Teachers surprise students with custom-designed sweatsuits.
Photo courtesy of Ember Charter School
Teachers of Ember Charter School surprised students with new uniforms custom designed by Brooklyn-born Karl Kani, an urban fashion designer known as the “Godfather Of Streetwear.”
After a few partnerships with the entrepreneurship-based charter school this spring, Kani wanted to gift the entire student body with free uniforms, according to Rafiq Kalam Id-Din, founder and managing partner of the education center.
The founder eagerly accepted the offer and began brainstorming how many uniforms they would be able to afford before Karl’s teamed informed him the partnership would be of no cost to the school.
“It was one of the most generous things I’ve ever seen and he just did it because he loves the community,” Kalam Id-Din said. “He loves the work we’re doing at Ember’s and he wanted to say I see you in a way that he knows how, by putting his design in the hands of our young people.”
The designer surprised students on Dec. 12 with the drop-off and, for the rest of the day, kids rocked the new apparel.
One side of the sweatsuit is all black with Kani’s signature and the school’s name emblazoned near each collar. Students can reverse the jacket top to a colorful, photo collage of all the artists Kani has designed for.
Fola Davis, a senior at the DUMBO school, said the highly anticipated drip was made even cooler since students got to meet and work with Kani during the filming of their podcast, Stoop Sessions, where they invite makers to discuss their adolescence and school up-bringing.
Amaiya Peterson, also a senior at Ember, said the new fits are an exciting reminder that her school is invested in her educational experience.
“Just receiving stuff like this is a great opportunity,” Peterson said. “It just makes everybody feel welcome in this school. It makes everybody like a family. No one’s excluded from…
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