The 2023 MFMS Recap
CHECK-IN
The entrance to the Stephen M. Ross School of Business was abuzz on the morning of March 24th, as the Student Planning Team prepared for the 2023 Michigan Fashion Media Summit. Hundreds of gift bags, courtesy of the MFMS’s official presenting sponsor, Saks Fifth Avenue, set the backdrop for the representatives who greeted attendees and speakers alike. At our second in-person summit since 2019, the energy was in full force as attendees checked in, signed up for networking events, and made their way to the Robertson Auditorium for the day's kick-off.
INTRODUCTION
Ali Gropper, founder of the MFMS and Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient, commenced the day with a summit introduction that detailed the exciting, jam-packed schedule of events.
Gropper’s speech was followed by the MFMS intro video, filmed and edited by Maille Uyehara, a talented member of our creative team. The video featured our 2023 Executive Board and video clips from previous summits that got the auditorium excited for the day’s events.
Next to speak were MFMS Co-Presidents, Talia Potters and Hannah Shipley, who kicked off the day with their introduction — a culmination of the student planning team’s hard work. The pair discussed their own experiences with the MFMS and what the organization has meant to them. They also introduced the morning keynote speaker, Steven Kolb of the CFDA, and shared with the audience the MFMS’s decision to donate 10% of all ticket sales to a CFDA Foundation initiative, Fashion Targets Breast Cancer.
MORNING KEYNOTE: STEVEN KOLB
The thoughtful and pragmatic Steven Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), spoke as the morning keynote joined by moderator Marc Karimzadeh, Editorial and Communications Director at CFDA. The CFDA is a nonprofit organization that plays an important role in supporting fashion designers, promoting American fashion, advocating for the industry, driving sustainability initiatives, and more. Following an incredible video on the history of the CFDA, the pair discussed their unique journeys in the fashion industry, the evolution of American fashion, and the role of the fashion industry in the future.
A proponent of following your passions, Kolb discussed his atypical path transitioning from fundraising to the fashion industry, and what led him to the CFDA. He shared, “[Fashion] wasn’t my dream at first. All I knew was Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan… as a college student I realized corporate wasn’t for me.”
Kolb and Karimzadeh truly set the tone for the day, reinvigorating their love for fashion and reminding attendees why they showed up to the MFMS in the first place: shared passion for the industry. The CFDA is involved in various charitable efforts that support a variety of initiatives. Their conversation was undeniably inspiring and demonstrated the ways that the fashion industry and philanthropy can intersect to make the world a more creative, inclusive, and empathetic place.
Attendees then tuned into a video introduction of our Fashion Forward Showcase that featured five talented up-and-coming designers, Trinity Brown, Peyton Messner, Nikki Park, Finley Peterson, and Bryan Wilson. Each designer set up a booth outside of Robertson to showcase their work to the attendees, giving students and professionals alike the chance to engage directly with their art and for one of them to be named winner of the our Fashion Forward Showcase.
PANEL 1: MADE IN DETROIT: FASHION IN THE MOTOR CITY
The first panel of the day focused on Detroit, an immensely influential, yet often overlooked, contributor to the fashion industry. The panel featured Aki Choklat, a professor at the College for Creative Studies, Greg Schwartz, Co-Founder of Stock X, Jonathan West of Carhartt, and Awenate Cobbina, CEO of Bedrock, which is an investment firm primarily focused on retail and consumer-facing companies. The discussion was moderated by Marcus Collins, Chief Strategy Officer at Weisen + Kennedy and marketing professor at the Ross School of Business.
The panelists opened an interesting discussion on the unique qualities of Detroit fashion and how the history of the motor city has influenced its modern style. West shared that Carhartt maintains authenticity by staying true to the brand’s iconic workwear, a representation of Detroit’s grit and culture of hard work. Similarly, Cobbina expressed that what draws people to these brands is Detroit and a special pride for the city. When asked how he maintains the Detroit brand, he responded, “It starts from within. It starts from the people.”
As a fashion professor, Choklat works directly with the future of the industry, discussing a trending emphasis on second-hand shopping and sustainability. Echoing Choklat, Schwartz explained the importance of staying on top of trends at Stock X, a company that thrives on its ability to consistently curate best-selling products.
One thing was made clear: Detroit fashion is driven by a sense of community and overwhelming pride. Each of the impressive panelists brought a unique perspective to the conversation and authentically represented the Motor City.
FIRESIDE CHAT: TAYLOR HALE
Taylor Hale, Winner of CBS’ Big Brother and Miss Michigan USA 2021, delivered a graceful and honest conversation moderated by LSA Professor and author, Devon Powers. Hale opened by discussing her experience as an influencer, both the rewarding aspects of social media and the not-so-glamorous elements of perceived responsibilities, expectations, and online scrutiny. She acknowledged the hardships of internet bullying that have accompanied her rise to fame and also professed her fundamental goal to represent a positive and authentic role model for her followers.
