(PRESS RELEASE) NEW YORK, NY — As the second cohort of the COUTURE Diversity Action Council (DAC), The Luminaries by COUTURE, transitions to their final stages of the mentorship program, the DAC has just announced that it is opening up its application process to establish and welcome the next group of mentees. Focused on BIPOC designers who may benefit from the DAC’s expertise and wealth of resources from within and outside of the COUTURE community, the program seeks to foster talent through one-on-one mentorship and ongoing education in a variety of fields.
“Our DAC mentorship program aims to identify the best and brightest of BIPOC talent and utilize our combined resources to provide the education, access and information necessary for their success,” explained Eric Ford, Precious Jewelry Buyer for Neiman Marcus and head of the DAC. “The fine jewelry industry already has a high barrier for entry, and while it is that much more challenging for those from marginalized communities, we firmly believe that these voices deserve to be heard. By pairing designers with mentors who complement their strengths, and providing education from experts in their fields in group sessions, we not only arm them with information, we also create opportunities for these individuals to expand their network and their community.”
The DAC mentorship program runs approximately two years, with participating designers offered the chance to attend COUTURE in an observational capacity in their first year. The subsequent year, there is the possibility of exhibiting their collections on COUTURE’s show floor, guided by their mentors and coached by members of the council and the industry at large.
The Luminaries by COUTURE will continue to receive direction and guidance via their mentors and education sessions through the end of this year, including zoom meet ups with a select group of designers from the DAC’s first mentorship program, The Radiance by COUTURE. The Luminaries, in turn, are looking forward to being part of the selection process for the next cohort of mentees. The designers who make up the Luminaries by COUTURE are Alexia Connellan, Ama McKinley of Ilium Wing, Bliss Lau, Casey Perez, Hiba Husayni of ZAHN-Z Fine Jewelry and Sasha Flynn of Adore-Adorn. Individual artist Biographies of each of these designers can be found HERE. (Ope Omojola of Octave Jewelry continues to be a part of the program but did not participate in COUTURE 2024.)
Those interested in applying for the next COUTURE Diversity Action Council mentorship program should fill out the application here. Following review by the full council, applicants will be narrowed to a smaller group who will be interviewed by committee, before the final selection of mentees will be made. Deadline to submit applications is October 8.
For more information about the DAC mentorship program, to schedule an interview with DAC decision makers, or to volunteer as a mentor and/or expert speaker, please contact Michelle Orman at (646) 302-5521 or via email at Michelle@LastWordComm.com.
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