A female model walking on a runway wearing a futuristic, armor-like outfit made of layered, curved, wooden panels. The background shows an audience and a large screen with blurred images.

where

fashion

becomes

story.

Free visual storytelling for emerging designers, stylists, and models.

APPLY

THE PROBLEM

The GAP.

You graduated or you are on the path to graduation with design skills. But you don't know how to direct a shoot. You can't brief a team. You don’t have professional images to display your work outside student photographers and don’t want to break the bank before getting a foot in the next door. You have ideas, but no experience executing them at a professional level.

This gap keeps talented people stuck.

"Fashion schools teach design. They don't always teach students how to actually produce campaigns and what goes on outside the designing processes"

NEP closes that gap.

No experience necessary · All skill levels welcome

Work With Us

WHO THIS IS FOR

Emerging Designers

Who want to see their work produced at editorial level.

BUILT FOR YOU.

Stylists

Learning to develop cohesive visual narratives.


Photographers

Seeking production mentorship.

Models

Building direction literacy and portfolio depth.

Anyone in Fashion

Hair, makeup, creative direction — who wants hands-on experience.

The BLUEPRINT.

Show Up

THE CONVERGENCE

Once a month, we run a free editorial production. You show up. No lectures. No theory. Just real production work with real direction and real feedback.

Monthly · Saturday · 4 hrs

create

THE EXECUTION

Conceptualize visual narratives. Style looks intentionally. Direct teams on set. Get feedback on your work in real time from someone actively working in fashion.

Professional Direction · Hands-On

build

THE LEGACY

Walk away with 10–20 professional images that look like real campaigns. Build portfolio content. Build the confidence to run a shoot independently.

10–20 Pro Images · Yours to Keep

WHAT YOU'LL
WALK AWAY WITH.

Visual Equity

You graduated with design skills. But you don't know how to direct a shoot. You can't brief a team. You have ideas, but no experience executing them at professional level. This gap keeps talented people stuck.

10–20 Professional Images

From every production you attend — campaign-level quality

Real Direction from Working Professionals

Not classroom theory. Actual set direction.

Peer Network

Designers, stylists, photographers, models — all in one room

The Confidence to Run a Shoot

You leave knowing how to lead a creative team

Zero Cost. Always Free.

No fees. No deposits. No gatekeeping. Ever.

Monthly Community

Consistent, recurring access. Miss one? There's always a next one.

NEP closes that gap.

Work With Us

next production coming soon!

APPLY

Driven by curiosity and built on purpose, this is where bold thinking meets thoughtful execution. Let’s create something meaningful together.

FROM OUR
PRODUCTIONS

A woman with red hair is holding a red lipstick labeled "TLB The Lip Bar" near her lips, which are painted bright red. She has a playful expression with one eye squinting and her teeth showing.
A woman wearing a traditional South Asian dress with detailed embroidery, standing outdoors in an urban setting with traffic lights and people in the background.
A close-up portrait of a woman with pearl embellishments on her face, slicked-back dark hair, and pearl jewelry. She holds her hands near her head, with manicured nails, against a plain white background.
Person with short, light brown hair, wearing a teal sleeveless blazer, gold necklaces, and a shiny gold choker, standing against a light green background.
A woman with long dark hair, wearing statement earrings, with bright red makeup, and posing against a red background.
A woman in a red, shiny, strapless gown stands against a solid red background, looking to the side with a confident expression.
A woman with styled brown hair and makeup applying lipstick with a tube labeled TLB. She wears gold jewelry and poses against a white background.
A woman with long, curly red hair standing on a beach in a tan bikini with GVO printed on it, against a background of ocean and sunset.
A Black man with glasses and a beard wearing a white sweater, with his arms crossed and a smartwatch on his wrist, against a plain gray background. Derick Jerome or Derick Todd. MUSEDPhoto

Meet the Founder

I'm Derick Todd, a photographer and creative director based in Cleveland. I've spent years directing editorial shoots and watching talented emerging creatives go on aimlessly without knowing how to execute their ideas.

That gap frustrated me. So I created NEP.

I believe production direction is a skill anyone can learn. I believe emerging talent deserves mentorship, not gatekeeping. I believe Columbus is a fashion hub worth building community around.

That's what NEP is.

Strong visual work isn't accidental. It's communicated, structured, and directed.

Emerging talent deserves real mentorship.

Columbus's fashion ecosystem is underestimated and underserved.

Community matters more than competition.

IMAGES PER PRODUCTION

10-20

CONSISTENT CADENCE

MONTHLY

ALWAYS, FOREVER

FREE

Work With Us

QUESTIONS

  • No. NEP is completely free for all participants. No fees, no deposits, no hidden costs. Ever.

  • No. All skill levels are welcome. You'll learn by doing. Complete beginners and working professionals participate side by side.

  • No problem. Come when you can. We do this monthly, so there's always a next one. No commitment required.

  • Yes. Every participant gets 10–20 professional images from each production they attend. Yours to use, share, and keep — no restrictions.

  • About 4 hours on Saturday afternoon. You can arrive early or stay after for informal conversation.

  • Locations rotate between Cleveland and surrounding areas — studios, outdoor locations, borrowed spaces. Check our Discord or newsletter for specific details.

  • Yes! Invite them to join. More creatives means a stronger community.

  • Join our Discord, or follow @narrativeeditorialproject on Instagram.

EVERY ANSWER YOU NEED.

→ info@neproject.org

→ @narrativeeditorialproject

Still have questions? Reach out directly.