Kate Spade New York and its parent company Tapestry Inc. are participating in a three-year partnership with Harlem’s Fashion Row’s annual HBCU Fashion Summit. Harlem’s Fashion Row launched its HBCU Fashion Summit program in 2020 as a way to transform the art and fashion programs at HBCUs across America; the program provides students with direct design expertise from industry experts. The purpose of the partnership will be to help advance diversity, equity and inclusion within the fashion industry.
This year the program will offer students at Bowie State University opportunity to engage with Kate Spade's designers and executive leaders and designers across all categories. They will be given exclusive courses, dubbed Tenacity Talks, in which learn first-hand from Kate Spade New York experts. The curriculum, which runs through the spring semester, includess The History of Kate Spade and Tapestry; Kate Spade Accessory Design 101; Concept, Print, and Color; How To Build the Bones of A Brand; RTW, Shoes, Jewelry, Eyewear; Materials For Accessory Design; and Mental Health and The Fashion Industry.
Tapestry’s three-year partnership with HFR's HBCU Fashion Summit program will also encompass its coterie of fashion brands such as Coach and Stuart Weitzman. Tapestry will also sponsor Bowie State University’s Senior Capstone Fashion Show and offer industry experience to students through internship opportunities across their roster of brands.
“With Tapestry’s overwhelming support for our core initiative, to holistically prepare Gen-Z for fashion’s workforce with comprehensive programming, I’m confident, together, we can provide scholars with an opportunity to thrive in an incredibly transformative externship experience, the industry is vying for change, but we can only be most innovative when Black talent is included,” said Brandice Daniel, CEO and founder of Harlem's Fashion Row.
