Graduating from Parsons School of Design comes with great accolade, however, sometimes even a degree from a prestigious institution of higher education isn’t enough to get a real foot in the door in the fashion industry —especially as a person of color.
Recognizing those challenges, graduate student Melquan Ganzy sought out to carve out his own lane in fashion by creating his own platform
“When I was grad student, I studied fashion in depth, on so many levels,” Ganzy explained to ESSENCE. “At Parsons, it kind of amplified all the ideas that I’ve always had in regards to conceptual and critical thinking,” he included.
Creating his namesake brand GANZY, the North Carolina native details the platform’s purpose. “I wanted to start a platform that basically uses fashion to speak on different social issues and that’s exactly what I have been driving for.” The creation serves its purpose to be a corresponding opinion and house content that amplifies social discontent and advocates for underrepresented communities.
Most recently, Ganzy launched its series, “Black Love”—a project born from his feelings about the community’s affection being overshadowed by religion and cultural norms in Black culture. This series is introduced in a selection of church fans—a vivid representation for the Black southerner. “I have an urge to create space for Blackness,” Ganzy added. “Being a southerner, I’ve seen the marginalization on so many levels.”
Now as GANZY gains more recognition, the platform serves the purpose of normalizing the Black experience to a larger audience. “Everything takes time and things are starting to pick up for it in terms of visibility,” Ganzy concluded.
For more information visit theGANZY.com.