Despite being at the forefront of most fashion trends, Black fashion designers are still underfunded and underrepresented in the industry. Former fashion editor, author and television host Elaine Welteroth is aiming to amplify black talent with the power-backing of McDonald’s.
The company’s longstanding campaign focused on the empowerment of Black communities Black & Positively Golden (B&PG) recently launched Change of Fashion, a program aimed at uplifting emerging Black fashion designers through mentorship, resources, and financial support. It will pairsfive emerging Black designers with five Black industry experts to complete a year-long mentorship
“Having navigated the fashion industry as a Black woman, I understand first-hand the challenges around Black designers breaking through and sustaining a profitable business,” Welteroth shared in a statement. “Partnering with a global brand like McDonald’s, I am honored to leverage my experiences as a fashion editor to mentor the next generation of designers and to ultimately help foster more inclusivity in an industry that thrives on Black culture.”
$200,000 in total will be granted to the designers to help propel their careers.
“For decades, McDonald’s has leveraged its size and scale to invest in and support the diverse communities we serve,” said Tariq Hassan, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at McDonald’s. “The Change of Fashion program builds on that legacy, pushing new boundaries in an effort to inspire real change, not only for our five designers, but for the fashion industry at large.”
The program’s participating designers include Durrell Dupard of Freddie Estell, Shareef Mosby, VICTIM15, Larissa Muehleder of Muehleder, Heart Roberts of HEARTHROB and Nia Thomas of Nia Thomas.
