Over ten weeks this summer, the Fashion Scholarship Fund hosted the 2025 Summer Scholar Series, connecting Scholars, Scholar Applicants, and Alumni with industry leaders across fashion, media, and culture. Through every session, the Series highlighted the shifts driving fashion forward and the skills Scholars need to meet them.
FASHION BEYOND BORDERS
The Series opened with a workforce preparedness session focused on the 2026 Case Study theme, “Fashion Across Industries," during which leaders from Levi Strauss & Co., Macy’s, Inc., The North Face, and FSF, along with case study prompt author and Assistant Professor at ASU FIDM, Danielle Testa, explored how brands are stepping outside their traditional lanes to build relevance in new categories. That spirit of cross-industry collaboration carried through the summer, from entrepreneurs breaking down what it really takes to launch a label during Scholar to Startup, in partnership with the Fifteen Percent Pledge, to recruiters at LVMH, UNIQLO, and Gap Inc. pulling back the curtain on today’s hiring process during Dream Role Ready: From Resume to Reality.
For the Scholar to Startup session, co-founder and Creative Director of Jonathon Cohen Studios, Jonathan Cohen, reminded students that “anyone, anywhere, can be a designer if they have a story to tell.” Kathryn Fortunato, co-founder and Head of Sales and Operations of Lizzie Fortunato, emphasized the value of building slowly and with integrity. Jessica Rich, founder of Jessica Rich, shared how resourcefulness and self-reliance can transform a vision into a business.
As Peter Arnold reflected, each story pointed to the same lesson: “Resilience, resourcefulness, and vision are critical to any business plan.”
STORYTELLING AS STRATEGY
Cultural storytelling emerged as a defining thread of the Summer Scholar Series. Dr. Monica L. Miller, Professor of English and Africana Studies at Barnard College and the guest curator of The Met’s 2025 Costume Institute’s "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," gave our audience a behind-the-scenes look at the exhibition, which traces 300 years of Black fashion and identity through the lens of dandyism. “I’ve been the recipient of a million wonderful stories about the power of fashion,” she shared. “In this exhibition, I wanted to celebrate Black fashion designers.”
Luar founder and Creative Director Raul Lopez shared how his Dominican heritage and Brooklyn roots shaped his vision of luxury, and Diotima founder and Creative Director Rachel Scott reflected on building a globally recognized brand rooted in Jamaican craft traditions.
Pulitzer Prize–winning fashion critic and longtime FSF supporter Robin Givhan, in conversation with industry icon Edward Enninful, OBE, former Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue and Founder of global media and entertainment company, EE72, reflected on the lasting influence of Virgil Abloh.
Robin recalled Virgil’s words to the inaugural cohort of “Post-Modern” Scholars: “I was humbled to be a symbol of what is possible for all Black designers. The FSF is taking a piece of how humbling and magical that moment was for me and giving that to each person within our community. This is the moment of belief and keeping the door open for other people.”
Together, these moments underscore that today’s most influential fashion voices are drawing strength from their lived experiences and turning personal histories into industry-shaping work, reminding Scholars that the future of fashion will be written by those who bring their full identities to the table.
BUILDING CAREER CONFIDENCE
The season’s Workforce Preparedness Courses offered practical tools for career growth. Recruiters provided candid advice on how to stand out at every stage of the hiring process. A social media panel with FSF Alumni and industry leaders from Meta, Moda Operandi, and Tailored Brands showed how digital storytelling and personal branding open doors. Later, editors from WWD and Fairchild Media Group offered a rare look at how fashion news is made. And how emerging professionals can begin building editorial relationships.
As WWD’s Deputy Eye Editor Kristen Tauer told students: “If you’re pitching a story, think like an editor: Why now? Why this? Why you?” Deputy Managing Editor Evan Clark added: “If you can make a reporter’s job easier with a clear, timely, and relevant pitch, you’re already ahead of most people in their inbox.” And WWD’s Style Director Alex Badia reminded Scholars: “Bring your full self to the table. Your perspective is what makes your story worth telling.”
A SEASON THAT SHAPES WHAT’S NEXT
The 2025 Summer Scholar Series provided the FSF community with practical guidance from top recruiters on how to navigate the hiring process, firsthand advice from founders on building a brand from the ground up, and a rare glimpse into how cultural leaders translate personal histories into industry-shaping work.
Fashion industry notables like Monica, Robin, and Edward demonstrated how authenticity and storytelling drive fashion forward, while the WWD editors and social media strategists showed Scholars how to make their voices heard in an ever-changing media landscape.
As FSF’s Executive Director Peter Arnold reflected, “One of my favorite things about the Fashion Scholarship Fund is how generous our community is with their time and expertise.” That spirit defined the summer, with industry leaders opening doors and sharing unfiltered insights that Scholars can carry directly into their own careers.
As the Series closes, FSF celebrates the speakers, moderators, and partners who made these conversations possible—and the Scholars, Scholar Applicants and Alumni who showed up week after week with curiosity and drive. Their engagement is proof that the lessons of this summer will not stay theoretical; they will shape how the next generation of fashion leaders enters, challenges, and transforms the industry.
The Summer Scholar Series is open to FSF Scholars, Scholar Applicants, Alumni, and friends nationwide. Invitations and reminders are distributed through FSF’s email list and promoted on LinkedIn and Instagram.
