2023 Summer Scholar Series

The 2023 FSF Summer Scholar Series consists of two components:

• Workforce Preparedness Courses: These classes focus on specific topics and hard skills as a supplement to what Scholars may not be learning in school, in order to better prepare them for a successful career in the fashion industry. These sessions equipped Scholars, Scholar Applicants and Alumni for their future internships or full-time job opportunities.

• Master Classes: The sessions, which were featured throughout the eight week program, allowed Scholars, Scholar Applicants and Alumni to hear from industry experts on relevant topics and current challenges of the industry.

Master Class: Visionary Designer Grace Wales Bonner in Conversation with Visual Artist and Design Theorist Dario Calmese

On Wednesday, September 20th, Scholars and Alumni heard from renowned English fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner, as she shared her journey with artist, urbanist, and director Dario Calmese.

One of the most talked-about designers of her generation, Grace Wales Bonner is known for merging the worlds of fashion, music, literature, art and design through her collections - bringing together British tailoring with the sensibilities of the African diaspora. Since launching her namesake label in 2014, Wales Bonner has been recognized with accolades including the LVMH Young Designer Prize, Winner of the British Fashion Council / Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, the CFDA’s International Men’s Designer of the Year, the British Fashion Council’s Award for Independent British Brand, among others. Now, the designer has been tapped by the Museum of Modern Art to curate the museum's sixteenth iteration of the Artist’s Choice exhibition series.

Grace was joined by American visual artist and design theorist Dario Calmese, who made history in 2020 as the first-ever Black photographer to shoot a cover for Vanity Fair with his portrait of Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis. Calmese is the Founder of design start-up The Institute of Black Imagination, he is a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, as well as a professor at The New School’s Parsons School of Design.

View this recording to hear about the journeys, experiences and challenges that led each of these bosses to where they are now, and the advice they have to pass along.

Lunch Break with the Bosses

On Thursday, August 10th at 12:00PM EST viewers joined together for the last session in the 2023 Summer Scholar Series! They tuned in for a candid conversation and valuable career advice from an accomplished group of industry leaders, including Noora Raj Brown (goop's EVP of Brand), Nate Hinton (The Hinton Group's Founder), Melissa Mash (Dagne Dover's Founder and CEO), and moderator Tara Donaldson (WWD’s Executive Editor and Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Fairchild Media Group).

An Intentional Look At: Business Strategy

On Tuesday, July 25th, viewers joined for an overview of business strategy, followed by an in-depth look at the 2024 Business Strategy Case Study prompt. They heard advice from industry experts Alexandrea Davis (Director of Global Insights at Levi’s), Tory Diamond (Senior Vice President, Retail Sales & Business Strategies at L’Oréal Luxe) and past FSF Scholars.

View this recording for a useful overview of the business strategy landscape within the fashion industry, followed by guidance on how to: develop your company’s strategic mission, drive change within the organization, make systemic improvements to your brand through an ESG framework and more. This virtual one-hour session helped prepare Scholar Applicants competing in this discipline for the 2024 FSF Scholarship Competition.

An Intentional Look At: Design

View this recording for an overview of the field of design and product development, followed by an in-depth look at the 2024 Design and Product Development Case Study prompt. Hear advice from industry experts Beckett Fogg (Co-Founder and CEO of AREA), Michelle Ochs (Founder of et Ochs and Creative Director of Hervé Léger) and past FSF Scholars.

This session is a useful overview of the design and product development landscape, followed by guidance on how to: evolve the environmental and social design strategies in line with the marketplace and consumer demand, bring new concepts and vision to the brand’s design strategy while maintaining the brand ethos and design heritage and more. This virtual one-hour session will help prepare Scholar Applicants competing in this discipline for the 2024 FSF Scholarship Competition.

