Students and Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholars received over $1 million in scholarships.
By: BROOKE FISHER + APRIL 4, 2023
On Monday night, the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) held its annual gala, celebrating the 127 scholars who will receive a joint award of over $1 million in scholarships.
To kick off the evening, host Karlie Kloss and 2022 Chairman's Award winner Naecia Dixon welcomed Anna Wintour as an honoree of the event.
"Growing up in Jamaica, there were three things that I knew were true: the sun rises, the grass is green and Anna Wintour is Vogue," Dixon said. "She has supported the next generation wherever she could as a champion of talent and a nurturer of enterprise."
Earlier in the day, Wintour had hosted the FSF class of 2023 in the Vogue offices. Fatmata Camara, one of the scholars and Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholarship Fund recipient, told Fashionista it was electric.
"When she entered the room, we were dead silent, and I think that speaks to the amount of respect she's been able to command," she said. "There are multiple generations who have learned so much from this woman... It's good to see how invested and how grounded she still is at the level that she's at."
On stage at the gala, Wintour shared that the visit filled her with gratitude "for all the program makes possible."
As Wintour delivered her acceptance speech, she paid tribute to the late Virgil Abloh, whose namesake scholarship awarded an additional 27 students through the FSF. She also advised the scholars in the audience: "Just be who you are. Don't worry about what so and so is doing... It has to come from you the way it did from Virgil. I learned so much from him in the time all too short that I knew him. Study his work, study his generosity, study how he reached out to everyone he ever met... Watch that example, learn from that example and remember his values. We should all try to do just a little bit of what he did to keep our future in good hands."