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The field has been narrowed down to the final four. No, it’s not college basketball—they’re the finalists for the Fashion Scholarship Fund’s $25,000 President’s Award.
On Wednesday evening, students presented case studies to a panel of judges, who will determine who receives the top scholarship at the organization’s annual gala on April 3. The judges who will make this decision are Shannon Abloh, widow of Virgil Abloh and founder of Virgil Abloh Securities; Emma Grede, CEO and cofounder of Good American and Skims; Nata Dvir, chief merchandising officer of Macy’s; Paolo Riva, senior vice president and general manager of brand partnerships and merchandising at Neiman Marcus; and Corey Smith, head of diversity and inclusion, North America, LVHM.
The judges were presented with four distinctly different presentations by the students. Clay Lute of LIM College built his case study titled “Nintendo: Enabled,” a merchandising campaign for kids on the spectrum to experience adaptive phydigital fashion. Sofia Enriquez of the University of Florida is responsible for “Glossier Everyday” and the creation of a line of body products and candles for a genderless lifestyle. Oliva Baba of Washington University in St. Louis titled her case study “Cotton is Queen: Bare x Skims,” a collection based on naturally colored cotton and knitting technology. And Julian Tong of the University of Minnesota unveiled “Comme des Garçons: Agora VR Hub,” a virtual marketplace and event space he imagines reflecting brand expression and propensity for exploration.
The winner will be revealed at the event next month, which will honor Grede, celebrated for her advocacy of diversity and inclusion in fashion and her work on The Fifteen Percent Pledge, along with Anna Wintour, Vogue’s managing editor and global chief Condé Nast content officer. Wintour is recognized for her longstanding commitment to supporting and nurturing the next generation of fashion talent. Model, businesswoman and philanthropist Karlie Kloss will host the evening and Abloh will make a special appearance at the gala, which will be held at The Glasshouse in New York City.
While only one student will receive the $25,000 award, 127 scholars will be celebrated that evening, including 27 members of the Class of 2023 Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholars. All told, the organization will award more than $1 million in scholarships.
While the dinner and gala may be the highlight, it will be the culmination of a busy day that will begin with scholars attending a meet and greet breakfast and panel discussion hosted by Wintour, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Nordstrom , which will feature several Vogue editors. After the visit, they’ll travel to lunch and meetings, including one at LVMH’s US headquarters with Abloh for Virgil Abloh scholars, as well as a guided tour of the store and a conversation with Nordstrom executives.
