black fashion world foundation

Empowering

Black

Fashion-preneurs

be a part of the solution

In the US today, there is a systemic and
entrenched lack of access to opportunity for
black fashion designers, retailers, and
marketing professionals.

“Black entreprenuers were three times as likely as whites to say that they needed financing in 2014 but chose not to apply for it, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of census data. When they did seek funding, just 47% of black business owners got the full amount requested from banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions, versus 76% of white.”

wall street journal

 

“In pursuit of the American dream, minority business owners often face an uphill battle. Often facing social and economic discrimination, the climb is tough.”

cnbc

 

“I do feel a responsibility to support our community, but when it comes to designers, what is challenging is their clothes are often not in the stores where I go. I have to hunt them down.”

mellody hobson, president ariel investmests – new york times

 

“If the fashion industry were ranked in terms of GDP, it would be the world’s seventh-largest economy.”

mckinsey.com

 

Yet, “Designers of color represent one percent of the designers at major department stores.”

hue, the magazine of fit

Until now, there has not been an organization in existence that provides black fashion professionals sufficient access to higher education, capital, mentorship, the advice of business experts,
advertising opportunities and distributors.

Black Fashion World Foundation

is a game-changing 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that exists to address this problem by creating such access and shattering the barriers of lack for these fashion entrepreneurs.

BFW Foundation is designing a world where there is no lack of access to . . .

▪   Higher Education
▪   Capital
▪   Mentorship
▪   Advice of Business Experts
▪   Advertising Opportunities or
▪   Distributors


.

Core Values

Excellence

Creating and offering the highest quality of standards & services.

Empowerment

Providing access and support that will strengthen and enable fashion-preneurs to secure their part of the American Dream.

wisdom

Magnifying, revering and seeking out the sound application of knowledge and understanding exemplified through the “Waymakers” that established a course for fashion-preneurs to follow.

Integrity

Communicating accurate, clear and concise information from reputable sources.

Innovation

Consistently implementing creative strategies that institute progression.

Mission

Empowering black fashion entrepreneurs [“black fashion-preneurs”] by preparing them via educational, networking and opportunity events.

E

Educational events build the business acumen skills of fashion-preneurs.

E

Networking events connect fashion-preneurs to other professionals to aid in building their network for success.

E

Opportunity events set the stage for fashion-preneurs to launch, relaunch or “pass the fashion business torch”.

Photo credit: TCM Photography

“My fashion dream was deferred. I created Black Fashion World Foundation so the dreams of others don’t have to be.”

OUR founder

Carla Nelson

By empowering black fashion professionals, [“black fashion-preneurs”] BFW Foundation is serving an important role in society that will create an economic stimulus; unity in the black culture; investment in the welfare of others; a reduction in crime; and an overall improvement in the quality of life for “black fashion-preneurs” and the African American community as a whole. By working with and assisting “black fashion-preneurs”, BFW Foundation will create opportunities for employment, assist with business creation, and promote economic sustainability in the fashion industry.

 

“You gotta be able to walk

up to someone and say,

forget my sketch,

my business and

strategy is this.”

 

Jeff Tweedy

President and CEO

Sean John

 

 

Jeff Tweedy

President and CEO

Sean John

 

Photo: Daryl Tillman 

Gleaning From the Masters

Through the Gleaning from the Masters program we give tribute to African American fashion industry masters.  Individuals that have achieved remarkable quantitative success, yet that often go unrecognized.

The platform provides fashion-preneurs access, that they will find nowhere else, to spending an evening with these master minds to obtain wisdom that can be used to propel and sustain their businesses.

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