The partnership will include 20 scholarships, internship and early career development opportunities at Centric Brands

Centric Brands LLC (“Centric” or the “Company”), a leading lifestyle brand collective, announced today 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 partnership includes Centric providing $10,000 in scholarship funds to support the critical mission of the BTDF, reinforcing the company’s ongoing efforts to create a more equitable and inclusive workforce.

Alicia Pinckney, Founder of the Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund said, "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."

Statistics show Black talent represents less than 5% of the fashion and design 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. Centric Brands will be sponsoring 20 full scholarships, collaborating to highlight BTDF’s community of talent to create a direct pipeline to internship and early career development opportunities within Centric Brands, and profiling the BTDF team and the scholarship recipients across Centric Brands’ channels.

“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,” said Elyse Kretz, VP of Talent & Culture, Centric Brands.

About Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund

Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund is an initiative set to directly fund and support Black students studying to enter the fashion and/or footwear industry. Statistics show Black talent represents less than 5% of such a vast industry. BTDF addresses a solution from the root and foundation, undergraduate studies, in the efforts to cultivate and foster students obtaining a degree in which they are technically trained. This fund will support underrepresented communities within fashion and design programs to ensure they are able to complete their degree without roadblocks like not being able to afford materials, supplies or even the semester’s tuition. With a lack of full financial support, students are immediately advised to consider taking a semester off. This recommendation is not only discouraging but can easily become a detour. BTDF pledges to support students throughout their journey through scholarship and mentorship, in efforts to open a wider pool for companies to recruit, while addressing the lack of diversity in the fashion and footwear industries.

About Centric Brands LLC.

Centric Brands LLC is a leading lifestyle brand collective that designs, sources, markets, and sells high-quality products in the kids, men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, beauty, and entertainment categories. The Company’s portfolio includes licenses for more than 100 iconic brands, including Calvin Klein®, Tommy Hilfiger®, Nautica®, Spyder®, and Under Armour® in the kid’s category; Joe’s Jeans®, Buffalo®, Hervé Léger®, and IZOD® in the men’s and women’s apparel category; Kate Spade®, Michael Kors®, All Saints®, Frye®, Timberland®, Kenneth Cole®, and Jessica Simpson® in the accessories category; and in the entertainment category, Disney®, Marvel®, Nickelodeon®, and Warner Brothers® among many others. The Company also owns and operates brands such as Zac Posen®, Hudson®, Robert Graham®, Avirex®, and Taste Beauty® and operates a joint venture brand, Favorite Daughter, with Sara and Erin Foster. The Company’s products are sold primarily in North America through leading mass-market retailers, specialty and department stores, and online. Centric Brands LLC has unparalleled expertise in product design, development and sourcing, retail and digital commerce, marketing, and brand building. The Company is headquartered in New York City, with U.S. offices in Los Angeles and Greensboro, and international offices in London, Toronto, and Montreal. For more information about Centric Brands, please visit www.centricbrands.com.

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