Introducing the UO Summer Class of 2021 HBCU Capsule Collection, designed by the five students of our internship and mentorship program in collaboration with three HBCUs: Howard University, Clark Atlanta University, and North Carolina A&T State University.

From concept to creation, these five students worked with the UO Buying team to design a 24-piece apparel and lifestyle collection celebrating the culture and community of their respective schools. “Being able to share our resources with HBCU talent, and to work alongside these students creatively as they developed their own product, made Summer Class enriching not only for our students, but for every UO employee who got to be a part of the program,” says Dalila Shannon, UO Women’s Divisional Merchandising Manager and Summer Class Mentor.

Below, we speak with Jalen Bradford, one of the selected five students and a proud alum of Clark Atlanta University, to discuss the designs and find out how the project came to life.

Photos by Bre Johnson

JALEN BRADFORD - CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY

Where did you go to school? What made you decide to apply to your school?

I'm an alumnus of Clark Atlanta University in Georgia, Class of 2021, Bachelor of Arts & Science. I decided to apply to CAU on a whim. I knew from the beginning of my process of applying for schools that I wanted to go to an HBCU. Furthermore, I knew that I wanted to study Fashion Design and one of my high school teachers, who is also an alumnus of CAU, mentioned that they had an amazing fashion program. At that point, it aligned for me and I knew that was where I wanted to be. I had already been accepted into ten schools, but none were offering the major I knew I wanted to study. I turned in and finished my application the minute before it was due. At that point, I had graduated and I still hadn’t heard back from the admissions board. I remember being so anxious that because I was so late I wouldn't get accepted. July came around, a month before school started, and I received a letter that I got wait-listed. I had so much pressure on me from peers, advisors, and even family to pick a different school, but my mind was set. I knew I wanted to be a Panther and I knew CAU was the school for me. A couple of weeks later, I received a letter of admission and the rest would be another chapter to my story.



Can you tell us about your design process? What made you create what you did?

The collection is inspired by the feeling of being at an HBCU. It entails the story of the overall essence of being at a Black institution such as a university. The collection is based on the regalness and royalty you experience while attending an HBCU. The rich traditions, culture, and general learnings infused into every student, and helping turn them into future leaders of society. It is about uplifting the culture of HBCU’s in a way of fantasy based on royalness that everyone has dreamed of before. Allowing people to realize that Clark is more than Black students going to school to get an education in a setting that is comfortable for them, but that it is actually being in an environment that goes against all the tropes that society has placed on them, allowing students to flourish in a manner that they have not before. By the end, they grow into the royalty their ancestors once were. The crest was created by another CAU alumnus, Christian Alexander, and used as a symbol of a place, institution, family, bond, or high social class. Clark Atlanta University is all of the above. I wanted the collection surrounding the crest to represent the school by combining some of its symbolic imagery and infusing it with the aesthetic of what I thought conceptually would be best. I wanted the crest to do what it does, represent its tribe. I wanted it to be something beautiful that I share with the school as a gift to use for years to come as a symbol of our royalness and rich history.



What was it like creating something so unique for your school? How did you feel when you finally saw your finished designs?

Creating this collection for my University meant so much to me. Seeing something I put my entire spirit into in my hand for the first time was an indescribable feeling. It was a feeling I can only hope to have the privilege of feeling over and over again through the course of my existence. I can not even express the immense amount of gratitude I feel every day knowing this was an opportunity granted and able to achieve. Attending CAU was a major chapter of my life. It's the place where I learned the fundamentals of doing the things I want to do in life. It helped shape and mold me into a better version of myself and gave me the tools I needed to succeed in all aspects of my life. Having the opportunity to give back to something that gave so much to me is a full-circle moment. I gained so much being a Panther in those four prominent years of my life. Being able to show the school, teachers, and students what I attained and the opportunities I had being there feeds fuel in me to do more, be more, and I only hope that it can inspire anyone else the same.



What’s your favorite or funniest or most exciting memory from this whole experience?

My favorite memory from the whole experience had to be all the emotions tied to everything. I remember being overwhelmed every day with so many feelings, sentiments of joy, excitement, contentment, pride, satisfaction, happiness, etc. The best feeling that I remember so distinctly was the feeling of waking up every single day knowing that I was working toward something. That was the feeling that kept me going, kept me inspired, and kept me grounded during the whole experience. Knowing every day that I had to get up and do something with so much attention, time, and detail for the greater good was the memory that left the most impact on me. That feeling is a feeling I will long to have forever as I feel it will help always remind myself why I do the things I love to do, even in times of discouragement. To forever have that desire to look forward to and work up to the end of something.



SHOP THEIR PRODUCT

WATCH THEIR STORIES

To see more from Jalen, follow him on Instagram!