Through diversity and inclusion comes understanding and strength. Our responsibility to promote equality is not just to those who work with us, but to our industry, the customers we serve and the communities around us. Our established partnerships with organizations focused on racial and social equity initiatives help us to deliver on our commitment to the greater Capri community. In 2022, Capri signed the Black in Fashion Council’s pledge to raise the percentage of Black employees in executive- and junior-level positions within our organization – a commitment which squarely aligns with our own mission of driving diversity throughout Capri.
As leading U.S. retailers, Capri is also proud to announce that we have signed the Open to All Mitigate Racial Bias in Retail Charter. In signing this Charter, our company has collectively committed to implementing strategies to help reduce racial bias in the retail environment and improve the shopping experience for all.
Our company and its brands have entered into partnerships with and committed to a wide array of additional organizations and pledges, including the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, Cristo Rey, Open to All and Pride in Fashion. These organizations, institutions and initiatives are key to harnessing the power of the collective, and we will continue to seek out and commit to diverse community partnerships in the future.
Capri supports the pursuit of LGBTQIA+ equality inside and outside of the workplace. Every year, our brands create products and capsule collections to celebrate Pride, a time for recalling the trials the LGBTQIA+ community has endured and for rejoicing in the triumphs of those who continue to fight for full equality. One Michael Kors Pride capsule featured a gender-neutral t-shirt in support of leading human rights organization OutRight International. OutRight works at the international, regional, and national levels to research, document, defend and advance human rights for LGBTQIA+ people around the world, and is the only LGBTQIA+ organization with a permanent presence at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The brand also teamed up with New York City-based magazine PAPER for a digitally-led campaign starring four queer TikTok creators wearing pieces from the capsule.
One year, Jimmy Choo launched an inclusively sized, gender fluid capsule collection in collaboration with multi award-winning actor, singer, and activist Billy Porter in celebration of Pride. The Jimmy Choo x Billy Porter collection champions inclusivity with extended sizing, and supports the Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQIA+ young people. The Jimmy Choo brand also made a donation of $100,000 to the Trever Project.
Our brands are committed to taking steps to advance gender equality and empower women across the globe. As such, Capri is proud to be among some of the earliest supporters to endorse the UN Women’s Empowerment Principle, advancing our longstanding commitment to women’s rights and human rights. Capri has also joined a group of leading companies in signing an amicus brief in support of the adoption of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Almost a century after its initial introduction, the ERA is still needed to guarantee equal rights for women under the United States Constitution.
In recognition of International Women’s Day, Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo have engaged in unique initiatives to further our stand towards gender equality. In the past, our brands have partnered with the Fashion Makes Change campaign to support the empowerment and education of women in the fashion supply chain. The Jimmy Choo Foundation has formed an ongoing global partnership with Women for Women International, a nonprofit humanitarian organization whose work helps provide skills, knowledge, and resources to create sustainable change for women in need. Through this partnership, Jimmy Choo has raised more than $100,000 and donated profits from capsule collections in the past.
In 2021, Capri announced the formation of The Capri Holdings Foundation for the Advancement of Diversity in Fashion. The company pledged $20 million to further the foundation’s mission of supporting diversity, inclusion, and equality throughout the fashion industry. Capri has long believed in the power of an inclusive workplace and remains committed to workforce diversity. The formation of the foundation enables us to expand our efforts to advance equality and promote long-term change in the fashion industry.
The Capri Holdings Foundation will work collaboratively with colleges and high schools to create meaningful opportunities in fashion for underrepresented communities. Through the development of on-campus recruitment, mentorship and scholarship programs, the foundation looks to position the next generation of talent and prepare students for successful careers in the fashion industry. The foundation will support partner schools with fashion and merchandising students’ tuition costs, living expenses during fashion industry internships, and development opportunities.
The foundation has also proudly announced an expansive new scholarship program in partnership with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), Howard University, Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design, and Central Saint Martins - University of the Arts London. Over the next four years, the foundation will fund scholarships for nearly 100 student from historically underrepresented communities pursuing degrees in fashion and merchandising across these four educational institutions. In addition to funding scholarships, students participate in workshops led by key leaders within Capri Holdings and are paired with Capri employees to participate in a mentorship program.
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