BY FREYA DROHAN
April 9, 2024
While there can only be one winner, all hopeful students present at The Glasshouse for FSF LIVE, the Fashion Scholarship Fund’s 87th annual Awards, went home enriched, inspired, and motivated for the future thanks to oodles of invaluable advice from Tracee Ellis Ross, Michael Burke, Paloma Elsesser, and more.
Elsesser, dressed in an ensemble by Vaquera, was on emcee duty for the evening, which celebrated the achievements of the entire Class of 2024 FSF Scholars and the Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholars—incorporating some 130 students from 72 schools around the country.
The supermodel gave those in attendance a crucial pointer: make the most of being in the presence of luminaries from the worlds of design, retail, media, and business. “This room is full of people you’ve never met that could change your life. You never know. Don’t be shy tonight!”
An elated Tracee Ellis Ross was welcomed to the stage by her longtime stylist and fellow entrepreneur, Karla Welch, to receive recognition for her disruptive multi-million dollar beauty business, Pattern. Like Elsesser, Ross was straight to the point with no-nonsense advice. Despite being told ‘no’ for over a decade to her idea for a company that catered to Black women’s specific hair care needs, she persevered, knowing it would be both desirable and successful. “I invite you to embark on the important work of threading the needle between the profitable thing and the right thing,” she told students. “They can be the same thing if you do your work with your heart open, not with your eyes closed. And it helps to have a genuine love for humanity. So spread your ideas and your creativity far and wide.”
This importance of perseverance, resilience, and listening to your inner voice was echoed by honoree Michael Burke, Chairman and Chief Executive Office of LVMH Fashion Group, who spoke about taking a chance on interning at Bernard Arnault’s then-tiny company 46 years ago in a downtrodden part of Paris. “You need to dedicate decades of your life before you can be successful,” he said. “I urge you to try not to be successful out of the gates. It’s virtually impossible,” he said, while driving home the importance of finding your support system and your superpower.
For his rare moment in the spotlight, Burke was introduced by none other than Spike Lee, who praised him for being a true champion of diverse talent—including his early support of the late Abloh, whom he ultimately hired to spearhead Louis Vuitton menswear.
Pete Nordstrom, president and chief brand officer of Nordstrom, was also recognized for his commitment to supporting and fostering next-gen talent. Accepting the award on his behalf was his cousin and chief merchandising officer at Nordstrom, Jamie Nordstrom, who was introduced by designer, three-time Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholar, and Nordstrom Made Scholarship recipient Jakarie Whitaker; fresh off a plane from Tokyo.
During the program, Shannon Abloh proudly announced major news regarding the future of the “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund. Abloh and FSF’s Executive Director Peter Arnold confirmed that the next cohort will increase by 100%, to welcome 60 forward-thinking students. This year, the FSF, the country’s foremost fashion-oriented education and development non-profit, awarded over $1.4 million in life-changing scholarships. All of the Scholars were buzzing around the airy Chelsea venue for the celebration, clinking glasses of Moët, and talking attendees through their in-depth solutions-oriented case studies, which were summarized and displayed with adjoining QR codes around the walls.
As for the one winner? The recipient of this year’s coveted Chairman’s Award is Olivia Meyer. The Kent State University student was introduced to the crowd by Bergdorf’s ever-chic Linda Fargo, who called her idea for single-leg pantyhose to reduce waste simply “brilliant.” Later in the evening, Vera Wang, Elsesser, and FSF Board President John Tighe invited Meyer to the stage to accept the accolade, which will also come with a $25,000 prize to help kick-start her career.
Of all the golden nuggets of advice doled out, one in particular rang true. Burke reflected on what was one of Abloh’s true superpowers: his endearing nature. "We have never encountered a single person that didn’t think that Virgil was nice. He crushed it with niceness,” he noted.
In short? Be nice, find your niche, perfect your storytelling, and seize the opportunities that present themselves. The future is yours for the taking—no matter what stage of your fashion career you’re at.