[EDITOR'S NOTE! Each year since forever, I've polled an annual selection of Portland's fashion-related industry insiders to get their takes on the best and worst of the past year, from trends to cultural moments, local and well beyond. I'll be spotlighting some of those responses on the blog, and in the new issue of the Merc. Next up: FashioNXT's Tito Chowdhury!!]

Best: FashioNXT launching the city’s first fashion accelerator, with cash grant and business-loan program for the winner with the support of financial development entities Wells Fargo Bank and Mercy Corps. Seth Aaron’s collection showing the world the breadth of his superb skills like never before, and one of the most skillful designers of the time, Mondo Guerra, premiering his collection for the first time in Portland at FashioNXT.

Worst: Some misguided efforts to be seen as ‘supporting the fashion industry’ continue to mock the intelligence, and more importantly the trade, that’s the livelihood of many of us.