The Fashion Trust U.S. Selects Board of Advisers
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The Fashion Trust U.S. has selected an advisory board for the inaugural Fashion Trust U.S. Awards 2023.
The advisory board will support Fashion Trust U.S. in selecting the finalists of financial grants.
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The advisers include Mike Amiri, creative director of Amiri; entrepreneur and philanthropist Carmen Busquets; Fernando Garcia, codesigner of Oscar de la Renta; entrepreneur Amy Griffin; Bethann Hardison, luxury brand consultant and fashion advocate; Lazaro Hernandez, creative director and cofounder of Proenza Schouler; actress and entrepreneur Kate Hudson; entrepreneur Simon Huck; stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson; model and entrepreneur Miranda Kerr; Alastair McKimm, editor in chief of i-D Magazine and stylist; jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer; Jack McCollough, creative director and cofounder of Proenza Schouler; costume designer Arianne Phillips, and stylists Law Roach and Kate Young.
“Having worked with [Fashion Trust cofounder] Tania Fares on the Fashion Trust in the U.K. and [Middle East and North Africa] region, I am thrilled about its expansion to the U.S. and the opportunities it will open for American designers. As an ardent supporter and mentor of talented young designers, I value organizations that promote creativity, innovation and ethical practices respectful of both people and the planet,” Busquets said.
Hardison added, “As there are initiatives that exist to give a platform to designers of color, there are never too many as each offer something different and perhaps even more than the other. Tania Fares has brought hers to the USA and I am happy to be on this board to lend my expertise and expose design brands that I think are worthy to benefit from Fashion Trust U.S.”
Applicants can compete in the following categories: ready-to-wear, jewelry and graduate awards (college seniors and past graduates from 2020 to 2022), as well as two new categories sponsored by Google for sustainability and diversity. As the Platinum Sponsor for the 2023 Fashion Trust U.S. prize, Google and Fashion Trust U.S. will work together to support the diversity, talent and culture of American design.
Winners of the Fashion Trust U.S. are awarded financial grants and mentorships covering budget, strategy, digital, merchandising and general business support. U.S. based designers in business for at least two years are eligible to apply. They can submit applications on the Fashion Trust U.S. portal through January.
The presentation of the finalists and the award ceremony will take place in early 2023. The three chosen winners will receive a financial grant that will be determined based on the size of the designer’s business. In addition, Google will offer mentoring and exposure for the designers.
The Fashion Trust U.S. board is comprised of Fares, Laura Brown, Anne Crawford, Tan France, Samira Nasr and Karla Welch, with Shay Gipson as program director.
The idea of a Fashion Trust organization originated in the U.K., where Fares cofounded the program in partnership with the British Fashion Council and helped support U.K.-based fashion designers, including Jonathan Anderson, Erdem and Emilia Wickstead. The CFDA launched the CFDA Fashion Trust with Fares in 2018, but that was only for a brief time, when the CFDA decided to shift its focus amid COVID-19 and social justice movements in order to help designers navigate that time.
