Law Roach, Ciara and Russell Wilson and Stefan Larsson Feted at FSF’s 89th Gala

The fashion industry came out in full force Monday night to celebrate the Class of 2026 Fashion Scholarship Fund Scholars and Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholars at the organization’s 89th annual gala: FSF Live at New York City’s Glasshouse.

The gala honored four industry leaders for their commitment for supporting the next generation of fashion talent. They were Law Roach, image architect; Ciara, multiplatinum Grammy-winning singer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and cultural icon; Russell Wilson, Super Bowl Champion quarterback, entrepreneur and philanthropist, and , chief executive officer of PVH Corp.

The event also awarded more than $1.9 million in scholarships to the Class of 2026 FSF Scholars and Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholars — in total 160 college students who have demonstrated their ability to disrupt and transform the fashion industry as creatives or as marketing and business professionals. All 160 scholars — from a network of 75 colleges and universities throughout the country — attended the event and had their work showcased during the evening.

Among the evening’s guests were Jerry Lorenzo, Christian Siriano, Wes Gordon, Tremaine Emory, Daniella Kallmeyer, Jessica Lomax, LaQuan Smith, Kenneth Cole, Marc Fisher, Michelle Ochs, Olympia Gayot, June Ambrose, Steven Kolb, Gary Wassner, Tony Spring, Geoffroy van Raemdonck, Lana Todorovich, Michelle Wlazlo and Abbey Doneger.

During the cocktail hour, Siriano told WWD, “It’s amazing.” He said he met one of the students and was so impressed he gave her his email. “There are not a lot of things where young students can meet other people [in the industry]. I had no mentor and nobody would talk to you. Designers have come together a little more.…They [the students] have a lot of dreams. It’s such a hard world and they still want to be in fashion and make clothes.”

Peter Arnold, executive director of the Fashion Scholarship Fund, told WWD that there were more than 885 people at the event. This year, they were able to “shift the focus on the scholars, and really celebrate them.” He said guests walked down the hallway and could see the students’ work. “We gave them iPads and more scholars were able to meet more guests than ever before,” Arnold said.

Throughout the evening, guests were encouraged to spend some time talking to the students.

Ahead of the gala, the four highest-scoring Scholar Finalists competed for the FSF’s $25,000 Chairman’s Award by presenting their in-depth case studies centered on cross-industry collaboration to a panel of judges representing all sectors of the industry.

The winner of the $25,000 Chairman’s Award was Kuan Jackson, a Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholar from Clark Atlanta University who entered his work on marketing and was given his award by FSF board president and CEO of Fairchild Media Group, Amanda Smith, and founder and creative director of Luar, Raul Lopez.

Jackson bested finalists Rylee Funfsinn, business strategy, Savannah College of Art and Design; Justin Le, design and product development, the University of Texas at Austin, and Madison-Jade Bishop, marketing/Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholar, Drexel University — all of whom spoke passionately during the program about their goals, FSF case-study topic and inspiration.

Following the announcement, Jackson told WWD how he was feeling. “The best way to put it is blessed, honored, grateful, divine.” Jackson designed a collaboration between KidSuper and Legos, where he invited the consumer to be a collaborator.

“I’m a big believer that you cannot be your best self by yourself,” said Jackson, who created a platform where users get on the platform and create a KidSuper and Lego avatar. But on the backend, KidSuper receives data from his consumers, so he can use that data to form new collections in the future. “If you want to be the best at something, find somebody who’s already done what you want to do. So I’m willing to dedicate my 20s from learning from people who have already walked in my shoes, so that in the 30 and 40s, I could be where I want to be,” said Jackson, who has his own fashion company called Perfect Circle.

Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, fashion editor, stylist and former FSF Scholar, served as host of the evening. She told the audience, “Let’s be honest: transparency hasn’t always been a defining value in this industry. Fashion can feel opaque, whether you’re trying to understand how the business really works or how to access the opportunities within it. And that is exactly why the work of the Fashion Scholarship Fund matters. Every day, FSF is committed to educating, empowering and elevating young talent.”

FSF’s Arnold told the audience that they have awarded more than $1.9 million in scholarships to 192 young people — including 32 community college scholars. “We opened doors for community college students. We now offer three years of continuous support for scholars just starting out on their academic journeys,” Arnold said.

Roach, who was introduced by multihyphenate Jeremy Pope, said, “I really think fashion gave me my life. When I was growing up on the south side of Chicago, I had no idea that I would be able to become the person I became. But what I didn’t understand is that something told me I was special. And I listened to that voice when everybody else told me I wasn’t. When I look at the scholars, I think some of you guys are probably still trying to figure that out as well.…I urge you to listen to your voice, and not anybody else’s.”

Ciara and Russell Wilson were introduced by Willa Bennett, editor in chief of Cosmopolitan and Seventeen, and the couple’s two children, Future and Sienna Wilson.

“Fashion is no joke. It shapes culture. It makes statements. It brings people together,” said Ciara Wilson, upon receiving her award. “Don’t be afraid of the hard moments along the way. Every challenge, every setback, every time you push through doubt…trust that those are just your beauty marks in the making. Keep dreaming big. Keep believing in your vision,” she said.

Russell Wilson added, “Adversity is going to be part of the journey. Fear, doubt, setbacks…those things show up at every level. What has inspired us most tonight is seeing all of you bringing your ideas into this industry. Think about how your creativity can open doors for others and make an impact beyond yourself.”

In introducing the four FSF 2026 Scholar finalists, Colm Dillane — who hosted the entire class at KidSuper’s Brooklyn Studio Sunday night — said, “I think the future is in good hands,” he said.

Tommy Hilfiger, whose company is a part of PVH Corp., presented the award to PVH CEO Larsson who recounted his career from H&M to Old Navy, Ralph Lauren and now PVH. Hilfiger stressed that Larsson gets involved in every single aspect of the business.

“What consistently sets him apart is his ability to connect the consumer, product and brand — paired with a hands-on approach, tireless dedication and a deep belief in people. True leadership isn’t just about what you build, it’s about the people you lift up along the way, and the impact you create. Stefan is a true game-changer for our industry,” Hilfiger said.

Larsson spoke about his career trajectory and how he never planned to go into fashion and wanted to take an entrepreneurial route after school. But, he bumped into someone at a career fair who convinced him to join H&M, where they worked liked entrepreneurs and he loved it. He said he wouldn’t be in this position today if he hadn’t bumped into that person.

“To all the students here tonight. You have a unique set of superpowers. Many of you are about to take your first steps into our industry. It is an incredibly exciting industry and also incredibly competitive and tough at times. By listening to your dreams, writing them down and finding people who have done something similar — and taking those coffees — and being relentless in your curiosity, creativity and drive, you will create a career in fashion beyond what you can see as possible today,” Larsson said.