Amplifying Melanated Voices: A Conversation with Black Designers

You’re invited to Amplifying Melanated Voices: A Conversation with Black Designers, a free virtual discussion presented by FIDM

Hosted by Jonie Thomas, Assistant Chairperson of Fashion Design at FIDM, featured panel participants are:

TJ Walker: Co-Founder of The Black Design Collective and Cross Colours, and an instructor at FIDM.
Octavius Terry: Celebrity fashion designer, creator of GROOM luxury menswear and FIDM alumnus.
Devert Hickman: Recent FIDM costume design graduate and recipient of the inaugural Black Design Collective Scholarship
Illeana Guzman: Current FIDM Fashion Design Student and Managing Editor of FIDM Mode Magazine.

DISCUSSION TOPIC

The conversation will explore the inherent biases in the fashion industry and the panel of talented FIDM faculty, alumni and student designers will discuss how the industry can make much-needed progress in this area. The brands and work experience of each panelist will be showcased as they share their unique personal experience navigating the world of fashion.

STREAMING INFORMATION

Thursday, July 23, 2020, 5:00-6:00pm PST
Zoom Link

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83403498695?pwd=UTFVWWNwOCtMem5JOFVpL3JBNVFQdz09

HOST BIO   Jonie Thomas

FIDM Assistant Chairperson of Fashion Design

Currently the Assistant Chairperson of Fashion Design at FIDM, Jonie Thomas has spent over 20 years of her career focused on the plus size market for fashion companies such as Carole Little, Warnaco (White Stag Brand) and E.S. Sutton.She created Plus Moda, a plus size fast fashion brand sold only to Walmart online customers.
Throughout her career, she has traveled extensively, working with factories in China, Korea, India, and Mexico.

PANELIST BIOS

TJ WalkerCo-Founder of Cross Colours and the Black Design Collective

FIDM Instructor

Co-Founder of the preeminent streetwear brand Cross Colours, which debuted in 1990 and amassed record sales in excess of $89 million within the first two years.
Co-Founder of the Black Design Collective, which works to bring awareness of the history and relevance of the global impact of black design.
He has occupied the positions of Creative Director, Design Consultant, and Chief Creative Officer for companies such as Target Stores, DKNY, DADA, and Converse.
His designs have been featured at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., and the California African American Museum in Los Angeles, which premiered the exhibition, “Cross Colours: Black Fashion in the 20th Century” in 2019.
TJ has a BFA in Commercial Design from Delta State University and an MFA in Graphic Design and Screen Printing from Louisiana Tech University. He is currently pursuing a PhD.
Walker continues to provide Creative/Design/Brand Development Consultation for a select list of high-profile clients from his Los Angeles studio.

Octavius Terry

CEO & Co-Founder of GROOM / Celebrity Fashion Designer

FIDM Alumnus

The CEO and Co-Founder of men’s ready-to-wear brand GROOM.
Octavius has created designs for iconic celebrities including Ariana Grande, Ray J, Mary J. Blige, Queen Latifah, Demi Lovato, Nick Cannon and Matt Barnes.
Octavius’ designs have been worn on the red carpets of the Academy Awards, the Grammys, many other award ceremonies and celebrity weddings.
Octavius is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and has two Fashion Design degrees from FIDM.
Currently, Octavius works as the Fashion Program Chair at The Art Institute of Atlanta.

Devert Hickman

Costume Designer / Black Design Collective Scholarship Recipient

FIDM Alumnus

Devert is a graduate of the FIDM Theatre Costume Design program, with a prior twenty-year career in the performing arts. He has traveled the world with Cirque du Soleil, the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes and Disney’s The Lion King.
In 2019, he was awarded the first Black Design Collective Scholarship, which was presented to him by the Oscar-winning costume designer for Black Panther, Ruth E. Carter.
Devert is now working as Costume Designer for film, television, and stage productions.
Most recently, he was commissioned to design costumes for Houston-based “Social Movement Company Dance.”

Illeana Guzman

Current FIDM Fashion Design Student

A current FIDM Fashion Design student, Illeana is also working as a Design Assistant at Sadie & Sage and an Illustration Tech for the clients of the brand POWATT.
One of her most recent accomplishments is completing the MODE Magazine, a student publication at FIDM, as the Managing Editor.
Illeana aspires to be a fashion designer for a forward-thinking fashion house and is looking forward to completing her degree later this fall.