Fashion Industry’s Challenges and Opportunities

Monday, April 15, 2024 | 6:00 – 7:15 PM (Reception to follow)

Cooperman Commons, Geffen Hall, Columbia Business School (Map)

(645 West 130th Street, New York, NY 10027)

Featuring:
Kikka Hanazawa, Trustee, Columbia University; Fashion Social Entrepreneur; and Nonprofit Founder

Miki Higasa, Founder, Kaleidoscope Consulting

Ngozi Okaro, Founder and Executive Director, Custom Collaborative

Wendy Waugh, Global Head and SVP of Sustainability, Theory LLC

Opening Remarks: David E. Weinstein, Director, CJEB; Carl S. Shoup Professor of the Japanese Economy, Columbia University

What you'll learn:

• Problems in the fashion industry (fashion waste and the industry’s impact on the environment, human rights, and low wages)
• Opportunities in fashion (entrepreneurship, women's empowerment)
• How to make a social impact through fashion ventures and nonprofit organizations
• How global fashion businesses can partner with nonprofits to make an impact locally and globally (with examples including Theory’s partnership with Custom Collaborative and Fashion Girls for Humanity’s partnership with fashion designers such as VPL and Athleta)
• Fashion sustainability (highlighting examples from Theory and Yabbey, a digital library that aims to decentralize production to reduce fashion waste)

Biographies:

Kikka Hanazawa is an internationally recognized social entrepreneur and nonprofit leader focused on social impact, women’s entrepreneurship, and sustainability in the fashion world. Ms. Hanazawa’s passion aligns with businesses and projects that make a positive difference to society. She is also the co-Founder/CEO of Yabbey, a digital fashion library and a co-founder of Fashion Girls for Humanity, an award-winning nonprofit organization. Previously she was the CEO of VPL, a global fashion brand and a certified B Corporation. Prior to VPL and her social entrepreneurship, she played a senior leadership role at Theory, managing its strategic development, M&A activities and IPO and was the CEO at Cygne International, where she led a management buyout of the international business. Hanazawa began her career at Itochu Corporation and worked at the New York office.

Miki Higasa is the founder of Kaleidoscope Consulting a brand strategy and media relations company with a focus on brand development, content creation and media and marketing planning. The company also specializes in creative direction consulting. Some of Kaleidoscope Consulting’s clients and past projects include, Thom Browne, Sacai, Repossi, Brooks Brothers, Moncler and LeSpotsac. Prior to Kaleidoscope, she was an International Press officer and Special Projects director at Comme des Garcons in Tokyo and New York for 16 years. She is also the co-founder of Fashion Girls for Humanity. Born and raised in NYC, Ms. Higasa received a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies from University of Michigan.

Ngozi Okaro advocates for a fashion industry that honors planet and people. She founded Custom Collaborative to support no/low-income women launching sustainable fashion businesses and careers. Custom Collaborative serves fashion-industry entrepreneurs, workers, corporations, and consumers. Ngozi is a Commissioner of the NYC Equal Employment Practices Commission, and a Director of the NYC Economic Development Corporation. Distinctions include: 2022 Goldman Sachs Black Woman Impact Leader, Vogue Business 100 Innovator, and Conscious Fashion Campaign & United Nations SDG Honoree; 2021 AARP Purpose Prize Fellow, and Crain's Notable Woman in Business; 2020 “World-Changing Women in Conscious Business” winner, from Conscious Company Media and Kate Spade; 2019 NYC Fair Trade Coalition "Changemaker of the Year", and New York Women's Foundation "Spirit of Entrepreneurship” awardee. She is certified by New York University’s Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising and was a 2014 Environmental Leadership Program Fellow. Ngozi graduated from Georgetown University Law Center and Morgan State University.

Wendy Waugh has worked for Theory for 23 years. Her current role focuses on the Sustainability of Theory from Raw Material Sources, the Farms, to the Final Product in the stores, the supply chain along the way and the Circularity of the Product. In addition to this she has an attention on educating and empowering our communities.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Waugh was SVP of Merchandising and Development for Theory and HELMUT LANG. Ms. Waugh was also responsible for developing and implementing the company’s initial product lifecycle management program. Her experience at Theory spans many departments ranging from merchandising, development, design operations, computer implementation, and raw material procurement to the current innovation and sustainability team. Prior to Theory, Ms. Waugh ran private label divisions for Magaschoni Apparel Group, Tahari, and Cygne Design. Based in New York City, Ms. Waugh is an accomplished fine artist, focused on figurative art.

Opening Remarks by:

David E. Weinstein is the Carl S. Shoup Professor of the Japanese Economy at Columbia University. He is also the director of the Center on Japanese Economy and Business (CJEB), co-director of Columbia’s APEC Study Center, co-director of the Japan Project at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and a member of the Center for Economic Policy Research and the Federal Economic Statistics Advisory Committee. He is the recipient of many grants and awards, including five National Science Foundation grants, an Institute for New Economic Thinking grant, a Bank of International Settlements Fellowship, and a Google Research Award. Professor Weinstein earned his PhD and MA in economics from the University of Michigan and his BA at Yale University. He is a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, one of the highest honors bestowed by the Japanese government.

Admission and Contact:

You must register to attend this in-person-only event.

If you have questions about the event, please contact us at [email protected].

Special Notes:

● Advance registration is required to attend this event.

● This in-person-only event will not be live streamed.

● Please be advised that this event may be photographed, so your image may appear on our website or in CJEB materials later. If this is an issue, please let us know.

● Please bring a government-issued ID or Columbia University ID to access Geffen Hall.

● Ms. Higasa’s photo is taken by Pamela Berkovic.

● This event is part of the Women’s Career Advancement Initiative of CJEB’s JMLP Program.

We look forward to seeing you there.

For more information about other CJEB events, visit our website or contact [email protected].

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Room 120 (Cooperman Commons) (NEW ROOM), Geffen Hall, Columbia Business School, 645 West 130th Street, New York, United States