Boston Fashion Week celebrates its 25th anniversary this week as a platform for upcoming designers — and building a strong identity for Boston in an artistic and commercial realm dominated by New York.

On Sunday, the main event opened at the Mandarin Oriental showcasing a digital fashion photo installation, a fashion show and an introduction to virtual reality by executive director and founder Jay Calderin.

“It’s the sense of community,” said Calderin. “Every day we are making a living, trying to express ourselves through our work, and this is the one time a year we have the opportunity to not only show off our work, but to support one another.”

Running from Sept. 22 to 28, the event is introducing a diverse range of independently produced fashion presentations, trunk shows and educational programs for the public.

“I try not to infringe on the creative control for the designers,” Calderin said. “Most of the designers produce their own shows, which gives them an opportunity to network across with other brands in the area.”

Colombian-American designer Nathalia Castrillon, founder of Nathalia JMag, a zero-waste and upcycling fashion brand, knows all too well the importance of using art as a means to educate others on social and environmental issues. Castrillon, who was recently featured as a designer during the Latinx Heritage event at the Museum of Fine Arts, was the artist-in-residence educating youth on the benefits of eco-sustainable apparel.

“My designs are created in a way that doesn’t harm people, animals or the environment,” Castrillon said. “I’m happy to be invited to a space where I feel supported because some designers end up leaving to go to New York or Los Angeles due to lack of support, so we need to nurture this event so designers can stay.”

Throughout the years, one of the biggest challenges of the Boston fashion scene was to solidify its identity in the fashion world. As a transplant born and raised in New York City, Calderin moved to Boston in 1989 to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the fashion industry in the concrete jungle. New York is a famous and historical epicenter of high fashion but Calderin noticed Boston had the potential but didn’t have enough people paying attention.

“We used to fight all the things that were considered Boston. The city has a reputation of being a college town with a heavy focus on science, technology and business, but this is something that we can use to our advantage.”

He also added that the truest test of knowing whether Boston has a market and an audience for fashion are the companies that research and invest in opening stores in the city. “Valentino and Armani are on Newbury Street. They aren’t going to be setting up shops in towns where they can’t sell, and we are talking high end.”

“Boston Fashion Week has a strong reputation. It is a nonprofit but it has had longevity because of the community effort,” said Terri Mahn, fashion producer and CEO of The Stylist Closet. For the last 11 years, Mahn has been the driving force behind the show productions, particularly the immersive photo installation featuring 55 local designers of the past and present showcased during opening night. “Professionalism goes a long way. Vendors and sponsors want to know that you are worth the investment, so we diligently make sure that we are on point.”

Zaina Jajah, founder and CEO of Zjajah Creation is one of the featured designers who is thankful for the opportunities she’s earned since her debut in 2017 during the kick-off to fashion week powered by Anna Foster, founder and CEO of A Maven’s World Lifestyle Brand. Born in Accra, Ghana, her Islamic faith and African heritage is what inspires her signature bold hijab collections.

“They give us the platform to shine considering I started my journey in fashion design in 2017,” she said. “Since then I’ve been invited to New York Fashion Week and other showcases in Dubai, Maylasia and London respectfully.”

Jajah left her corporate job last year to focus on work as a designer full time. Her Boston Fashion Week experience gave her the confidence to take the leap.

“What I bring to the table wasn’t on the table,“ she said. “I have the passion and I have a niche in this space that will provide me with the clientele I need to flourish. If I don’t pay attention to my work one hundred percent, my brand will suffer.”

For the big 2-5, Calderin says there isn’t exactly a theme this year, but science will be an important piece to the future of fashion in Boston.

“I look forward to exploring virtual reality in the fashion space. The resources are at our finger tips,” he said. “The future of Boston fashion is smart.”