An Inspired Chat with Robbi Gallagher

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Robbi Gallagher. Check out our conversation below.

Robbi, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Who are you learning from right now?
Right now, I’m learning the most from Saige Thomas, the Co-Founder and President of the Texas Fashion Industry Initiative and Texas Fashion Week. We met in Seattle at a fashion show we were both booked for—my very first fashion show ever. I was still finding my footing in the industry, and Saige immediately became someone whose presence made the entire experience feel possible. Watching her work—how she leads teams, navigates chaos, and still protects the artistry and humanity of every designer, model, and creative in the room—completely shifted the way I thought about production.
Since then, she has become a mentor I genuinely look up to, not just because of her accomplishments, but because she leads with clarity, compassion, and intention. She is someone who proves that fashion is not just about glamour; it’s about community, infrastructure, and storytelling. I’m constantly learning from the way she builds opportunities for others, especially emerging creatives like me. Every project I take on with Gallagher Productions is influenced by the standard she sets—be prepared, be thoughtful, and make sure everyone feels seen.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Robbi Gallagher Smith, and I’m the founder of Gallagher Productions, a fashion and concert photography brand based in Manhattan. I specialize in capturing runway, live performance, and behind-the-scenes storytelling for designers, artists, and fashion organizations. What makes my work unique is that I approach every project through the lens of both a creative and a producer—I’m always thinking about the artistry and the infrastructure that brings a moment to life.
I officially entered the fashion world in 2023, starting with Cin Barron’s Rise From Within—my very first show—where I realized how deeply I connected with documenting movement, emotion, and identity. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working at New York Fashion Week, Texas Fashion Week, and Texas International Fashion Week, collaborating with designers, creative directors, and industry leaders who inspire me daily. As a young latina trans woman, my work is closely tied to community—especially the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ creatives who shaped my path and continue to influence my vision.
Through Gallagher Productions, I’m building more than a portfolio—I’m building a creative ecosystem. I’m currently working on expanding into larger-scale run-of-show production, editorial projects, and new media storytelling that blends fashion, culture, and lived experience. Ultimately, my goal is to create work that makes people feel powerful, represented, and unforgettable.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world tried to tell me who I had to be, I was a kid who saw life in frames—moments, colors, movement, emotion. I didn’t have the language yet for identity, artistry, or community, but I was always drawn to performance, self-expression, and the kind of storytelling that made people feel seen. I was constantly observing, documenting, and imagining worlds bigger than the one around me.
Growing up, I was sensitive, creative, and deeply curious—traits that didn’t always fit neatly into what people expected from me. But those same qualities later became the foundation of who I am as a trans woman, a photographer, and a producer. Long before I found fashion or Ballroom, I was already studying people, energy, and the tiny details that make someone extraordinary. I was always searching for beauty, even in places where others didn’t bother to look.
In many ways, the person I am now is the same person I’ve always been—just finally living in alignment with the things I loved before the world tried to steer me away from them. That early version of me was imaginative, observant, and hungry for connection. Gallagher Productions and everything I create today is really just an evolution of what that kid felt instinctively: that every moment has a story worth capturing, and every person deserves to be seen in their truest form.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self, “You are not too much—you’re just growing into a life that hasn’t been built yet.”
There were so many moments where I felt like I had to shrink, soften, or rewrite myself to fit what people expected. I didn’t know then that everything that made me feel out of place—my sensitivity, my creativity, my identity, my hunger for something bigger—would one day become the exact things that opened doors for me.
I’d tell that version of me that the world gets so much wider, kinder, and more colorful than what they can see right now. That they’re not wrong for dreaming boldly or feeling deeply. And that one day, those dreams and feelings would become the foundation for a career, a community, and a sense of self that finally feels like home.
Most importantly, I’d tell her: You make it. Not by becoming someone else, but by becoming more of yourself.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies the fashion industry tells itself is that representation alone equals progress. We see diverse faces on the runway, queer creatives behind the scenes, and brands using the language of inclusion—but often the structure and decision-making at the top hasn’t changed. True progress isn’t a casting choice; it’s who gets funded, who gets opportunities year-round, and who has a seat at the table when real decisions are being made.
Another lie is that the industry is too fast-paced to slow down for community care. Fashion loves the narrative of “the grind”—that you have to sacrifice sleep, stability, or boundaries to prove your worth. In reality, the most sustainable and transformative work comes from environments that value people, not just output. As someone who works across production, photography, and storytelling, I’ve seen how much stronger teams become when we actually prioritize humanity.
Finally, there’s this idea that success in fashion requires fitting into a certain mold—whether that’s personality, background, or aesthetic. But the truth is, the industry’s most exciting work always comes from people who break that mold entirely. Ballroom taught me that. Being a young trans woman taught me that. Fashion advances when people with lived experience, authenticity, and cultural depth are not just invited in but allowed to lead.
If we stopped telling ourselves these lies and started investing in real equity, real community, and real creative freedom, the industry would be unstoppable.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I was someone who saw others clearly—long before they learned to see themselves. That through my work and my presence, I made people feel powerful, valued, and worthy of being remembered exactly as they are.

I want my legacy to be more than beautiful images; I want it to be the way I showed up for my communities. That I uplifted people whose stories are often overlooked, especially trans folks, Ballroom artists, and emerging creatives who just need one person to believe in them. I hope they say I used whatever access I gained to open doors wider for the next generation, not close them behind me.

Most of all, I hope people tell the story of a woman who built a life and a brand rooted in truth, joy, and intention. Someone who turned her earliest dreams—those flashes of color, movement, and emotion—into a world where others could see themselves reflected with dignity and brilliance.

If the story people tell is that I made space for others to shine, then I’ll know I left something real behind.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gallagherproductions.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robbigallagherr/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbi-smith521/

Image Credits
My Headshot taken by Saige Thomas, all other images were taken by myself Robbi Gallagher