MILAN — The Black Carpet Awards have earmarked Sept. 20 for the gala night’s sophomore edition.
The annual Afro Fashion Association-promoted event, which celebrates leaders of change based in Italy and belonging to underrepresented communities who are active in creative and entrepreneurial industries, is to be held at a still undisclosed location midway through Milan Fashion Week, which will run from Sept. 17 to 23.
The awards recognize talent from across fashion, design, food, music, sport and cinema, among other fields, in hopes of furthering the diversity, equity and inclusion conversation globally.
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For its sophomore edition, the Black Carpet Awards are adding the one-time Virgil Abloh Award to be bestowed on “young designers of color who are making a significant impact in the creative industry,” in the words of Michelle Francine Ngonmo, head of the Afro Fashion Association.
“This award symbolizes our commitment to recognizing and celebrating leaders who are driving meaningful change and advancing the conversation of diversity and inclusion within the Italian creative industry,” Ngonmo said.
The inaugural Black Carpet Awards were held in February 2023 and although organizers were hoping for a second edition exactly a year later, they ultimately decided to push back the event to allow themselves more prepwork time. Last February, the Afro Fashion Association hosted instead a warm-up cocktail reception to unveil 2024 nominees.
In keeping with the inaugural edition, the Afro Fashion Association, which boasts a database of more than 3,000 professionals based in Italy, has short-listed 25 finalists competing for one of the 10 prizes across the five award categories: culture, legacy, creativity, community and entrepreneurship.
Five winners will be selected by a jury led by the Afro Fashion Association’s Ngonmo, while the remaining five will be selected via online voting.
The 2024 edition’s nominees include Marlon Brandao, Madam Danielle, Cinzia Adanne Ebonine, Djarah Kan, Anna Osei, Johanne Affricot, Sabrina Onana, D.E.I. Futuro Antirazzista, Carlotta Vagnoli, Khadim Loum, Luciana and Adriana Toledo, Loretta Grace, Mistura Allison, Alberto Malanchino, Janine Gaelle, Ada Ugo Abara, Victoria Adede Mensah, Afroricci, Madeleine Camara, Nappytalia, Justin Randolph Thompson and Miyuki Yajima.
Active since 2015 spotlighting talent of different backgrounds with an original focus on the African continent, the Afro Fashion Association said the jurors’ names will be revealed at a later date.