Hale cultivated a true sense of community through her audience Q&A, during which she spoke on her experience as the first Black female winner of Big Brother and gave her followers a chance to engage with her directly. She discussed the importance of representation in the media and dismantling stereotypes through her platform. Hale also commented on her values of intentionality in building her personal brand, sharing that she does not just take every sponsorship opportunity or advocate for every possible cause. Instead, she remains true to her beliefs and finds that sincerity is what keeps her audience engaged and provides her fulfillment as an influencer: “My goal in creating content is pursuing things that are authentic to me, that resonates with my community, and the community that I want to continue to build.”
Taylor Hale’s eloquent and honest presence lingered on the MFMS stage, leaving attendees inspired for the day’s upcoming conversations.
MIDDAY KEYNOTE: STACEY BENDET
The MFMS was beyond proud to bring Stacey Bendet to Ann Arbor — virtually, that is! Stacey Bendet of Alice + Olivia, our midday keynote speaker, was joined by moderator Sheena Butler Young from The Business of Fashion magazine. Although this was a virtual conversation, the beautiful backdrop and enticing words made it feel live in front of us. We were transported to a bright, decorative room where two powerful women shared words of wisdom on their experiences in the fashion industry. Bendet discussed her design process, sharing that she aims to create multifaceted pieces that can be worn for a variety of occasions. She embeds her colorful personality into her collections and the result is wearable pieces that feel unique, authentic, and fun. On achieving your goals, Bendet shared this piece of advice: “Do what you love and success will follow.”
It was inspiring to learn from the experience of a female designer. Bendet graciously demonstrated the hard work and dedication that is required for creative success and her vibrant presence lingered in the auditorium as attendees broke for lunch.
LTK LUNCH AND LEARN
During lunch, attendees had the opportunity to attend the LTK Lunch and Learn sponsored by Sweetgreen. LTK is an app wherein fashion influencers create posts that are ‘shoppable’ to those engaging with their content. The session was hosted by Reesa Lake, Head of Partnerships at LTK, who imparted wisdom on building successful partnerships at the intersection of the retail and influencer spaces. Lake taught our attendees how anyone, regardless of how big or small their following, can monetize their content through the LTK app. By sharing their own wardrobes or linking items they love on the platform, users are able to give family, friends, and followers product recommendations.
PANEL 2: CONTENT TO COLLABORATION
The second panel of the day covered all things partnerships. Hilda Batayneh of Reunited Clothing, Reesa Lake of LTK, and Sara Waters of Google took the stage alongside moderator Meredith Rush, co-founder of MFMS and current Operations Associate and Media Partnerships at Meta.
Partnerships are integral to countless industries today as they enable cross-industry collaboration, drive innovation, and foster growth. This inspiring team of female leaders discussed the makings of a successful partnership in today’s retail and technology industries and emphasized authenticity as a key to success. Waters shared: “It is all about the grind and the hustle that you are going to go out and find these partners.” Batayneh imparted the importance of being yourself when connecting with other industry professionals and pursuing every potential partnership with authenticity. Reesa Lake also discussed the significance of letting unsuccessful partnerships go. As a leader of a brand that relies on collaboration to thrive, she discussed that partnerships are intuitive and take work, and while not every partnership will be successful, there is value in every collaborative experience.
Attendees walked away from this panel with a new understanding of collaboration and were excited to form partnerships with the incredible industry professionals present at the summit.
NETWORKING BOOTHS AND COFFEE CHATS
Networking booths were buzzing in Ross’s Winter Garden as networkers participated in coffee chats — sponsored by La COLOMBE — in the Kresge suites of the Ross Business School. Representatives from incredible companies including Louis Vuitton, Sephora, Bloomingdale’s, SipMARGs, Gap, Selfmade, Henry Schein, Creatively, Shinola, LTK, and Rumble, sparked conversations with other industry professionals and students alike. Students were excited to make connections with industry professionals at a one-on-one level.
PANEL 3: THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY’S TECH MAKEOVER
An impressive lineup of talent took the stage to discuss the beauty industry, which was a first for the Summit. Michelle Miller of K18, Susanah Zeffiro Beaumont of SuperAwesome, an Epic Games Company, and Stephanie Lee of Selfmade discussed technology’s emerging role in the beauty industry. Sarah Mehlman, Marketing Manager for Lancôme Skincare at L’Oréal acted as the moderator for this panel. Each panelist brought a unique perspective to the conversation and these talented women spoke from their own experiences at the intersection of beauty and technology.
Zeffiro discussed branding in the metaverse and the way that video games have allowed the beauty industry to target a younger audience. She shared: “Gaming is a huge opening for audiences, particularly beauty brands, because it is used so young.” Lee spoke on her experience as an online brand founder and her trial-and-error path to cultivating an authentic brand audience. Additionally, Miller discussed the rising role of science in the beauty industry and the way that biotechnology has set K18 apart from their competitors.