Master Class: Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez

Since its founding in 2002, Proenza Schouler has become synonymous with American Fashion. Now celebrating their 20th anniversary, Proenza Schouler Designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez join acclaimed fashion writer of The Washington Post’s Style Section, Rachel Tashjian, to reflect on two decades in the fashion industry - from their start at Parsons School of Design, to the milestones and lessons they’ve learned along the way. View this recording for an inside look at the careers of two of today’s most celebrated New York designers, and to hear advice from Jack, Lazaro and Rachel on how to succeed in fashion.

Master Class: Designer Sergio Hudson in Conversation with WWD’s Booth Moore

Tune in as Designer Sergio Hudson joins WWD’s West Coast Executive Editor and Author, Booth Moore, for a conversation about his journey in fashion, and the path that led to the launch of his eponymous collection in 2013. Beloved by influential women from Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris to Beyoncè, Rihanna and JLo - Sergio Hudson has become a household name and a revered American Designer, recognized for his signature tailoring and bold color theory.

View an inside look at the symbiotic relationship between designer and editor, and, to hear advice from both Sergio and Booth on breaking into – and standing out in – fashion.

Defining Impact: Through the ESG Lens

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) refers to the three central data categories that investors use to assess corporate responsibility performance – and was the focus of the 2023 FSF Case Study Competition! On Tuesday, June 6th, Scholars heard from Mathilde Assesman (Social Impact Project Manager at Chloe), Ali Mize (Senior Director of ESG, Belonging, and Corporate Philanthropy at Neiman Marcus Group), Gavin Thompson (Vice President of Corporate Citizenship at Canada Goose), and Brittany Sierra (Founder and CEO at Sustainable Fashion Forum) and joined FSF’s first event in the 2023 Summer Scholar Series – an in-depth look at the ESG landscape and the impactful role it plays in the fashion industry. In today’s world, identifying, improving, and disclosing ESG performance on material ESG issues allows companies to: stay ahead of emerging laws and regulations, increase sales and customer loyalty, attract top talent, and much more.

The Beauty of Success with Kendra Bracken-Ferguson

Hear an inspiring conversation with Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, a globally renowned thought-leader and brand strategist, moderated by Ifeoma Ike, Esq, equity thought-partner and author. Kendra is a powerhouse in the beauty and wellness industry as Founder and CEO of BrainTrust and BrainTrust Founders Studio; General Partner of BrainTrustFund; Host of the Business of the Beat Podcast; and Author of her first book, “The Beauty of Success: Start, Grow, and Accelerate Your Brand,” which launches February 13, 2024.

Style Your Success, Presented by Epic Games

Prepare to level up your creativity, as the worlds of fashion and gaming collide! Viewers heard from: Erica Carter (Senior Counsel), Sallyann Houghton (Business Development Manager) and Kim Raichstat (Senior Clothing Artist) from Epic Games. On August 8th at 12pm EST viewers heard these industry leaders share milestones, lessons learned, and provide insight on how to succeed and create impact and diversity in the fashion industry using digital technology.

Careers In, And The World Of, Fashion Journalism: A Master Class With WWD and Penske Media

On Thursday, July 27th WWD and Penske Media Corporation (PMC) hosted a highly insightful master class about the different career paths and opportunities in fashion journalism.Viewers learned how to break into and navigate the world of fashion media through the advice and experience of leading executives and creatives in each department. An award-winning global media group, PMC’s portfolio spans the realms of fashion, beauty, entertainment, art and beyond - with iconic brands such as WWD, Rolling Stone, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Billboard, Robb Report, SHE Media, ARTnews, Fairchild Media, IndieWire and more.  Fairchild Media President and FSF Board Member Amanda Smith were joined by esteemed panelists: Alex Badia, WWD Style Director & Contributing Fashion Director of Rolling Stone and Robb Report, Jenny Fine, WWD Executive Beauty Editor, Jenna Greene, WWD Visual Media Director, and Lucha Saint Fleury, Director of Talent Acquisition for PMC.

