HARLEM’S FASHION ROW TO HOST 4TH ANNUAL DESIGNER RETREAT AT NIKE HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK CITY

smiling young ethnic craftswoman with paper roll in workshop
May 18, 2022

In a continued effort to support emerging talent for underrepresented designers in the fashion world, Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR) announced today that it will host its 4th Annual Designer Retreat where more than 75 BIPOC designers will have a chance to meet and interact with key fashion notables. This year’s three-day event will be held at the title sponsor NIKE Headquarters in New York City.

From May 18-20, aspiring fashion designers will embark on an experience of a lifetime as they’ll have the opportunity to network and receive invaluable insight from top luxury retailers, designers, and movers and shakers of the fashion world. During the retreat, the designers will participate in seven industry stops including Nike, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Saks 5th Avenue, Tory Burch, and Bergdorf Goodman. The industry stops will also allow attendees to speak with the company’s design team and top executives, including:

  • Sharifa Murdock, Chief Impact Officer at Kith and Co-Owner of Liberty Fairs
  • Jarvis Sam- Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion at NIKE
  • Lanessa Elrod, President & Zone CEO and Thomas Haupt, SVP U.S. Retail of Louis Vuitton Americas

Through this partnership, HFR and NIKE look forward to continuing their mission of giving designers of color access to individuals that can help shape their future careers in the industry. The retreat is the perfect place for designers to be introduced to fashion industry leaders, network with other designers, discover funding sources, learn about in-house design roles, and learn about strategies to grow their current design business.

“HFR takes great pride in creating space for designers of color to build relationships with high-level internal fashion executives, and we’re thrilled to do it with Nike. This retreat is a launching pad for the discoverable to be found, redirecting the trajectory of what the industry will look like in the near future,” says Brandice Daniel, CEO and Founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row and Icon 360.

For more information about Harlem’s Fashion Row, visit https://www.harlemsfashionrow.com/. For more information about the retreat, visit https://www.harlemsfashionrow.com/designerretreat.