rihanna teams with the new school's parsons school of design, donna karan's urban zen, and haitian artisans to design a collection benefitting Haiti and the singer's clara lionel foundationParsons student designers will work with Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation and Karan’s Urban Zen at the D.O.T center (Design, Organization and Training) in Haiti on a new merchandise collection |
NEW YORK, May 5, 2017 – Rihanna announced that she will work with The New School’s Parsons School of Design, Donna Karan and her Urban Zen Foundation, and Haitian artisans to develop a merchandise line for the singer’s Clara Lionel Foundation in Haiti this summer. Through this innovative partnership, which embodies Parsons' commitment to socially enagaged design, students from the world’s leading art and design school will collaborate with local artisans at the Design, Organization, Training (D.O.T) Center, an artisan vocational training center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Co-founded by Karan, Parsons, and designer Paula Coles, the D.O.T Center is an incubator for Haiti’s artisan community, fostering innovation, providing resources and materials, and enabling artisans to scale their designs while preserving the wisdom and integrity of their unique culture. “We are ecstatic for our students, who will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with an iconic singer and an legendary fashion designer and Parsons alum to create positive social change in the world,” says Alison Mears, director of the Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons, which played an integral role in the launch of the D.O.T. “Through this partnership with Rihanna and Donna Karan, students will live Parsons’ mission, taking a multidisciplinary collaborative approach and utilizing local sustainable practices and healthier materials to create products that benefit Haiti and the Clara Lionel Foundation.” Students will travel to and work in Haiti through Parsons Design Fellowship, a competitive program launched by Karan's Urban Zen in 2015. Now in its third year, the program sends three Parsons students to work in Haiti for six to eight weeks beginning in early June. Rihanna will announce the winners of the fellowship along with Karan on May 22 at Parsons Benefit, where she will also be honored. Karan was honored at the Benefit, a fundraiser for academic scholarships for Parsons students, last year. Since its founding in 2015, the D.O.T Center has developed a training plan for educating local artisans, elevating their production practices and helping them create new market-ready products. Parsons, through its Healthy Materials Lab, has advocated for the use of sustainable and local materials at the D.O.T Center. “This project embodies many of the core values that make Parsons the groundbreaking institution that it is: a commitment to social engagement, a focus on sustainable design, and a strong connection to the global community,” said Parsons Executive Dean Joel Towers. “Students who travel to Haiti will have the opportunity to gain invaluable experience by working alongside a fashion icon and the local artisan community to elevate Haiti’s design industry.” |
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Parsons School of Design at The New School, founded in 1896, is one of the leading institutions for art and design education in the world. Based in New York but active around the world, the school offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the full spectrum of art and design disciplines, as well as online courses, degree and certificate programs. Critical thinking and collaboration are at the heart of a Parsons education. Parsons graduates are leaders in their respective fields, with a shared commitment to creatively and critically addressing the complexities of life in the 21st century. Visit newschool.edu/parsons/. The Urban Zen Foundation, founded by Donna Karan, creates, connects, and collaborates to raise awareness and inspire change in the areas of preservation of cultures, well being, and education. Visit urbanzen.org. The Clara Lionel Foundation, founded in 2012 by Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty, supports and funds groundbreaking and effective education, health and emergency response programs around the world. With the voices of Rihanna and her fans, CLF also engages in global advocacy with the goal of improving the quality of life for young people everywhere. Visit claralionelfoundation.org and follow @ClaraLionelFdn. The D.O.T Center is an innovative artisan training center based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti launched by Donna Karan’s Urban Zen, local Haitian designer Paula Coles, and The New School’s Parsons School of Design. Funded by an initial grant given by Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Foundation, the center works to help artisans preserve the wisdom of Haiti's culture, create better design, innovate, and scale. Visit urbanzen.org/our-initiatives/d-o-t/. |
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Media Contacts: Scott Gargan, |
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