The Future of Design Talent Is Being Built at HBCUs
- Phyllis Caddell
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
When Ruth E. Carter and April Walker walked into Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design this week, they brought more than decades of experience. They brought perspective and proof.
For the HBCU professors/fashion educators gathered in Detroit, hearing from two women who helped change their industries wasn't simply an opportunity to learn from successful careers. It was a chance to gather insights they can take back to their classrooms and share with the students who are still figuring out what is possible for their futures in design and fashion.
That was the spirit of the HBCU Professor Summit at PLC Detroit--Michigan's only HBCU and the nation's only design-focused HBCU. The summit welcomed HBCU educators from institutions nationwide, alongside industry leaders and innovators, to discuss the pathways that shape careers in fashion, footwear, retail, and design.
Yet many of the conversations taking place throughout the day were about something much bigger than any one industry. They were about access, exposure, and what it takes to help students move from potential to opportunity.
We often hear companies talk about finding talent. What we don't hear enough about are the people helping students discover their talent. Before a portfolio is reviewed, before an internship is secured, and before a recruiter reaches out, there is usually a professor, mentor, or educator helping a student see possibilities they may not have seen for themselves. That is why gatherings like this matter.
For many students, careers in fashion, footwear, and design can feel distant, particularly at institutions where those opportunities have not traditionally been visible. HBCU professors often become the bridge between talent and opportunity, helping students understand where their skills can take them and how to prepare when those opportunities arrive.
The women who took the stage on opening day understand that journey firsthand.
As a two-time Academy Award-winning costume designer, Ruth E. Carter has spent her career helping tell some of the most important stories in film. Her work has influenced how generations see Black culture, Black excellence, and Black creativity on screen. Listening to her speak was a reminder that creative careers are about more than talent. They require vision, preparation, persistence, and a commitment to mastering your craft.
April Walker's story carries a similar lesson. Long before inclusion became part of corporate conversations, Walker was building one of the first female-owned streetwear brands and creating opportunities in spaces where women were often overlooked. Her career reminds us that some of the most impactful leaders are the ones willing to create doors when they find them closed.
Their connection to PLC Detroit extends beyond the summit itself.
In 2024, PLC Detroit unveiled the April Walker Apparel Design Stu/deo, recognizing Walker's contributions to fashion, entrepreneurship, and culture. A year later, the institution launched the Ruth E. Carter Apparel Creation Stu/deo, honoring Carter's groundbreaking career and lasting influence on design, storytelling, and creative excellence.
Together, the studios serve as more than named spaces. They provide students with daily reminders that successful careers are built by people whose journeys often begin with vision, determination, and a willingness to create opportunities where few previously existed.
The summit also reflects the vision of Brandice Daniel and ICON360, whose commitment to supporting Black designers and HBCU fashion programs has helped create opportunities for students and institutions alike. Since 2020, ICON360 has invested more than $2 million in Black designers and HBCUs, helping strengthen programs and expand access across the industry.
The conversations continued throughout the day as professors explored curriculum development, portfolio expectations, and the skills students need to compete in today's marketplace. Those discussions carry particular significance given that only a small percentage of HBCUs currently offer fashion-focused programs--Only 10% of HBCUs in the United States offer fashion programs—underscoring the urgency of initiatives like this.
What stood out most, however, was the shared understanding that opportunity doesn't happen by accident. It is created, nurtured, and introduced.
And more often than not, it begins with someone who sees potential before the rest of the world does.
The future of design will certainly be shaped by executives, designers, and entrepreneurs. It will also be shaped by the educators returning to their campuses with new ideas, new relationships, and new ways to help students connect their ambitions to careers.
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