Anne Klein and Supermodel and Eco-Lifestyle Entrepreneur Candice Swanepoel Partner with Custom Collaborative to Impact Women and Our Planet

Multifaceted Partnership Will Support Aspiring Female Entrepreneurs Pursuing a Career in the Sustainable Fashion Industry

NEW YORK, April 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In observance of Earth Month, iconic American fashion brand, Anne Klein, announces a partnership with current brand ambassador, supermodel and founder / CEO of eco-lifestyle brand, Tropic Of C, Candice Swanepoel, and the Harlem-based social enterprise, Custom Collaborative, to support, inspire and engage a cohort of sixteen (16) women, ranging in age from 25 to 56, from no to low income and immigrant communities as they pursue careers in the sustainable fashion industry.

Beginning in April, Anne Klein will donate product for the students to work with as they learn to sew, design, and sell sustainable fashion. Custom Collaborative will provide the women a 15-week curriculum inclusive of learning to rethink, recycle, and reuse fabrics and accessories as they create their custom designs leading to an end-of-summer fashion show. 

"This partnership aligns two important initiatives for Anne Klein: to uplift and celebrate women who are positively changing the world through a balance of image and impact," says Jameel Spencer, CMO in Residence for Anne Klein. "And supports our commitment to and efforts towards a greener, more sustainable future."

In May, Anne Klein will host a Lunch & Learn event for the students where they can meet with and be inspired by a panel of professional women, like Candice, currently working within the fashion industry on eco-centric collections. 

"When women come together there's a kind of magic that happens. I'm proud to be part of an initiative that supports female entrepreneurs and helps them to excel in the sustainable fashion industry," enthuses Swanepoel.

Along with Candice, the Lunch & Learn event will include: Chani Labowitz Senior Vice President of Creative for eGluck, a major force in the watch industry that manufactures, brings to market and ships timepieces worldwide including the Anne Klein Consider It watch collection which is made from repurposed ocean plastics; Victoria Yee Howe a self-taught designer and tailor with over 20 years of experience designing and constructing everything from clothing, fine lingerie, to waterproof luggage; and Ngozi Okaro Executive Director and founder of the Custom Collaborative.

"This new partnership is a testament to how much good can happen when we invest in women," states Okaro. "It is our pleasure to work with the heritage brand, Anne Klein, and Candice Swanepoel, brought together by the thoughtful leadership of Julia Kisla and Lucy Jackson of the Lions Talent Management. Everyone in the Custom Collaborative community is excited about our work together – shaping the future of the planet and those who inhabit it."

In July, the program will culminate with a fashion show, sponsored by Anne Klein, featuring the designs produced by the graduates.

For more information about the sustainable products within Anne Klein's Consider It collection or the partnership with Custom Collaborative, visit www.anneklein.com.

About Anne Klein

At Anne Klein, our mission has always been equal parts IMAGE – serving working women around the world with classic American style – and IMPACT – supporting the causes and communities she holds dear and empowering her ability to make positive change in the world. Our mission was born from Anne herself: "Clothes won't change the world. The women who wear them will." Now owned by WHP Global, the Anne Klein brand continues to outfit the women who make an impact, with products being sold throughout North America, China, Korea, the Philippines, and Mexico. For more information and to become an Anne Klein insider, visit www.anneklein.com, or Follow @AnneKleinOfficial on Instagram and @AnneKlein on Facebook.

About Candice Swanepoel 

South African model CANDICE SWANEPOEL, one of the most recognized women in fashion and entertainment, is repped by The Lions Talent Management, a Talent Management, Branding, PR and Creative Services agency. Throughout her career, Candice has appeared in campaigns for international brands and has graced the covers of some of the most prestigious fashion publications In 2018, Candice launched Tropic of C, an eco-lifestyle and ethically sourced swimwear, which expanded into dance-inspired activewear in 2020. Outside of fashion, Candice is a global ambassador of Mothers2Mothers, a charity devoted to eliminating pediatric AIDS in Africa. For more information on Candice, visit www.thelionsmanagement.com, or @TheLionsMgmt on Instagram.

About Custom Collaborative

New York-based nonprofit social enterprise, Custom Collaborative, serves no/low-income and immigrant women with training and ongoing support in the art, craft, and business of fashion. It's Training Institute, 

Business Incubator, and worker-owned cooperative development programs offer women skills and opportunities for successful entrepreneurship and viable careers in an environmentally sustainable apparel industry. It partners with Goldman Sachs Foundation, Garment District Alliance, and others, in support of equitable opportunities and advanced skills training within the fashion industry. Custom Collaborative advocates for fashion workers' rights to fair wages and safe working conditions, alongside advocacy for sustainable and regenerative production models.. For more information, visit www.customcollaborative.org or to make a donation in support of Custom Collaborative's programs, visit bit.ly/customcollab.

Media Contact:

Anne Klein
ATELIER Creative Services, Inc.
Colette Sipperly
[email protected] 
917-767-9796

SOURCE Anne Klein