TCF POST Report
NEW YORK — The PVH Foundation is expanding its support for emerging fashion talent through Harlem’s Fashion Row’s Runway Ahead Designer Fellowship, a program designed to help promising designers build stronger, more sustainable businesses while gaining access to the expertise and networks of a global fashion company.
The fellowship will culminate at Harlem’s Fashion Row’s 19th Annual Fashion Show & Style Awards on Sept. 8 at The Glasshouse in New York, where three participating designers will debut their Spring/Summer 2027 collections during New York Fashion Week.
Launched earlier this year by the PVH Foundation, the Runway Ahead program combines financial support, executive mentorship and strategic business development. Its focus extends beyond runway exposure, giving designers practical knowledge and industry connections to strengthen their businesses for long-term growth.
Through the program, participants have been mentored by PVH executives across marketing and public relations, raw materials and sourcing, merchandising, finance, production and design. The cross-functional mentorship offers emerging brands insight into the operational and commercial challenges of building scalable fashion businesses.
The three participating designers are Waina Chancy, founder of Atelier Ndigo; Lamin “Rey” Jaiteh, founder of Rey Jaiteh; and Nigerian designer Chuks Collins, founder of his namesake luxury fashion house.
Each designer has received support to develop and produce a Spring/Summer 2027 collection, which will be presented to fashion executives, editors, retailers, stylists, celebrities and other industry leaders.
A key component of the fellowship is the Runway Ahead Prize, with one designer to receive a $100,000 grant to accelerate brand growth. The winner will be selected by a committee of fashion and business leaders based on creative vision, craftsmanship, business potential and runway presentation.
The prize adds a significant business-development element to the fellowship, giving the selected designer additional resources to build on the exposure, mentorship and industry knowledge gained through the program.
The initiative addresses a persistent challenge facing emerging designers: translating creative talent into commercially viable and sustainable businesses. By combining funding, mentorship and industry exposure, the fellowship provides support across areas including sourcing, production, merchandising, marketing and financial planning.
For PVH, the partnership creates an avenue to share expertise and industry knowledge with the next generation of designers. For Harlem’s Fashion Row, it strengthens its mission of creating pathways and opportunities for designers of color while connecting them with established brands, retailers and fashion leaders.
“This year’s show reflects how far we’ve come while looking ahead to an exciting future,” said Brandice Daniel, Founder and CEO of Harlem’s Fashion Row and ICON360. She said the partnership with the PVH Foundation is helping transform exceptional talent into “thriving, sustainable businesses.”
The fellowship will reach its runway milestone during Harlem’s Fashion Row’s annual Fashion Show & Style Awards, held under the theme “Peace by Piece.” The event marks the organization’s 19-year effort to discover, support and amplify multicultural designers.
The collaboration underscores a broader industry shift toward supporting emerging designers not only through visibility, but also through business education, mentorship, capital and access to established industry networks—resources that can play a critical role in turning independent fashion labels into sustainable enterprises.
