Janie and Jack
September 30, 2020
Last month, Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR) kicked-off NYFW with their 13th annual Style Awards and Fashion Show event with an exciting first look at their upcoming collaboration with Janie and Jack. While the event was virtual, there was no shortage of energy, creativity and style with a format designed to make you forget you were tuning in virtually.
Gap Inc. and Janie and Jack were proud sponsors of this year’s event – in good company with Nike and Shea Moisture – as part of its ongoing partnership with Harlem’s Fashion Row and shared commitment to help scale the work of designers of color and uplift voices that historically have been overlooked.
The “crowd” included industry icons like Anna Wintour, Lindsay Peoples Wagner, Tracee Ellis Ross, Dapper Dan and our very own group of Gap Inc. leaders including Nancy Green, Head of Old Navy, Shelly Walsh, Head of Janie and Jack, Jyothi Rao, Head of Intermix, Mark Breitbard, Head of Gap Global and others across HR, design, merchandising and marketing.
"This year's theme was 'Black is the new Black,' because we haven't just arrived here," says CEO and founder Brandice Daniel. In its thirteenth year, the event honored Teen’s Vogue’s Lindsay Peoples Wagner and British Vogue’s Edward Enninful, among others. Gap Inc. presented the award for publicist of the year to Nate Hinton – known for his work with Diesel, Prada, Altuzarra and more. HFR also received a $1 million grant from A Common Thread, which Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour announced during the event, showing her support and gratitude to HFR and excitement for the partnership.
The event concluded featuring the work of three HFR designers – Kimberly Goldson, Richfresh, and Kristian Lorén – showcasing their fall 2020 collection and upcoming collaboration with Janie and Jack. While corporate sponsorship is important to drive HFR’s mission forward, Gap Inc. is committed to do more by embedding new perspectives more deeply into our business and product pipeline. As a result, we’re excited to unveil HFR’s upcoming collaboration with Gap Inc.’s premium children’s brand, Janie and Jack, launching Oct. 15.
“In January, Janie and Jack made a courageous and beautiful commitment to providing 3 designers of color with an opportunity to create individual capsule collections. This project has not only been a dream come true for the designers, but for HFR as well. I'm beyond excited about this partnership and launch,” said Brandice Daniel, CEO and founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row
“Creating this collection in partnership with HFR with designers who haven’t designed children’s clothing before brought a fresh perspective to our design process and product assortment – and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the end result,” said Cindy Huske, Head of Design for Janie and Jack.
Get to Know the Designers
Kimberly Goldson
Kimberly Goldson pictured on the left, Kimberly Goldson S/S 2019 pictured at right
Kimberly began her journey as a Fashion Merchandising Management major at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City where she learned the business behind the industry. After years in various positions from sales to product development, she taught herself the elements of fashion design.
Kimberly Goldson was conceived and launched in 2012 by sisters Kimberly Goldson and Shelly Powell. The Kimberly Goldson lifestyle brand is inspired by the flavor of Kimberly and Shelly's hometown, Brooklyn, and draws from the dynamic cultures encountered during their international travels. It was created as a mix of those worlds for women who love luxury and dare to be bold and vivacious, fearless and distinctive.
Kimberly Goldson has been featured in notable publications such as ESSENCE, Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan. Kimberly was first on TeenVogue.com’s list: Women Designer and CEOs Who Revolutionized the Fashion Industry in 2016. Kimberly collaborated with Harlem’s Fashion Row to design the first ever women’s shoe for LeBron James’ signature collection with Nike, designed a gown for the Met Gala for media maven, Bevy Smith, and has an upcoming collaboration with HFR and kids brand, Janie + Jack.
Richfresh
Rich Fresh pictured on the left, RichFresh 2020 Collection pictured at right
Born in Germany and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee, Fresh developed an insatiable interest in fashion at the age of 13. Inspired by the biographies of Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, Fresh taught himself how to sew using an old sewing machine he found in the family laundry room. By using off the shelf patterns and practicing relentlessly he developed the eye and skills of an adept tailor at a very young age. After high school Fresh bypassed the traditional college route and struck out as a professional tailor in Memphis. It was during this time that he began to develop the styles and fits that would become his trademark. After a stint in New York, Fresh made his way to California where he set out to make his mark. His tailoring background mixed with his youthfulness allowed him to innovate in new and playful ways that shook up a staid industry. Fresh is inspired by color and design and has created some of the most sought after suits and bags around.
Kristian Loren
Kristian Lorén pictured on the left, Kristian Lorén Summer Reign Collection pictured at right
Kristian Lorén was founded by Brooklyn-based, Philadelphia-born fashion designer Kristian Lorén Lopez. Early in life, Lorén and her sister Sessilee put on fashion shows at home. Lorén dressed her sister in tablecloths and curtains and sent her down the ‘runway.’
Years later, the sisters continue to support and inspire each other, Sessilee a top model and Lorén a designer. After getting a degree in Fashion from FIT, Lorén wanted to learn all facets of the industry. She worked production, model management and as an agent for Alek Wek and others, all while developing her brand. In 2018, Lorén was named one of Essence Magazine’s ‘Designers to Watch,’ and her looks featured in Essence’s Fashion House 2019. Sold in Bloomingdales, seen in magazines like Keen, Lucy’s, and Alice, and worn on the red carpet by Madison Rian, Shahadi Wright, Luvvie Ajayi, and Damaris Lewis, Kristian Lorén elevates the everyday as an outlet of self-expression and liberation.
Join us for the launch of their upcoming Janie and Jack collections at the recital and virtual launch party on Oct. 10. RSVP here.
Take a look back at HFR’s Virtual Designer Retreat here and stay tuned for more exciting announcements on Gap Inc.’s partnership with HFR throughout the year.
Don’t miss out on the latest Gap Inc. news! Sign-up to get email alerts about news on Gap Inc. and our brands.