HISTORY RESEARCH / Case Study
Aligning a brand’s cultural heritage with today’s cultural climate.
The Challenge
A time-honored, global fashion brand approached us to explore the underrepresented contributions of African Americans to sportswear. The brand itself specializes in sportswear, but wanted to reintroduce its reputation for being inspired by the marginalized cultures that have enriched North American sportswear through streetwear.
The Approach
Upon establishing a partnership between the brand and our signature resource, The Fashion and Race Database, we embarked on commissioning a cohort of researchers from our network to excavate the underrepresented contributions of African Americans to sportswear (and streetwear), spanning over 100 years, from the 1800s to today.
The Results
Our research cohort of Black historians collectively penned 12 educational essays, not only delivering stories that were relevant to the brand’s interests, but stories that expanded the breadth of fashion history in general. The package of research pieces will in turn be used as an education tool for the brand’s team, help the brand reaffirm its cultural narrative and design ethos, and further align itself with the diversity that is sorely needed in the fashion industry today.
Services by Artis Solomon
Each brand, organization or individual’s needs will vary, but we have seen that the scope of our engagements typically fall into one of the categories listed below. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you.
History Research
Cultural Insights
