Lindsay Jenkins, an Eastern Michigan University student majoring in fashion marketing innovation, was one of 60 recipients of a $10,000 college scholarship from the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund this year.
The University of Michigan student-led Michigan Fashion Media Summit will return April 5 to the Stephen M. Ross School of Business in Ann Arbor.
In this installment of our Voices of Youth series, student artist Ella Yip shares her design for a dress that refutes common stereotypes of Asian women.
Some items will be created from completely sustainable materials, and the company's goal is to have a quantifiable neutral impact on carbon emissions.
A student-led music festival aiming to counteract some commonly held assumptions about the local music scene and give exposure to lesser-known artists is returning for its second year in Ypsi.
After watching TV coverage on Syrian refugees, Hope Carried owner Brea Albulov decided to focus on hiring moms with barriers to employment.
We here at Concentrate have long sung the praises of Ghostly Records, which was founded by U-M alum Sam Valenti. Heck, they even provided us with music for our videos. Now, the New York Times' business section is finally noticing this cooler-than-cool company. Excerpt: "A diversified product line can be a smart survival strategy in a struggling business, which the music industry continues to be 16 years after Napster shattered the highly profitable model of selling CDs. But according to Sam Valenti IV, Ghostly’s founder, the nonmusical goods that it sells are not a hedge against declining record sales. Music, he said, is profitable and by far Ghostly’s biggest product." Read the rest here.
For more than a decade, The Penny Stamps Speaker Series has brought innovative artists, thinkers and makers to Ann Arbor to speak to students and locals alike. For free! It's the only program of its kind in the nation, and it's impact has help forge an unique connection between the community and the university.
Andrew Jacob and Andre Najmolhoda went to high school in West Bloomfield and college in Ann Arbor together, so it’s not a surprise the two friend are starting their own company together. The University of Michigan students launched a custom belt company called OverTheFly a year ago and are starting to make a fashion statement or two with it. "We noticed there is always a trend in shoes, shirts and hats but never belts," says Andrew Jacob, co-founder of OverTheFly. "We want to start trends with belts." OverTheFly offers plastic belts and buckles of different colors and styles, allowing buyers to customize their own belt with a few clicks of a computer mouse. The company describes its belts as "waterproof, durable, 100% recyclable, animal-friendly, and one size fits all." "You can pretty much create your own belt," Jacob says. He adds, "We are also the first company we know of that created a belt with Detroit’s skyline on it." OverTheFly's products can be bought online or at 17 stores in Michigan and Florida. Jacob and Najmolholda plan to continue finding more retail outlets for its belts and hope to scale across the U.S. Source: Andrew Jacob, co-founder of OverTheFly Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
A new retailer coming to N. Main is about more than clothes. According to owner Michael Kao, Legion will be many things – a place for art, collaboration, culture and fashion, and above all, a destination. "The store we're opening up is geared toward a whole lifestyle," Kao says. "So there are people who seek out stores like this." Renovations are now underway in the 1,500 square food N. Main storefront that Kao hopes to open as Legion in mid-November. The store will carry Kao's own fashion brand, Chief, as well as number of apparel brands he calls "American heritage brands," including Pendleton and Red Wings Shoes. "We're kind of focusing on brand and quality," says Kao. "We hope to educate the people around here about the difference between clothing and fashion. Fashion is you expressing yourself as a person." In addition to elevating the level of fashion in downtown Ann Arbor, Kao plans to carry local art and photography. He hopes the store will store will become the first of many new fashion retailers in the neighborhood, believing the city is ripe to be come a hub for collaborative fashion businesses. Kao owns Legion along with two silent partners. He plans to open the store with one additional employee and an intern who will work into full employment. Source: Michael Kao, Legion Writer: Natalie Burg
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