The CFDA and DHL, the CFDA’s Official Logistics Partner, have announced Black Boy Knits as the 2022 DHL Logistics in Fashion Award winner. The award, now in its third iteration, expanded this year to offer a $15,000 grant prize as well as mentorship for the winning brand from the two organizations.
Black Boy Knits, an independent design studio founded by Jacques Agbobly, started their business at the height of the pandemic in 2020 and has grown over the past two years. Their goal through Black Boy Knits is to highlight Black, queer and immigrant narratives through a global-focused lens. Breaking down binaries, Agbobly’s designs draw parallels between the past and the present, showing how Black history and artisan traditions can inform the future of fashion.
For the 2022 round of the award, a focus on community, people, sustainability and thoughtful global expansion along the way were all qualifiers for the applicants, with Black Boy Knits leading the over 270 applicants who applied.
“As an Afro-Indigenous queer immigrant, equity, diversity, and empowerment is at the forefront of what I create,” said Jacques Agbobly, founder of Black Boy Knits. “This recognition will allow me to not only expand my business, but also achieve my mission of celebrating our culture and identity across the globe through our unique and customized fashion designs.”
The DHL Logistics in Fashion Award is part of a longstanding partnership between the CFDA and DHL, which focuses on helping fashion businesses capitalize on opportunities to grow worldwide. Past winners of the DHL Logistics in Fashion Award have included Brandon Maxwell, Lemlem, Area, and Cesta Collective.
“Our partnership with CFDA and expertise in international logistics has helped hundreds of businesses in the fashion industry by allowing them to offer quick and reliable shipping to customers worldwide,” said Cristian Vera, SVP of Sales and Marketing at DHL Express Americas. “We are delighted to support emerging fashion designers, like Jacques, by giving them an opportunity to grow to new heights in the global marketplace.
CFDA members and interim members receive exclusive shipping rates and access to DHL experts through the partnership and members, as well as emerging designers within the CFDA’s network can also take advantage of the DHL Office Hours to work directly with the DHL team to receive expert guidance regarding their global supply chains.
“By facilitating the global supply chain, our partnership with DHL is making it possible for CFDA members and emerging brands alike to expand their businesses internationally,” CFDA CEO Steven Kolb said. “We are looking forward to seeing how Black Boy Knits leverages this incredible opportunity to reach even more customers across the globe.”
