HARLEM’S FASHION ROW HOSTS THIRD ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY FORUM, SPONSORED BY H&M.

Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR) hosted its third Annual Sustainability Forum on Earth Day, Monday, April 22, at the NeueHouse in Madison Square in New York City. As consumers continue to demand more environmentally friendly clothing, many fashion brands are already making the shift to integrating sustainable practices and products in their businesses to reduce their carbon footprints. Harlem’s Fashion Row is offering a lifeline to designers of color looking to build a sustainable fashion business through this exciting in-person event. The Forum is a partnership between Harlem’s Fashion Row and H&M that educates and empowers designers about sustainable practices to foster change within the fashion industry.

“H&M is proud to serve as presenting sponsor of HFR’s Sustainability Forum again this year. The Forum provides an unparalleled opportunity for diverse designers and fashion creatives to equip themselves with the tools to fully embrace sustainable practices and innovative approaches within their businesses, positioning them for greater relevance and future growth,” said Donna Dozier Gordon, Head of Inclusion & Diversity, H&M – Region Americas.

 Attendees were able to gain valuable insights and practical tools from industry leaders like H&M, Macy’s, Calvin Klein, Black Oak Collective, and Victoria’s Secret. Speakers included Lauren Riezman, Head of Communications at H&M Americas; Sarah Nesbit, 2024 Re/Make Ambassador and Founder of BlackOak Collective; Sherieka Smallwood-Morgan, Director of Retail Strategy at Macy’s; Dominique Drakeford, Founder of Melanin and Sustainable Style; and Rohit Burman, Vice President of Sustainability and Inclusion at Calvin Klein. The Forum also featured a keynote address by fashion designer Heron Preston.

 HFR CEO and Founder Brandice Daniel shared her excitement about the Sustainability Forum, saying, “We were thrilled to host this forum for the third year. More customers are becoming more environmentally conscious and are pursuing sustainable fashion brands. We want to help designers of color remain relevant and thrive in a changing industry by equipping them with the information and tools to succeed.”

Image, top, (L-R) Brandice Daniel, Lauren Riezman, Heron Preston and Donna Dozier Gordon.