UO Community: The HBCU Collection with Alife®
New York City-based, lifestyle-driven company Alife is partnering with Champion and Urban Outfitters on a special-edition apparel collaboration. Launching February 8, 2021, the HBCU Capsule Collection pays homage to and champions the historic Black institutions of this country. The collection is available exclusively at UO and Alife.
A true connection for Alife partner Treis Hill, a Hampton University alum, this project celebrates all of the culture, community and connectivity which an HBCU experience brings.
The campaign, inspired by HBCU Homecoming, acknowledges the pioneer moments in streetwear with cultural importance. The visual content includes a video shot in black and white, including a drumline and a multi-generational cast, to echo the pain and struggle HBCU’s have felt throughout history. Elements such as band and line dancers draw in the Homecoming feel showcasing the history, success, familial atmosphere, fun, strength and power which the community embodies. The photoshoot and video are shot by an HBCU alumni.
As a follow up to this capsule, Urban Outfitters will launch a new initiative called “UO Summer Class ’21” in the Spring of 2021. Program participants will consist of one Excellent Student each from 5 HBCU schools who have been nominated to the program by their school. These students will be brought to Philadelphia for the UO summer internship program, in addition to one-on-one mentoring with leaders within the Urban workforce throughout the duration of the program.
These Excellent Students will also work with the UO Buying team on school merch produced by Champion, which will drop exclusively at UO at the start of the summer, alongside a 2nd Alife “Summer Class Collection,” and will include a charitable donation.