Beyond a Checked Box: Authentically Leaning into Diversity & Inclusion

400 North Michigan Avenue,Chicago IL 60611

28 April, 2022

Description

Join FGI Chicago x Select Model to discuss the importance of authentically cultivating space for diversity and inclusion in the industry. Diversity and inclusion is critical when it comes to the fashion process. In our panel discussion of industry experts -- we will discuss how to genuinely and authentically lean into diversity and inclusion, organically, covering topics such as fashion industry business practices to marketing, and standard operating procedures. **LIMIT 30 GUESTS** Meet the Moderator Melissa Gamble Melissa is an Assistant Professor in the Fashion Studies Department. Melissa teaches courses such as Trendspotting and Law for Creatives: Fashion. Melissa has written and presented in the areas of cultural appropriation, power structures in the fashion industry, and the rise of ESG laws in the fashion industry. Melissa serves on the DEI committee for the School of Fine and Performing Arts at Columbia College Chicago. She is currently a member of the American Bar Association, the International Textiles and Apparel Association, and the Costume Society of America for which she serves as a co-chair of the DEAI committee. Melissa's industry background includes serving at the Director of Fashion Arts and Events for the City of Chicago, executive producer for the city's fashion week, and leading the development of the Chicago Fashion Incubator at Macy’s on State Street. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Driehaus Design Initiative, the Chicago Fashion Incubator at Macy's on State Street, and the Executive Committee of the Chicago History Museum’s Costume Council. Melissa holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Indiana University and a Juris Doctor from the Robert H. McKinney School of Law: Indiana University. After practicing law for seven years, Melissa returned to school and obtained a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Fashion Marketing and Management from the Illinois Institute of Art in Chicago. Meet the Panelists Shannon Lang Head of Scouting and Development for Select Model Management US Offices. She's been scouting, developing and managing the careers of models for over 25 years. Her career in the fashion industry began at a small agency in Omaha, Nebraska. I relocated to Chicago to scout for Elite Model Management, eventually becoming their Director of Scouting and Development. She went on to work for Ford Models and then Wilhelmina. The models she's discovered have graced the cover of Vogue Magazine and have walked the runways of - and modeled in campaigns for - Prada, Miu Miu, Chanel, Calvin Klein, Versace, Fendi, Burberry, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Coach, Saint Laurent, Tom Ford, Hermes, Givenchy, to name a few. Shannon prides herself on a management style that is based on mutual communication, personal attention and respect. Together, we'll map out your goals in fashion and how we can best achieve them together. Cathy Kelley Cathy Kelley works as a Technical Designer for Cintas, Design Collective. Cathy has over 20 years of experience with fit, construction, design and pattern making for Men, Women and Children for retail and catalogue companies. Currently, Cathy works with finding fit models for Design Collective that meet the needs of diversity in Women and Men’s sizing that represent the fit of the company. Cathy holds a BS in Fashion Design from the University of Cincinnati. Bhavana Jain Bhavana Jain is a Clinical Pharmacist and CEO and lead designer for BHAV which is a women's contemporary clothing brand based in Chicago, IL. BHAV is inspired by the rich diversity of South Asian heritage fabrics, and features sophisticated and flattering ready-to-wear pieces tailored to fit the daily lives of real, modern women. The pieces are versatile enough to be worn wherever your day takes you, and we aim to re-imagine what fusion-wear can be. Amber McColloch Amber McCulloch is a plus size model and content creator based in Chicago. She created her blog, Style Plus Curves, over 10 years ago as a way to celebrate plus size style and inspire women of all shapes and sizes to boldly explore fashion. She has collaborated with hundreds of fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands to produce high-quality editorial content and has built a large, loyal and engaged following across social media platforms. Known for her big personality and bold, colorful style, Amber strives to empower women to love their bodies and wear clothes that make them feel beautiful, strong and confident.