Students of Color Mentorship Program
It’s a time to listen. It’s a time to speak up.
It’s a time to consider how we can use whatever resources we have to make an impact and effect change.
If you have been following Loulette for some time, you have heard my rants on how much I disliked my time in the fashion industry, and about all the disappointing behavior I saw. I have talked about the gross lack of environmental care and manufacturing responsibility, the underpaid and straight up unpaid labor, the arrogance and entitlement, and the sexual harassment from bosses.
From my white and privileged standpoint, I have failed to rant enough about the lack of opportunity for young people of color in the fashion and design industry.
Each summer, young fashion and design students clamor to secure a seemingly glamorous (yet actually incredibly demeaning) unpaid summer internship. These opportunities are allotted to young students of privilege, who’s parents can afford to allow them to live in the big city for the summer. Young fashion students whose families don’t rely on them to contribute to their family's well being. By the time these students graduate, their privileges has already allowed them to position themselves ahead of their classmates who could not afford these same opportunities.
We want to do what we can to flip the script, at least in our small areas of expertise. I am teaming up with some of my favorite local designers, artists, and entrepreneurs to offer free mentorship to students of color. This is not an internship to work on our own brands, but rather a mentorship to allow art, design, and fashion students of color to come with their own ideas, passions, and creative endeavors and discuss with local experts. Students can now apply here.
Meet the Mentors!
Timmy Johnson: Owner and designer of Loulette Lingerie, Private Label Lingerie Designer. Fashion Design BFA, Expert in lingerie and ready to wear design, entrepreneurship, visual design, Illustrator and Photoshop.
Lacie Porta: Owner and Artist of Framed Florals. Self-taught Entrepreneur. Expert in flower preservation, entrepreneurship, visual design, social media.
Marteal Mayer: Owner and designer of Loulette Bride. Fashion Design BFA, Entrepreneurship MBA. Expert in bridal, evening, and ready to wear design, visual design, entrepreneurship, Photoshop.
If you know an organization or institution that could use our assistance: Please pass along our info! Contact us here for more info.
If you are a local artist, designer, or entrepreneur and would like to offer your expertise: Contact us!