Eric Emanuel, Fashion Scholarship Fund Launches Scholar Design Capsule – WWD

Eric Emanuel and the Fashion Scholarship Fund on Thursday unveiled three collaboration shorts designed by FSF undergraduate Jordan Bigelow from Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholars class 2021, Rasheed Peters from FSF class 2020, and Mia Campolo from FSF class 2019.

Emanuel, who this year opened his first stand-alone store in the former Bape SoHo location, and FSF selected three designs from 100 submissions with the aim of bringing style to market.

The winning style that debuted in-store at an event is a lifestyle that draws on the ethos of the Emanuel brand. Bigelow’s design featured a basketball pattern, Campolo stacked the brand’s double E logo to create a 3D pattern, and Peters created a topographical landscape in orange and neutral tones. Three styles are available at Eric Emanuel’s SoHo store and online.

In addition, winners will each receive a $5,000 design grant, and FSF commits $75,000 to fund 10 scholarships. 10 scholarship recipients will be announced at the 2022 Fashion Scholarship Fund gala on 7 February.

“The process of working with Eric has been life changing,” said Bigelow, who traveled from Pittsburgh to attend the event. “During the trip, I learned that sometimes the details I worry about the most are the same details that set me apart. In addition, I admire the fact that Eric is working with local suppliers to make his vision a reality. It’s something I want to bring into my own design and business ventures.”

Fashion Scholarship Fund executive director Peter Arnold said the organization’s partnership with Emanuel began in April with the opening of Emanuel’s flagship store. “We have been working closely since then for the past six months to collaborate — from conceptualizing and launching design challenges, to selecting and collaborating with winners, and now, launching capsules,” said Arnold. “Like many of our Scholars, Eric was once a young FIT graduate who started his brand from the ground up. He is an outstanding role model for the FSF community, and he has shown a genuine desire to support and invest in young talent. He is an ideal mentor and collaborator for our scholarly community, and we are grateful for his support.”

“When I worked with Adidas, we did workshops with children but because of COVID-19 we couldn’t do the same,” said Emanuel. “I think this is the perfect opportunity for students to sit at home and figure out the designs themselves.”

The designer mentioned that his mother was a teacher who instilled the importance of education in him from a young age. He was inspired to work with FSF scholars after seeing Abloh’s work with FSF. “If I want to give back, who do I want to do it with?” Emanuel said.

The designer hopes to do more projects with FSF in the future, but for now the focus is on his shop, which he says “has done great.”

“It was a balancing act at first, as I had no prior retail knowledge other than working at Foot Locker,” he explains. “Everything fell into place. The demand was so high that we had to set up a reservation system.”

Emanuel said his warehouse had been hit by flooding from Hurricane Ida, which put things into perspective for the brand. Despite the setbacks, he’s eyeing a second retail location outside of New York City.

As for FSF, the organization is eyeing more brand partners. “Collaborative projects like this are incredibly beneficial for scholars — not only do they receive much-needed financial support, they also gain real industry experience and build resumes and the opportunity to work with great mentors like Eric,” says Arnold. “This year, we have embarked on many amazing design projects and brand partnerships supporting our scholars in the fashion and beauty fields — with PacSun, VF Foundation, Milk Makeup, Coach Foundation, and Christian Siriano and Luminous Diamonds, among others. We are always looking for creative ways to partner with brands and companies that align with the interests and aspirations of our undergraduate community.”