Sponsored Story
Photo: Courtesy of the Vilcek Foundation
Immigrants are an integral part of the fashion work force in the United States. They continually shape and advance the industry by bringing outside knowledge, culture and history to their daily practice. As part of its mission to uplift immigrants working in the arts and sciences, the Vilcek Foundation awarded $500,000 to nine immigrant fashion professionals through its annual prizes program. The 2026 Vilcek Prizes in Fashion & Culture and Fashion & Design aim to recognize individuals whose creativity and perseverance are changing who is represented by fashion across design, photography, makeup artistry, textile creation, history and educational programming. Fashion & Culture PrizewinnersThe Vilcek Foundation Prizes in Fashion & Culture celebrate immigrants documenting fashion through writing, research, curation, styling and image making. Tanya Meléndez-Escalante receives the $100,000 Vilcek Prize for Fashion & Culture for her work as an arts administrator and fashion curator at The Museum at FIT, where she develops exhibitions and programs that reveal the diversity of talent across Latin America. The $50,000 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Fashion & Culture are awarded to Diego Bendezu, Jalan and Jibril Durimel and Natalie Nudell. Peruvian-born photographer Bendezu is recognized for his visual storytelling that centers Latin American and immigrant narratives. Twin brothers Jalan and Jibril Durimel (b. France) are honored for presenting fashion through evocative fictional storytelling, color and light informed by their multicultural upbringing. Canadian-born fashion and textile historian Natalie Nudell receives the prize for her writing, research and database development that preserves the holistic history of fashion in the United States. Fashion & Design PrizewinnersThe Vilcek Foundation Prizes in Fashion & Design highlight immigrants elevating fashion through design practice, material innovation, makeup and hairstyling. Peter Do receives the $100,000 Vilcek Prize in Fashion & Design for creating versatile clothing for everyday life without sacrificing durability or comfort. The $50,000 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Fashion & Design were awarded to Jacques Agbobly, Marcelo Gutierrez and Uyen Tran. Jacques Agbobly was born in Togo. They are recognized for centering Afropolitan identity, Black multiplicity and diasporic memory as a designer and professor at Parsons School of Design. Colombian immigrant Gutierrez is honored for subversive, culturally grounded makeup artistry. His work redefines who is seen, celebrated and considered beautiful in fashion. Vietnam-born Uyen Tran receives the prize for her leadership in the development of sustainable products that support the health of people and the planet without sacrificing quality. The Vilcek Foundation was established to amplify the diverse ways immigrants and cultural leaders enrich artistic and scientific communities in the United States. Since 2006, the foundation has awarded $9.6 million to individuals whose creativity and vision have enriched the United States.
Source link