people strong and growing. We are doing great things to promote the interest of people in the fashion industry, establishing boundaries for those who want to take advantage of us, and doing great things to promote important causes, and while we have accomplished a lot in a relatively short amount of time, we have so much more to do

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The qualities I believe I possess that have made this journey a successful one are,

1: My ability to communicate my mission to the people I want to impact: When people understand and believe that they can be a part of something that not only serves their own interest but also a greater community interest, they join forces; they want to be a part of it and they help forge the path to success.

2: My resilience: When you are doing great things, the bad actors come for you. They do everything they can to see you fail. The industry you are trying to change will often go to unusually great lengths to stop you. in my case it has often felt like a war. But one that had to be kept quiet, so as not to create discord in the community itself. My resilience in pushing forward has been a critical part in the continued growth of The CFC.

3: My passion for people: Regardless of those who have and still continue to tear down what The CFC has created, I have had the most incredible opportunity to meet and work with some of the greatest people I have ever known including kids and their families, adults who have never been given an opportunity before. Seeing people grow through their experience in The CFC has been a driving force and it is my dedication to making a difference that keeps me searching for new ways to benefit the people of my community.

For those starting out on their journey, my advice is simple, be passionate, truthful, hard working. Recognize you cant do it alone and strive to raise up those around you. Ultimately they will carry you to greater heights than you will carry them to.!!

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

I am going to talk about what my parents did that impacted me the most. My answer may be an unusual one, because I grew up mostly on my own, at least since the age of 14. My parents and I did not see things the same way and I was pretty much on my own through my junior high, and high school years, living off the kindness of others, mostly through a friends family who took me in. I had also lived in various group homes, and foster care for a short time. So I think the most important thing my parents did for me was force me to forge my own way in the world with the help of no one. Not that I would suggest parents alleviate themselves of supporting the needs of their children, in fact I would argue the opposite, but for me, everything I wanted to accomplish required a battle, and because I knew that, I was always ready for one. It is interesting how things haven’t changed much for me. So I approach everything I do as a mission and I am prepared for adversity, and I believe I encounter adversity only because I am doing great things through the enlightenment, and celebration of those around me. I believe The CFC is giving a voice to the people in the fashion community that has been stifled by many looking for personal gain at the expense of others, and I am an a mission to put that to bed. And yes that’s a battle and yes I am ready for its because of my history.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thepeopleoffashion.com. www.thecharlottefashioncollecrtive.com. www.mtoddphotography.com
• Instagram: @thecharlottefashioncollective @mtoddphotography
• Facebook: The Charlotte Fashion Collective
• Linkedin: The CharlotteFashion Collective