Centric Brands partners with Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Feb 10, 2022

Centric Brands LLC announced on Wednesday a new partnership with the Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund (BTDF) to provide scholarships to fund Black students studying to enter the fashion and/or footwear industry.

The BTDF Fund directly supports underrepresented communities within fashion and design undergraduate programs to ensure they are able to complete their degree without unnecessary roadblocks, including tuition gaps or a lack of access to materials and supplies needed for their technical training. 

As part of the partnership, Centric will provide $10,000 in scholarship funds to support the critical mission of the BTDF. It will sponsor 20 full scholarships and it will create a direct pipeline to internship, and early career development opportunities within Centric Brands. 

"I am thrilled about the partnership with Centric Brands. Since the foundation of my nonprofit, I've built mentor relationships with the students, connected them to people and opportunities, while learning about their goals and watching them grow. Looking forward to the doors this will open up for the Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund recipients not only through scholarship and mentorship, but also through access to internships,” said Alicia Pinckney, founder of the Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund. 

“We are very excited to establish the partnership with Alicia and the Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund. This partnership will provide us the opportunity to bring diverse top talent into our organization to build their careers here at Centric Brands. It will also open new future possibilities that align with our Diversity and Talent priorities,” added Elyse Kretz, VP of talent & culture, Centric Brands.

Centric Brands’ portfolio includes over 100 owned and licensed brands including Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, Kate Spade, and Zac Posen, to name a few, which collectively generate approximately $2.5 billion in annual global sales.