Black Fashion Career Day
About this Event
https://youtube.com/shorts/pXp8nnMb7vk?si=CUhNimTjqz4JdvnI
Black Fashion Career Day (BFCD) is the flagship workforce development program of Black Fashion World Foundation, designed to operationalize access for BIPOC fashion talent through direct connection with industry leaders. Through dynamic Career Talks and live Q&A sessions, participants gain practical insight, strategic guidance, and real-time career transmission in an industry often difficult to navigate. Attendees select one of two pathways: Career Launch or Entrepreneurship Launch & Scale.
Meet Our 2026 Career Talks Headliner
Artist • Designer • Founder, Abeille Creations
Before the brand partnerships.
Before the national media features.
There was the art.
In less than a decade, self-taught artist and designer Melissa A. Mitchell has built Abeille Creations into a nationally recognized creative enterprise at the intersection of art, fashion, and culture.
Her vibrant wearable art and designs have been worn by cultural leaders including:
Lupita Nyong’o, Tabitha Brown, Amara La Negra, Pinky Cole, and Yandy Smith.
Her work has also attracted partnerships and collaborations with major global brands including: Foot Locker, SPANX, Ford Motor Company, COACH, Hennessy, Hallmark Mahogany, Cadillac, Pepsi, CNN, and SHEIN, where she launched a 50-piece wearable art collection.
Melissa has created 500+ original artworks, 40+ large-scale murals, and signature pieces that have been featured in national media outlets including Forbes, Vogue, ESSENCE, and Black Enterprise.
Her work and entrepreneurial vision have also earned recognition from the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) and she was named a winner of the AfroPunk x Shopify Black Fashion Accelerator.
This Spring, Melissa A. Mitchell headlines Black Fashion Career Day.
But BFCD is more than a stage.
It is about proximity to the people who have done the work.
In addition to her Career Talks appearance, a select group of creatives will have the opportunity to step Into The Room for:
Get Notified
Join the notification list to be the first to know when tickets are released and secure your place at this career-shaping event.
An Executive Leadership Experience with Melissa A. Mitchell
In this intimate setting, Melissa will share how she:
• Secured global brand partnerships
• Built a nationally recognized creative brand
• Transformed her art into a scalable business
A limited number of registered guests will be considered for this private leadership experience.
Register to learn how you may be considered for an invitation.
Location and event details will be released to registered guests.
Meet Seun Ajayi
Design Operations & Product Development Executive
As part of the Black Fashion Career Day Executive Series: Career Talks, we are pleased to welcome Seun Ajayi, a seasoned Product Development and Design Operations leader with more than 20 years of experience in global fashion product development.
Throughout her career, she has worked behind the scenes of major fashion brands and retail programs, helping transform creative concepts into products that can be successfully manufactured, scaled, and brought to market.
Highlights
• 360+ seasonal collections brought from concept to commercialization across global fashion brands
• Thousands of SKUs developed across men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel, accessories, and foundational garments
• Product development experience with major brands including Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Kenneth Cole, BCBG, Cole Haan, IZOD, Arrow, and Geoffrey Beene
• Led development and sourcing programs for major retailers including Walmart, Costco, and Target—ensuring products meet cost, quality, and speed-to-market demands
Career Talks Focus:
Exploring the role of a Product Developer as a career pathway—what the work involves, why it’s a critical function in the fashion industry, and how this role helps designers transform creative ideas into manufacturable, market-ready products.
•Track 1 (Career Path) → What the work involves / why it’s a viable pathway
•Track 2 (Designers & Founders) → How this role helps transform ideas into real products
Meet Maryanne J. Ravenel
HR Business Partner, Meta
As part of the Black Fashion Career Day Executive Series: Career Talks, we are pleased to welcome Maryanne J. Ravenel, an accomplished HR and DEI Business Partner at Meta with over a decade of experience shaping talent strategy within global organizations.
Maryanne J. Ravenel
✔ Has impacted thousands of employees and leaders across major organizations
✔ Advises Directors, VPs, and senior executives on hiring and talent strategy
✔ Has influenced dozens of large-scale hiring and organizational decisions
✔ Shapes how companies approach:
• Hiring
• Promotions
• Business decisions
• Retention efforts
She doesn’t just talk about careers—
She helps decide how they move.
From inside the rooms where decisions are made.
If you are serious about building a career—
or growing within one—
This is a rare opportunity to understand:
• How hiring decisions really happen
• What leaders look for beyond your resume
• How to position yourself for long-term growth
Career Talks Focus:
Understanding how careers are shaped inside organizations—through hiring, promotion, and talent strategy—and the role HR leaders play in influencing who gets in, who grows, and who leads.
This session is designed to answer two essential questions at different stages of the career journey:
· Track 1 = “How do I get in?”
· Track 2 = “How do I build and lead?”
Important Note
The programming for Black Fashion Career Day is offered free of charge to the public as part of the BFW Foundation’s mission to provide meaningful access to industry insight and professional development within the fashion community.
If you find value in this work and would like to help us continue offering high-quality programming to the community, we warmly invite you to consider making a donation when registering for the event.
Your support helps ensure that opportunities like this remain accessible to emerging creatives and professionals.
Vendor Opportunities
Interested in exhibiting at Black Fashion Career Day?
Showcase your products and services to attendees, fashion professionals, students, and entrepreneurs.
Click the to view vendor information and submit your application.
Questions? Email [email protected].
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00 to USD 28.52
