Virgil Abloh Raises $1 Million USD to Establish "Post Modern" Scholarship Fund for Black Fashion Students
Endowed with a personal donation and matching funds from Evian, Farfetch, Louis Vuitton and New Guards Group.
As members of the fashion industry continue to fight for racial equality by supporting Black creatives, Virgil Abloh has now announced that he has raised a $1 million USD scholarship fund for Black fashion students. Starting a long-term partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund, the Off-White™ designer will be launching his very own “Post Modern” Scholarship Fund.
Providing aid to 100 to 200 students of Black, African-American or African descent, Abloh’s new scholarship will be endowed with his personal donation, along with matching funds from brands like Evian, Farfetch, Louis Vuitton and New Guards Group, according to WWD. Some of the creative’s friends including Heron Preston have already promised to join the cause by running master classes for students. “As a Black designer, I found my way through school, and a mixture of creative projects, and I had to make a name for myself… I was a student on a campus that was largely not as diverse as the world is. And it’s important to set up this foundation specifically for Black students who may feel like in the industry of fashion, they don’t see many people that they can identify with,” the designer commented in an interview.
Abloh previously came under fire for donating $50 USD to a bail fund for protestors of the Black Lives Matter movement, but later clarified that he had actually donated $20,500 USD. “I stand for these issues. The hot topic in our industry is the opportunities for Black people inside these institutions. It’s how I could sleep at night, knowing that what was $50 USD is now $1 million USD. And that’s 150, 200 kids that are benefiting,” he further added.
