Off-White launches ‘I Support Young Black Businesses’ initiative

Virgil Abloh and Off-White have announced an ongoing commitment to the Black community with the launch of a quarterly fundraising programme, ‘I Support Young Black Businesses’.

The project will raise funds for organisations chosen by Abloh and his team to support the Black community, explained the brand in a press release, by selling items where 100 percent of proceeds will go to the organisation selected each quarter.

The first round of quarterly fundraising will launch with the sale of Off-White's autumn/winter 2020 ‘I Support Young Black Businesses’ T-shirt and hoodies, which first appeared during the brand’s catwalk show in January 2020, worn by tap dancer Cartier Williams who gave an opening performance.

The apparel, available now on Off-White’s website will raise funds for Chicago CRED, which stands for ‘Create Real Economic Destiny’, an organisation Abloh has partnered with since 2017 in his home city and is focused on reducing gun violence.

In addition, Off-White is kicking off a paid internship programme in Milan this September for young Black people who want to establish a career in the fashion industry.

These are the latest initiatives from Abloh to support the Black community, who last month raised 1 million US dollars to support the next generation of Black fashion leaders through his ‘Post-Modern’ Scholarship Fund, which will be managed in partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF), the fashion-oriented education and workforce development nonprofit in the US.

Images: courtesy of Off-White