Tiffany & Co. has long been committed to building a more equitable and inclusive jewelry industry. From Beyonce’s brand ambassadorship to, more specifically, through its social impact platform, Atrium. Since the initiative’s launch earlier this past year, the storied fine jeweler has made significant strides through its educational pillar initiatives: The About Love Scholarship Program, Tiffany & Co. and Harlem’s Fashion Row: ICON 360 HBCU Summit, and LVMH Métiers d’Excellence Institute.
One of the distinct aims of Atrium is creating a more inclusive space for emerging fashion/creative voices of color. “Through Tiffany Atrium, we have broadened access and exposure for HBCU students and diverse talents over the past several months,” said Mary Bellai, Global Chief Human Resources Officer, Tiffany & Co., via press release. From the second year of our About Love Scholarship campaign to our first LVMH Métiers d’Excellence apprenticeship program and connection with the Harlem’s Fashion Row, we have made meaningful progress towards our goals.”
A significant initiative within Tiffany Atrium is the Tiffany & Co. About Love Scholarship Program. In partnership with the Carters, BeyGOOD, and the Shawn Carter Foundation, the ongoing program pledges scholarship funding for students in the arts and creative fields at HBCUs through 2024. Last year it awarded over 60 students from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and 60 more students in creative practices will be awarded this year.
To further support its commitment to fostering educational opportunities and career growth for students and emerging talents of historically underrepresented communities, Tiffany has also partnered with Harlem’s Fashion Row to sponsor the ICON 360 HBCU Summit. The summit is “dedicated to transforming art and fashion programs at HBCUs across North America by providing direct design expertise from industry experts that will advance the next generation of diverse creative talent.” Working alongside HFR founder/CEO Brandice Daniel, Tiffany & Co. sponsored the 10-week “Tenacity Talks” lecture series throughout the Fall ’22 and Spring ’23 semesters at North Carolina A&T State University.
Brandice speaking on the partnership with Tiffany & Co: “With the fortitude to not only acknowledge existential inequities in fashion but to have a storied brand leverage all their resources to educate and uplift underrepresented talent, Tiffany’s involvement in HFR’s ICON 360 programming is monumental and can enact real, ongoing change. Tiffany’s pioneering support for HFR’s ICON 360 HBCU platform and its summit is the backing, partnership, mentorship, and hands-on education marginalized groups need to thrive in the fashion industry,” she tells ESSENCE. “An authority with limitless access, tools, and platforms, storied brands have the ability to edit the narrative for the next generation’s pipeline of talent.”
“It is my hope that luxury lifestyle brands fully accept the challenge to better the work environment for youth of color, widen the sphere of fashion to be more inclusive, amplify change, and mimic Tiffany’s Atrium solid initiatives that put HBCUs at its center.” — Brandice Daniel
And what’s next for the social impact platform? Expanding. “Atrium will act globally but think locally. While we launched with a US focus, we are excited to expand Atrium programming beyond the U.S. in 2023 with global creatives, institutions, and communities that advance opportunities for underrepresented groups,” Bellai tells ESSENCE. “We know diversity, equity, and inclusion looks different around the world, and we’ll build relevant initiatives and programming regionally.”