Covet Fashion Wants To Be The Change The Fashion Industry Needs With Four $10k Grants
Akilah Cadet is founder of Change Cadet and is guiding Covet Fashion in creating and judging the … [+]
In response to the momentum behind the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, the fashion industry has made some efforts to become more inclusive and diverse. But there’s still much work to be done.
With that in mind, Covet Fashion, a mobile styling game adored by 2 to 3 million users per month around the globe, has launched the Threading Change Initiative specifically for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) small business owners in the fashion industry. Four winners will each receive a $10,000 grant. Find all the details and apply here. The deadline is November 4.
To guide the program and help narrow down the entries to 10 finalists, Covet has enlisted Dr. Akiliah Cadet, founder of Change Cadet, a consultancy that helps companies and individuals achieve diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace. Of those 10, Covet users will then vote to name the final four winners.
I reached out to Cadet to learn more about the initiative, her role in it, and how she thinks the fashion industry is doing when it comes to diversity and inclusion.
How did you get involved with Covet?
“Glu Mobile, where Covet Fashion lives, is a Change Cadet client. In our engagement with Glu Moblie Covet Fashion reached out to me to see if I had interest I’m partnering with their inaugural granting program. Threading Change is a mashup of Covet Fashion and Change Cadet. Fashion and diversity united to disrupt the industry.”
What will you be looking for in applicants?
“We want to know about the brand and what sets it apart from others. The message of how they lead with purpose, broadening the conversation about diversity in fashion. Business is important too as Covet Fashion will be amplifying 10 of the finalists on their social media platforms reaching over a million people. It will be important for us to know what their business plan is for growth and how the grant can help them reach their goal (s).
But most importantly we want to know their story. BIPOC people may not have as many opportunities as white people in the fashion industry and we want to hear about that. We want to know how they’re able to still stay committed to an industry that may not feel inclusive to them. We also want to see how they represent their culture and or story into their brand. The stories and experiences we have as BIPOC is what makes our companies unique and I know that first hand.”
Will each of the four winners need be from different disciplines? Or could there, for example, be two photographer winners.
“My team and Covet Fashion’s team will narrow it down to the top 10 finalists. We will amplify those finalists on Covet Fashion’s social media. The four winners will be picked by the public. There are