Several HBCU students studying different aspects of the fashion industry recently partnered with a national clothing retailer to create an HBCU capsule collection! Get the full story from Aiyana Ishmael at Teen Vogue below.
Urban Outfitters has tapped five students from three Historically Black Universities (HBCUs) to create an exclusive assortment of collegiate apparel and lifestyle accessories.
The brand’s latest capsule collection was created as part of UO’s HBCU Summer Class of 2021 — a 10-week internship and mentorship program for five students recognized for their academic excellence and creative prowess. The program was in collaboration with three HBCUs: Howard University, Clark Atlanta University, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The UO Summer Class of 2021 includes CAU students Jalen Bradford, Jasmine Logan, and Dacia Redmond (also a recipient of Virgil Abloh™️ 2021’s “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund), as well as NCAT student U’lia Hargrove and Howard student Janae Claxton.
From concept to creation, the selected students worked with the UO Buying team to design a 24-piece apparel and lifestyle collection celebrating the culture and community of their respective schools. “Being able to share our resources with HBCU talent, and to work alongside these students creatively as they developed their own product, made Summer Class enriching not only for our students but for every UO employee who got to be a part of the program,” Dalila Shannon, UO Women’s Divisional Merchandising Manager and Summer Class Mentor, shared in a press email.
UO’s HBCU merch collection is officially licensed by CLC, the nation’s leading collegiate licensing company, and includes a variety of sweats, tote bags, and long-sleeves, some even featuring original designs from students in the program. It is available for purchase exclusively at urbanoutfitters.com and purchases include a charitable donation to the student’s respective alma maters.
With the success of the inaugural UO Summer Class internship program, Urban Outfitters plans to continue the initiative in 2022, expanding the program to include even more HBCUs.