Ultimately, this final panel of the day was informative and inspiring. Each panelist eloquently represented their unique roles in the beauty industry and sparked a conversation on the future of technology in the space.
FIRESIDE CHAT 2: REMI BADER
Industry disruptor, content creator, and curve model, Remi Bader was interviewed by MFMS Co-Presidents, Talia Potters and Hannah Shipley for our second fireside chat. Bader detailed her career trajectory, starting with her past in marketing and public relations. During the pandemic, she began to post clothing haul videos on TikTok — which Bader described as something she found to be purely fun — with no intention of trying to become a full-time influencer. She quickly gained a following of devoted people who appreciated her relatable “realistic haul” videos and hailed Bader as a prominent figure of the body neutrality movement.
Bader discussed her rapid transition into fame and her process of coming to terms with her duties as a role model for millions. “It was exciting for me to see that these conversations about size inclusivity are still going and happening,” she shared. Since becoming an influencer, Bader shared that she has been able to work on a variety of exciting and meaningful projects that contribute to body inclusivity in the fashion industry. She collaborated with Revolve on her own clothing line and walked attendees through her process of creating a collection, from the initial design process to the testing phase. Bader even shared that she has some new projects coming up, like that she is working on designing another collection.
Though her presence was virtual, her authenticity shined through the screen and provided summit attendees with an intimate and inspiring experience. We were so lucky to have heard from Remi and we will be watching proudly as she continues to shape inclusivity in the fashion industry.
AFTERNOON KEYNOTE: RYAN GOOD
Our final Keynote was the perfect feel-good way to close out the day. Presented by Ryan Good, Creative Director of Drew House, and moderated by David Dorfman, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at investment firm Broadlight Capital, this final conversation had attendees laughing while feeling inspired to follow their passions.
Good kicked off the conversation by letting attendees know how meaningful the MFMS experience was for him, describing it as a proud moment in his career. When asked about his inspiration for his brand Drew House, Good shared that he was driven by making others feel optimistic through his designs, stating that the Drew House signature yellow and smiley face is a perfect emblem of the way that fashion can be simple but effective.
Good then opened up the discussion to the audience and created memorable and silly moments about letting passion drive your career, the value of rest and mindfulness, and somehow, hummingbirds! This was a great way to have closed off the 2023 MFMS. This duo filled the room with love and positivity, with the audience excited to watch Drew House’s next creative moves.
FASHION FORWARD SHOWCASE
Following the Afternoon Keynote, it was time to reveal the winner of our 2023 Fashion Forward Showcase. The Fashion Forward Showcase features undergraduates chosen from all over the country to recognize their creativity and dedication to their craft. MFMS Co-founder and steering board member Rachel Roth took the stage to provide an exceptional overview of the history and significance of the FFS, explaining how our organization has been able to connect winners with amazing opportunities and even has helped some finalists begin their careers in the fashion industry.
Finalists Trinity Brown, Peyton Messner, Mikki Park, Finley Peterson, and Bryan Wilson took the stage, accompanied by Jordyn Staff, Vice President of Summit Experience with the MFMS, who announced Bryan Wilson as the winner. Wilson humbly accepted his award and was met with a standing ovation from the audience. Bryan Wilson is a Detroit-born artist who creates elevated streetwear pieces inspired by skeletal symbols. His artistry, creativity, and innovation are seen in each piece of his brand, 1derful. As the winner of FFS, Bryan will get an exclusive Downtown Detroit Experience with the ROCK Family of Companies. This experience includes touring Shinola’s factory and world headquarters, StockX’s headquarters, ROCK’s award-winning office designed by Pophouse, and a high-tech overview of downtown with Bedrock’s city model. It was an honor to work with such talented designers, and we can’t wait to see what next year’s FFS brings. Stay tuned for more information about applying to 2024’s Fashion Forward Showcase!
CLOSING REMARKS
Julia Goldish, COO of the Michigan Fashion Media Summit, hit the stage for the day’s closing remarks. She gave a recap of the incredible day and thanked all of our partners, speakers, participants, and team members. After discussing the importance of having conversations like those held at the 2023 Summit, she paid tribute to the graduating seniors and Executive Board members. The pride and gratitude she expressed was heard far beyond the room and will be remembered by the student planning teams to come. “As we move forward from the sixth annual MFMS, let us continue to apply the lessons we have learned, and strive to create a fashion industry that is more ethical, innovative, and far-reaching. By working together and leveraging our shared understanding, we can shape a brighter and more imaginative future for fashion and media. And, that’s what the MFMS is all about.”
Thank you to everyone that made the sixth annual Michigan Fashion Media Summit possible. We are so excited to see you in 2024!
