Kanye West Is Launching a Creative Incubator for Young Designers
by Staff Editor
After launching his Yeezy label in 2014, Kanye West has been filling his studio with dozens of young creatives, including archivist David Casavant and stylist Ursina Gysi, Virgil Abloh and Jerry Lorenzo. Now the rapper has created a new way to support new talent with the launch of an incubator program that will provide financial assistance and mentorship to those aspiring in fashion, design and other creatives.
According to Vogue, the first recipient of the grant is Chicago-born Maisie Schloss, a Parsons graduate and former member of the Yeezy womenswear design team.
“Yeezy is a really special environment for growing and developing a career. When I started I was just an assistant, but the highly creative and unconventional atmosphere allowed for me to have visibility and input in a wide variety of projects,” Schloss said. “Kanye very generously offered to support me; he truly cares about sharing resources, creating opportunities for creatives to grow and be recognized.”
Schloss will launch her brand, called Masie Wilen, next week in Los Angeles at a friends-and-family event where she will present a full Resort collection, containing 85 pieces, ranging from $100 to $950. Schloss will also host another event in Paris later this month.
“My first collection is inspired by rhythmic gymnastics and robotics, specifically studying how elegant fluidity emerges from rigid systems. Strongly driven by print, the clothes themselves are playful and fashion-forward but rooted in very wearable shapes,” she said.
As for Kanye, this means that his community of creatives will grow along with his influence in the fashion industry.