Designer Brands Announces $2 Million Investment into First Black-Owned U.S. Footwear Factory
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Posted By: Kennedy Williams on March 11, 2022 Designer Brands Inc., parent of shoe retailer DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, announced today an investment of $2 million into advancing action-oriented Diversity, Equity & Inclusion through a partnership with Pensole and legendary footwear designer Dr. D'Wayne Edwards, President of Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design (PLC). Located in Detroit, PLC is the first and only Historically Black College & University (HBCU) in Michigan and the first HBCU with a focus on design. PLC, formerly known as the Lewis College of Business, is expected to reopen in May 2022. In this new partnership, Designer Brands will invest in the first Black-owned footwear factory in the United States – JEMS by Pensole – to produce shoes designed by PLC graduate students, to be sold exclusively at DSW. "We see the footwear industry lacking effective representation by people of color, specifically Blacks, and this $2 million investment will address root causes to remove barriers," said Designer Brands Chief Executive Officer Roger Rawlins. "Blacks represent less than five percent of those across all design industries, thus lacking much-needed diversity. Designer Brands and DSW's commitment with Pensole will create a U.S.-based shoe factory, with the goal of all work leading to the launch of Black designers' brands inside of DSW." "The footwear industry needs more diversity. The partnership we are entering into with Designer Brands and DSW is a new business model that truly empowers the consumer to influence the industry toward that goal," said Dr. Edwards. "Together with Pensole, Designer Brands and DSW will provide designers opportunities to offer new products directly to consumers. Along the way we will create careers and invest in talented aspiring designers to become the future of our industry." JEMS stands for "Jan Ernst Matzeliger Studio" – itself named in honor of the Black footwear pioneer who in 1883 received a patent that revolutionized footwear manufacturing, a process that inspired methods the industry still uses today. With Black History Month in February, Designer Brands has embraced "MORE THAN A MONTH" as the symbolic theme to recognize and pay homage to Black innovators and providing opportunities for designers of color. From now through Matzeliger's birthday on September 15, DSW will chronicle the opening of JEMS by Pensole and production of its first shoes. SOURCE: Designer Brands If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Kennedy Williams
From Loganville, GA Spelman College class of 2020 Member Since July 2016 |
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