Photography by Noc-Op

If you’ve ever wanted in on the fashion industry but weren’t sure where to start, you might consider adopting a designer. Yes, you read right. A relatively new trend called “crowdfunding”, which entails several people making small financial contributions to a single project or business via the Internet, recently made its way to the runway via Catwalk Genius’ Adopt-a-Designer program. In addition to making the wares of various small, independent designers available all over the world, Catwalk Genius allows fans of particular designers to “adopt” them for 15 Euros (about $23). Participants in the Adopt-a-Designer program not only provide concrete support to their favorite designers, they also share in their designer’s profits, which are split between the designer, Catwalk Genius, and the designer’s supporters. Despite the fact that they have to share a portion of their profits, for the designers the program provides the exposure and cash flow to keep their businesses growing — and for burgeoning fashion moguls it’s a great way to get a feel for the industry without too much risk.