The Fashion Scholarship Fund has announced that Farai Simoyi will lead the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund and Equity established in 2020 by the late fashion industry visionary Virgil Abloh to build equity and inclusion in the fashion industry by providing scholarships to Black, African American, or African descent students.
According to WWD, Simoyi will be tasked with overseeing the scholarship program, while also growing the number of scholarships awarded each year and leading pilot programs that support Black talent in the fashion industry. The designer and educator will be reporting to Fashion Scholarship Fund executive director Peter Arnold.
Virgil Abloh was a visionary who ignited a generation, and his legacy of inclusivity and opportunity is a powerful force for change. I am committed to carrying forward his teachings and mentorship to empower underrepresented students and create a more equitable fashion industry. The Virgil Abloh ‘Post-Modern’ Scholarship Fund is a transformative platform, and I am inspired by the opportunity to work alongside Shannon Abloh and Peter Arnold in expanding its impact. Together, we will continue to build a future where talent and passion know no bounds. - Farai Simoyi to WWD
Farai Simoyi has occupied varying roles in the fashion industry for almost two decades. The designer, founder, educator and business development leader has experience designing and consulting for well-known brands and globally renowned celebrities not limited to Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rachel Roy, Anne Klein, and Nicki Minaj.
In 2017 she launched The Narrativ, a Brooklyn-based fashion brand and retail store that serves as a marketplace for ethically sourced goods and in 2020, Simoyi was named program director and professor for undergraduate and graduate fashion design programs at Thomas Jefferson University. At the college, she established the inaugural Diversity in Design course.
Simoyi has helped more than 50 international brands successfully enter the United States market, and across her two decades-long career the designer has also partnered with numerous brands to develop equitable and inclusive partnerships.
She was featured in the debut season of Netflix’s design competition series Next In Fashion.
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