Kickstarter Taps Leaders Behind Collina Strada, Luar, Brandon Blackwood, The Cutting Room Floor and Milton Dixon III for Fashion Advisory Board

Hillary Taymour, Raul Lopez, Brandon Blackwood, Recho Omondi and Milton Dixon III join the Kickstarter Fashion Advisory Board to champion independent fashion creators, building on the Kickstarter Culture Fund and bringing its Power of Belief campaign to life

NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kickstarter today announced the Kickstarter Fashion Advisory Board, bringing together influential designers and fashion voices to help independent creators find the guidance, community, and connections they need to bring original ideas to life.

An extension of the Kickstarter Culture Fund and the company's Power of Belief brand campaign, the board expands Kickstarter's commitment to creative independence by connecting fashion creators with industry experience and perspectives that can help them fund and launch work on their own terms.

The five-advisor board members include Hillary Taymour of Collina Strada, Raul Lopez of Luar, Brandon Blackwood, Recho Omondi of The Cutting Room Floor, and Milton Dixon III, Stylist, Creative Consultant & Fashion Ambassador at Kickstarter. Together, they bring perspectives across independent design, brand building, fashion media, and storytelling.

"Independent designers are shaping culture, but often face challenges finding the resources and support to bring their ideas to life and build sustainable businesses," said Everette Taylor, Chief Executive Officer at Kickstarter. "The Kickstarter Fashion Advisory Board builds on our commitment through the Culture Fund by bringing experienced voices and meaningful connections into that journey. We want more original ideas to have the opportunity to break through, and more designers to have the support they need to build lasting businesses while retaining ownership."

Through the end of 2026, advisors will support the initiative through creator guidance, media engagement, and shared content. Their involvement will help raise visibility for independent fashion creators, connect them with industry networks and perspectives, and help them discover opportunities to apply for support through the Kickstarter Culture Fund.

Launched in August 2026, the Kickstarter Culture Fund is a $1 million fund supporting independent creators working across Art, Fashion, Film, and Music. Financed entirely by Kickstarter and open to creators around the world, the fund provides direct financial contributions to live Kickstarter campaigns, helping creators build momentum as they rally support for their ideas.

The fund is a key expression of the Power of Belief, Kickstarter's brand campaign centered on the idea that belief sparks new ideas and those ideas come to life when people believe in each other. The Kickstarter Fashion Advisory Board extends that commitment into the fashion community through relationships, expertise, and advocacy for independent creative work.

"The Fashion Advisory Board brings our Power of Belief campaign to life through voices who understand what it takes to build independent fashion," said Courtney Brown Warren, Kickstarter's Chief Marketing Officer. "Power of Belief is rooted in the idea that creativity moves forward when people believe in each other. Building on the Culture Fund, these advisors bring guidance, perspective, and connections to help more designers find their community and bring their original visions to life."

Kickstarter's community-backed funding model gives fashion creators a path to fund and launch original projects while maintaining creative control and ownership. The board reinforces that approach by helping build the relationships and visibility that can support creators alongside funding.

Creators working within the Culture Fund's four core categories can apply when their Kickstarter campaign is live or when they have a project page in draft. Financial contributions are made to selected live campaigns.

Learn more about eligibility and apply at landing.kickstarter.com/culture-fund.