The fashion industry is overwhelmingly white. Only 3% of designers across disciplines are Black, and it’s a notoriously difficult industry to break into. What if there were a place where aspiring designers and artists of color could learn their craft for free? What if that place was also a working fashion house and a business incubator?
The Wright House of Fashion is a new nonprofit in Iowa City that provides unique learning opportunities for young people. It's also a working fashion house and a business incubator. On this episode of Talk of Iowa, founder Andre Wright gives host Charity Nebbe and producer Caitlin Troutman a tour of the new space. Find more about the fashion show and other events on their website.
Later, the owner of Gym-N-Eat Crickets, Shelby Smith, went from working a finance job in Ireland to returning to the family farm. While conventional farming didn't interest her, she found her niche in crickets.
The third segment of this show was produced in January 2023.
Guests:
- Andre Wright, founder of the Wright House of Fashion
- Barrington Vaxter, musician, business owner, educator at Wright House of Fashion
- Shelby Smith, owner of Gym-N-Eat Crickets
