A new cooperation between Harlem's Fashion Row (HFR) and LVMH North America will aid emerging talent in the quest for a more egalitarian and diverse fashion industry.
Collaboration Will Aid Up-and-Coming Black Designers
The union respects LVMH's promise to boost HFR's initiatives to highlight and mentor individuals of color through multi-platform, high-visibility events and tailored pipeline programs. Additional inclusion initiatives developed in partnership with HFR will open mentorship and activation possibilities to link young Black designers with well-known international brands like Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton, which will benefit diverse talent.
"LVMH is committed to having a positive impact in our communities and achieving the route forward provided by Virgil Abloh and others who helped develop equity and inclusion in the fashion industry by supporting and building a pool of varied creative talent," the company said in a statement.
"Continued internal development of talent of color is essential for LVMH as an organization to maintain the relevance of our brands and our products in a changing and diversified customer landscape. We consider our collaboration with HFR as a fantastic opportunity to concentrate on values, culture, business, and community at the same time because these ideas are interwoven and supportive of one another rather than mutually exclusive.”
Among the onboarding initiatives are a 3-day retreat with key executives serving as mentors.
The HFR ICON 360 HBCU Summit, which will focus on fashion programs at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and offer the education needed to flourish in the business, will be one of the onboarding initiatives. In addition, the Black History Month Summit will serve as a platform for business leaders to organize discussions on diversity in fashion, and 75 designers will get mentorship from top businesspeople at HFR's Designer Retreat.
According to a news release, Brandice Daniel, CEO and Founder of HFR, said, "Through this cooperation, HFR and LVMH North America look forward to continuing their objective of giving designers of color access to people and organizations that may help define their future.
"We've been successful in exposing a wide range of varied designers to a world-class fashion curriculum filled with priceless tools and resources to help them expand their businesses, and we've educated Gen Z on how they, too, can change the direction of fashion. In addition, we have given young people the chance to get involved as early as high school, meeting marginalized people where they are in their fashion careers, especially HBCU students.”
