User:Evettaerc/United Colors of Fashion, Inc. (UCOF)

Mission Statement: To Empower Youth through Fashion Education

United Colors of Fashion, Inc. (UCOF) is a New York City-based non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to providing fashion focused:
 * Education


 * Mentorship and Counseling


 * Internship Opportunities


 * Entrepreneurship Development


 * Scholarships

to under-resourced youth in New York City.

United Colors of Fashion, Inc. (UCOF) uses 100% of public donations to fund its programs. UCOF’s daily operating costs are covered by sponsors, UCOF board of directors and private donors.

This FREE Fashion Education Program is the first of its kind in the United States. Founded in 2010, UCOF is supported by an international team of philanthropically-minded, skilled professionals with backgrounds in fashion, the arts, and business.

UCOF Educates:

STAND (Students Training Arts and Design), the mentorship program offered by UCOF to under-resourced New York youth, is the only program of its kind in the United States.

STAND allows interns to learn in the areas of:


 * Management


 * Business Development


 * Media & Communications


 * Marketing


 * Design


 * Textiles


 * Accessories


 * Event Production

These fields of work are opened to our interns in the form of workshops and applied participation in fashion show productions and internships with leading designers. STAND assists interns to get scholarships to leading fashion schools, arrange installations and fashion shows for newly graduated designers. Yearly, the board of designers selects the “Achiever of the Year”. The achiever, a college senior, must have been part of the program for more than four seasons, demonstrates excellent design skills and a strong potential to be a successful fashion designer.

The achiever is awarded the following prizes:


 * An opportunity to showcase a fashion exhibition at a leading location in New York City


 * All expenses paid trip to a participation Fashion Week country to receive training from top fashion designers, stylists, and world renowned fashion show   producers


 * Personal training and mentorship for a year


 * All expenses paid to show his/her first collection during UCOF’s annual gala

These opportunities give talented, aspiring fashion professionals a platform to be recognized and integrated into the industry. STAND is available to driven high school sophomores through college juniors from low-income families in the New York City vicinities.

UCOF Cares:

UCOF Cares harnesses the fashion community’s compassion for those suffering with HIV/AIDS to bring relief to victims in developing countries that lack access to adequate medical care. It is estimated that 67% of the 33 million people suffering from HIV/AIDS live in Sub-Saharan Africa. In South Africa alone, there are 300,000 children living with HIV/AIDS and another 1.4 million who have been orphaned by the disease. Since 2010 UCOF Cares program has provided funds and supplies to 45 children living with HIV in South Africa. UCOF partners with Mapetla Day Care in South Africa to provide financial assistance, food, and clothing to young children suffering from HIV/AIDS. UCOF Cares plans to expand this program to other parts of the world as our organization gains more traction.

The Founder:

Since his adolescence, Ciano Clerjuste has been passionate about fashion design. Sidelined by the tragic accident of his mother and sudden death of his father, Clerjuste’s dream of becoming a fashion designer deferred at the young age of 17.He reluctantly pursued a career in business and finance to support his family while harboring the desire of being a designer. In 2010, determined not to allow his dream to ultimately die, Clerjuste transformed his tragic past into triumphant futures for other under-resourced youth by founding UCOF. As a labor of love, Clerjuste has selflessly paved inroads for others in the fashion industry.

He has teamed with great designers from all over the globe. From as far as Argentina, Spain, Haiti, Angola, Paris, Trinidad, Philippines, Russia and South Africa – with one purpose in mind – to empower youth through high fashion. To date UCOF has changed the lives and nurtured the dreams of 300 youths from the tri-state area. UCOF exposes them to the “behind the velvet ropes” experience of the fashion industry by allowing them to intern for some of the best designers in the industry, but more importantly by providing them access for knowledge generation.

At this time, there is no funding from government or private sectors to offer FREE fashion education to under-resourced youth, but there is funding for the same program in the Arts. UCOF believe Fashion is Art, and should be able to receive the same type of funding. Currently, UCOF President, Ciano Clerjuste, uses his own personal savings to help keep programs up and running. In lieu of government funding, sponsorships and donations help support the dream.

Annual Gala:

UCOF raises awareness through print and social media. UCOF also hosts an annual gala every second week of October, which serves as the biggest training for our under-resourced youth. It is the time of year where UCOF raises the most funds to keep the programs running for the following year. The event constantly attracts brings world press, dignitaries, New York/New Jersey elites and supporters from different parts of the world together to see how UCOF has grown, the accomplishments of our students, and to witness how we have touched the lives of HIV/AIDS infected/affected children overseas.

The gala includes a fashion show featuring designers from around the world including Carmen Marc Volvo (USA), Marc Bouwer (USA/South Africa), Ron & Ron (Haiti/USA), Amparo Chorda (Spain), David Tlale (South Africa), Naked Ape by Shaldon Kopman (South Africa), Eric Raisina (Cambodia), Kosibah by Yemi Osunkoya ( UK), Sukeina (USA), Soucha (Egypt), Carla Silva (Angola), Louda Larrain (USA), Style Butler by Pernille Hally and Olivier Talentino (Philippines). UCOF also featured designs by Zac Posen, Bibhu Mohapatra and House of Diehl. Jan Malan is the Producer; Sandi Bass is the Casting Director.

There is also a special fashion exhibition by UCOF Achiever of the year for the relevant. The gala provides scholars of UCOF’s Fashion Education program the opportunity to practice the skills they have learned and work with top international fashion designers, stylists, hair and makeup artists, fashion show producers and publicists. With the funds raised at the event, UCOF is able to continue to organize internships and educational opportunities for under-resourced youth in NY to expose them to the many exciting career opportunities in the fashion industry.

Acknowledgements:

UCOF celebrates its fourth year in July 2014. In the past years, UCOF has had the honor of celebrating and awarding iconic figures who have mentored UCOF’s students and served as role models along with its corporate sponsors who make the annual gala possible.

Past Honorees:


 * 2013 Honorary Chair, Fern Mallis -fashion industry leader and the renowned creator of New York Fashion Week
 * 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award, Pat Cleveland- legendary supermodel who has made invaluable contributions to the worlds of fashion and the arts


 * 2013 Presenter, Bethann Hardison

2013 Supermodels:


 * Carla Hall
 * Coco Mitchell
 * Patricia Tracey
 * Jamie Foster
 * Linda Morand
 * Ajak Deng
 * Devyn
 * Nykhor

2012 Supermodels:


 * Sandi Bass
 * Pat Cleveland
 * Sessilee Lopez
 * Ajak Deng
 * Nykhor
 * Devyn

International Fashion Ambassador for UCOF:


 * Devyn- Winner of “The Face”

2012 Honorary Chairs:


 * Nigel Barker-world renowned fashion photographer and former judge of America’s Next Top Model


 * Phillip Bloch-widely considered as Hollywood’s premier fashion stylist

2012 Honorary Co-Chair:


 * Dionne Warwick- international musical legend and Grammy award winner

Past Partners:

References:
Video by AOL Style: http://www.unitedcolorsoffashion.org/aol-style-pat-clevelands-lifetime-achievement-award/ Story on L’Eage: http://www.letagemagazine.com/united-colors-of-fashion-empowers-youth-around-the-world/ Getty Images: http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/ Wire Image: http://www.wireimage.com/search/ Yahoo: http://movies.yahoo.com/photos/3rd-annual-united-colors-fashion-20131010-030134-267.html UCOF: http://www.unitedcolorsoffashion.org

http://www.unitedcolorsoffashion.org/2013-annual-gala/