New York Fashion Week was a whirlwind of excitement this season. The energy was off the charts, with incredible shows and glamorous parties at every turn. But amidst all the buzz, there was one event that truly stole the spotlight: the RAISEfashion exhibition.
Helmed by CEO and fashion pundit Felita Harris, the immersive showcase kicked off NYFW’s Spring/Summer 2025 series of fashion events earlier this month at the House of Sound in Manhattan’s Chelsea district. It brought together 25 rising BIPOC designers who are shaking up the industry and making their mark.
The event is all about connecting retailers, editors, brands, and media professionals with RAISEfashion designers that include: Anima Iris, Almasike, ADVISRY, Aisling Camps, Charles Harbison, Tolu Coker, Fe Noel, K.NGSLEY, Cise, Danzy, Nalebe, ESENSHEL, Vontélle, Nomads, Volume 28 by Abercrombie, Téjahn Burnett, Torlowei, Gwen Beloti, Tara Matthews, Kendall Miles, Tiannia Barnes, Larallan, Lobb, Burkindy and Bobby Joseph.
“What I love the most about working with RAISEfashion is the sense of community with fellow designers,” Catherine Sarr, founder of fine jewelry brand Almasika, told ELLE during the preview. “It’s amazing especially because we’re all based in different cities, but we all get to regroup here today in person and connect with so many industry experts.”
The presentation kicked off with preliminary showings of the designers’ collections, made possible by Abercrombie & Fitch in a specially designated area that featured curated collaborations with creators at Volume 28 by Abercrombie.
“When we foster partnerships, we aim to create a welcoming space for our designers, our advisers and our stakeholders,” says Harris. “Abercrombie & Fitch has demonstrated that this is not just about monetary sponsorship but about creating a meaningful and positive impact on our community. The team has stood by us every step of the way, sharing our unwavering commitment to providing space for BIPOC talent to showcase during a pivotal time of the year.”
The presentation has taken place at a time when the industry is dealing with major challenges in diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Many companies have been cutting back on these initiatives, even though they were just starting to make progress in 2020. In addition, retailers are also delaying payments to small, new brands.
“We take on so much labor and liability because we design and develop really robust collections that we believe in,” says Charles Harbison, founder of his eponymous clothing and accessories brand. “We’ve employed lots of people just to bring these samples to market. After market, we are still expected to invest more and more into production, additional sampling, and customizations. So it would be great to have a bit more shared liability and respect for the intense effort, thoughtfulness, and integrity it takes to bring a collection into fruition.”
Since 2020, Harris and her team have been committed to promoting equity in BIPOC fashion talent. They offer pro-bono advisory services, grant resources, and connections to industry professionals. It’s a great opportunity for emerging designers to network with editors, stylists, buyers and other influential figures in the fashion world.
“We’re having a lot of real conversations within the RAISEfashion community,” Aisling Camps tells ELLE. “It’s been great for a lot of our mentors to hear what’s frustrating for us as designers and to say, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve never thought about it from that point of view,’ because they’re on the other side of the business. So it’s us designers having these honest conversations and the industry leaders having the power to impart change that has really made a significant difference.”
