On Monday, leaders from across fashion, retail and media gathered at Gjelina on Bond Street to open New York Fashion Week and celebrate the 2026 RaiseFashion Masterclass. The evening was co-hosted by the non-profit RaiseFashion, J.Crew Group and ShopyMy — a commerce and affiliate platform for brands, creators and consumers — bringing together the programme’s newest cohort with the industry leaders and advisors who will support their next stage of growth.
This year’s class of 18 designers — Andrew Kwon, Bianca Saunders, Brandon Murphy, Campillo, Danarys New York, Dauphinette, Daveed Baptiste, Diarrablu, Dwarmis, Esenshel, Greg Laboratory, Leblancstudios, Mark Grattan, Mckenzie Liautaud, Private Policy, Reut, Shao and Yesaet — represents RaiseFashion’s largest masterclass yet, more than double last year’s intake. The dinner marked the beginning of the designers’ integration into RaiseFashion’s network.
Model and activist Bethann Hardison, fashion designer Naeem Khan, luxury fashion consultant Roopal Patel, Moda Operandi’s president April Hennig, Shopbop’s chief merchandising officer Stephanie Roberson, among others, came together for an evening of conversation about the realities and opportunities facing independent designers in today’s market.
The expansion comes at a critical moment for emerging and independent talent. Designers today navigate mounting headwinds including diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) rollback, capital constraints and inadequate traditional support systems. Amid these shifting industry dynamics, designers need alternative infrastructure built for sustainable, long-term growth rather than rapid scaling.
RaiseFashion’s response has been to expand its reach. The organisation’s eight-week masterclass offers over 30 sessions led by industry experts on revenue strategy, supply chain management, financial literacy and branding.
I’m ready for more strategy. I want to meet the people who make fashion ‘fashion’.
— Daveed Baptiste
The results are measurable: 95 percent of participants remain in business after completing the programme, while 90 percent expand their distribution channels with retail and wholesale partners. Most notably, Rachel Scott, a RaiseFashion class of 2023 alum and founder of womenswear brand Diotima, is now creative director of Proenza Schouler.
Masterclass designers Reut Ringel, Shao Yang, Hiywet Mimi Girma and Mark Grattan. (Hannah Turner Harts/BFA.com)
A number of attendees told BoF they hope to find a sense of belonging in an industry that doesn’t always make space for non-traditional paths.
Diarra Bousso, womenswear designer of Diarrablu and part of the 2026 masterclass, spoke candidly about approaching fashion through unconventional means. “I don’t come from a traditional fashion background. I come from mathematics and I use maths equations to create my art and my prints. In the maths scene, I was too creative. In the fashion scene, I felt like I didn’t fit,” she said. “Finally, I feel like I’m part of a community where I’m seen for what I bring to the table.”
Hiywet ‘Mimi’ Girma, womenswear designer of Yesaet and fellow cohort member, emphasised the critical role of mentorship: “At the end of the day, you can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t have mentorship, support and access, it can be super hard.”
“Tonight is not just about celebration, it’s the beginning of a lasting relationship. Our hope is that through this masterclass, [designers] are not only informed, but more supported, more confident and more prepared to build the business [they] envision,” Harris noted as the crowd cheered to the masterclass of 2026.
