The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) of the State University of New York (SUNY) announced the launch of the Social Justice Center at FIT (SJC), a first-of-its-kind higher education initiative established to increase opportunity and accelerate social equity within the creative industries for the Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) community. The effort’s hallmark is a seamless and sustained interconnection between early education, college mentorship and training and professional career support. Founding partners PVH Corp., Capri Holdings Limited and Tapestry, Inc., through their respective foundations, have each committed $1 million to help launch the center. Separately, G-III Apparel Group, made the establishing gift to the SJC Scholarship Fund, which already has reached more than $1.5 million in contributions. Other industry leaders have pledged support, including Carolina Herrera, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Saks, Target and The Fragrance Foundation.
The SJC at FIT will nurture a racially and ethnically diverse talent pipeline, from the middle school classroom to the executive level, that is focused on breaking down systemic barriers and ensuring that BIPOC professionals achieve their full potential. This approach is supported by four pillars: 1) collaboration among leading corporate and nonprofit CEOs who are committed to promoting the talent potential of aspiring BIPOC youth and advancing the careers of BIPOC professionals; 2) access to the talent, creativity, and expertise of FIT faculty and students as resources; 3) a sustained commitment to funding support for scholarships and programs; and 4) ongoing accountability that will identify and measure the advancement of BIPOC professionals. Jeffrey Tweedy, former president and CEO of Sean John and an FIT alumnus, will be a special advisor to the FIT president to help build and expand the center.
“A powerful and much overdue dialogue was sparked last year around diversity and inclusion, which led to a sobering realization that there was much work to do within the creative industries and at FIT as well. Since then, we have been building a strong foundation for the Social Justice Center at FIT. I am grateful for the early support from PVH, Capri Holdings, Tapestry, G-III Apparel Group, and FIT’s other charter partners. They have demonstrated a formidable commitment to these efforts, and I am confident that the center is poised to effect meaningful change,” said FIT President Joyce F. Brown.
Further, Dr. Brown noted, “What we have seen thus far are companies or colleges whose focus is either on the workplace or on education. The focus for the Social Justice Center at FIT is on the whole individual. We will intervene early with BIPOC youth so they can make informed decisions about their future and the careers they might choose to pursue. While they are in college, we will provide exposure to the inner workings of industry as well as concentrated support and training. Our partners in industry will then mentor, guide, and provide opportunities to accelerate their career potential.
“It is our obligation at FIT to mobilize our resources and our network to remove existing obstacles so that racially and ethnically diverse students can be recognized for their value in all of the creative fields, including fashion, beauty, interior design, graphic design, advertising, and communications,” she said.
“This is an incredibly important initiative towards making a real and lasting positive change in the fashion industry, and we are honored to support its launch as a founding partner,” said Stefan Larsson, chief executive officer of PVH Corp. “The goals for the Social Justice Center align with our own values to foster an environment of inclusion, belonging, and equity for all across the industry. We believe the unique approach of the SJC to provide support at every stage of the career journey will help ensure that promising creative talent in the BIPOC community have the tools they need, as well as a clearer pathway to access and success.”
“We are proud to support FIT as one of the founding members of the Social Justice Center and foster their important work to support diversity, inclusion, and equity throughout the fashion industry,” said John D. Idol, chairman and chief executive officer of Capri Holdings Limited. “Diversity and inclusion are embedded in the DNA of each of our fashion luxury brands and we are excited for the opportunity to work with FIT to create meaningful opportunities in fashion for underrepresented communities.”
“As a founding member of the Social Justice Center, we are honored to partner with FIT to advance equity and opportunity in the fashion industry and effect real and lasting change,” said Joanne Crevoiserat, chief executive officer of Tapestry, Inc. “At Tapestry, we believe that bringing together different backgrounds and experiences sparks brilliance and that the work of the Social Justice Center will enrich all. We look forward to working closely with FIT to make the fashion world more inclusive by fostering underrepresented perspectives and BIPOC talent who will be the future leaders that drive our industry forward.”
“We are proud of our partnership with FIT in launching the Social Justice Center, which is an essential step forward in support of the BIPOC community,” said Morris Goldfarb, chairman and CEO of G-III Apparel Group. “G-III Apparel Group has had a longstanding commitment to FIT and its best-in-class programs aimed at moving the industry forward. The Social Justice Center furthers that mission and our own work at G-III Apparel Group to enact change and provide equal opportunities for all.”
“I am honored to return to my alma mater and assist President Brown in building a unique model of a higher education/industry partnership that will benefit BIPOC youth, college students, and professionals,” said Jeff Tweedy, an alumnus of FIT’s Menswear program. “I am excited to meet with and talk to my industry friends and colleagues about this crucial effort because the SJC at FIT is the future of our creative industries. This effort is extremely important to me because diversity in the industry has been missing for too long,” he said. Tweedy is currently brand advisor to Sean John, serving for more than 20 years since its inception and earning a reputation for building brands and establishing an impressive marketing and sales track record at retail and direct-to-consumer. Tweedy also serves on the boards of Academy Sports and Pineywood Boarding School and, in an advisory capacity, to the Black Action Retail Group (BRAG), the Figure Skate of Harlem and 500 Role Models, to name a few.
A public institution of the State University of New York, FIT was founded by the fashion industry and has an historical mission-driven commitment to ensure the future success of both its alumni and the vast creative industries it serves.
To reverse the underrepresentation of BIPOC talent in educational institutions, the Social Justice Center at FIT will provide scholarships for middle school, high school and college students. This support includes precollege instruction that will help position youth for success by preparing them for college-level study, providing exposure to career opportunities in the creative sector. Once the students are in college, pathways to advancement will be offered through internships, mentorships and apprenticeships provided by SJC partners. Numerous scholarships are already available, including the Social Justice Center Endowed Scholarship, the Amsale Aspire Initiative, the Art Smith Memorial Endowed Scholarship, the Black Student Illustrators Graduation Award, and the Prada Scholarship at FIT, among others.
Concurrently, the SJC partners will work collaboratively with FIT to change the corporate culture and diversify its framework from the ground up. To instill lasting social change, the SJC will promote industry mentorship programs for employees of color, share best practices, establish authentic and relevant networks for BIPOC professionals, develop mid-management advancement programs, and commit ongoing efforts to diversify leadership from entry level to the executive suite and beyond.
An industry advisory council of 16 executives has been established to counsel, collaborate, and help measure progress in achieving equity within the creative industries.
A search is underway to name an executive director of the SJC, who will report to President Brown.