Master Class: Visionary Gabriela Hearst in Conversation with WSJ. Magazine’s Deputy Editor, Elisa Lipsky-Karasz

On Friday, July 21st at 12PM EST, leading designer and sustainable fashion pioneer Gabriela Hearst joined WSJ. Magazine’s Elisa Lipsky-Karasz to share her ethos, journey, and vision for the future with the Fashion Scholarship Fund.  As Founder and Creative Director of her namesake label Gabriela Hearst, and, as Creative Director of Chloé for the past three years, Hearst has achieved extraordinary advancements in sustainable fashion including leading Chloé to become the first European luxury fashion house to be granted B Corp status. Laser-focused on bettering the fashion industry and encouraging more sustainable approaches to production and consumption, Hearst is an incredible talent, trailblazer, and force to learn from.

The Making of Neiman Marcus Group’s Sustainable & Ethical Product Edits

The Making of Neiman Marcus Group’s Sustainable & Ethical Product Edits -- "Fashioned for Change" and "Conscious Curation" -- are an ever-evolving assortment of brands and products curated by standards designed to make a positive impact on people and the planet. View this recording for a “behind the scenes” look at the attributes and the certifications that are required from an industry, merchant, and brand partner perspective to allow our customers to shop in line with their values. Hear from: Grace Chang (VP DMM Fine Apparel, Bergdorf Goodman), Debi Rodenmayer (ESG Merchandising Manager Neiman Marcus Group), Dinelle Salvador (Membership and Corporate Engagement Manager, Textile Exchange), and Jennifer Stucko (Founder & CEO, Prota Fiori).

FSF Accelerator Grant Pitch Event

Hear our FSF Alumni Finalists present their nascent businesses to a panel of esteemed judges, Narda Chan (Vice President, Design at Macy's), Victor Glemaud (Designer), Roberto Lorenzini (CEO of Tod's Group - Americas), Jenna Lyons (Co-Founder and CEO of LOVESEEN and cast member of upcoming The Real Housewives of New York, on Bravo), and Eleanor Turner (Founder and CEO of The Big Favorite and 2019 FSF Accelerator Grant Recipient) in an effort to win the $50,000 FSF Accelerator Grant!

Our 2023 Accelerator Grant Finalists are:

Esther Andrews – 2017 Scholar from Savannah College of Art and Design Gokce Guven – 2020 Scholar from University of California, Berkeley Sieun Lee – 2019 and 2020 Scholar from Parsons School of Design Chantal Mtakati – 2017 Scholar from Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising

An Intentional Look At: Marketing

View this recording for an overview of the field of marketing, followed by an in-depth look at the 2024 Merchandising Case Study prompt. Hear advice from industry experts Michaela Guillroy (Coordinator of Global Brand Marketing - Licensing at Ralph Lauren) and David Katz (Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer of Randa Apparel & Accessories) and past FSF Scholars.

Tune in for a useful overview of the marketing landscape and guidance on: developing strategies that address the stages of the marketing funnel, communicating company actions, goals, and values, using analytics to assess the effectiveness of marketing activities and tracking consumer retention while building authentic trust-based customer relationships. This virtual one-hour session will help prepare Scholar Applicants competing in this discipline for the 2024 FSF Scholarship Competition.

An Intentional Look At: Merchandising

View this recording for an overview of the field of merchandising, followed by an in-depth look at the 2024 Merchandising Case Study prompt. Hear advice from industry experts and past FSF Scholars, as well as guidance on: establishing a mix of product, managing merchandise to maximize sales and minimize extra inventory, and addressing a product launch while considering the holistic brand experience.

During this session, attendees heard from: Ashley Hisken (Director of Merchandising, Brand Design at NORDSTROM), Joelle Schaffer (Divisional Merchandise Manager at COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR COMPANY), Fatmata Camara (2023 FSF Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholar from LIM College and current Product Development and Sourcing H&A Associate and TIFFANY & CO.) and Danielle Testa (Assistant Professor at Arizona State University, and author of the 2024 FSF Merchandising Case Study prompt).

This virtual one-hour session provided a useful overview of merchandising and will help prepare Scholar Applicants competing in this discipline for the 2024 FSF Scholarship Competition.