WELCOME to Season 5 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by Chicago Beyond
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 7th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
S5 | EP5: MIKO UNDERWOOD ~ Fashion as a Bridge: Catalyzing Healing, Sustainability & Creative Expression
Miko Underwood is the award-winning Founder / Designer of OAK & ACORN ~ Only for the Rebelles, the first sustainable brand in Harlem, NY. A denim expert and innovator, with nearly twenty years of wash, product and brand development, Miko has become a leading voice in the sustainable denim space. She is committed to propelling the fashion industry into a more sustainable era where empowerment, cultural responsibility & accountability are at the forefront. She is passionate in telling a more inclusive American Denim story by shining a light on the UNTOLD HISTORY of the Indigenous American and the enslaved Africans contributions that have shaped American manufacturing and American Denim. Miko noticed firsthand the devastating environmental effects of manufacturing denim, inspiring her to research and innovate sustainable alternatives.
Her work in Denim has won her industry accolades including a feature in VOGUE & other global recognition. The CEO of Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Stephen Kolb, recommended Miko as WGSN Future Designer 2021. And she was voted as one of the most influential people in denim for the Rivet 50 2021, an annual index of the most influential people in denim globally. Miko is also the 2021 WINNER of RIVET + PROJECT AWARDS: Best Men Collection. She garnered support from fashion organizations like Harlem's Fashion Row, RAISEfashion & is a CFDA/Bethann Hardison Designer Hub Grant Recipient and Designer Hub Founding Member.
OAK & ACORN was one of 6 brands featured in Nordstrom NYC’s Black Founders x Center Stage Pop-Up in February 2020. The brand made history in Nordstrom as the first Black Designer Brand on the Designer 4th Floor in their New York City Flagship. OAK & ACORN ~ Only for the Rebelles has been listed as “Label to Watch” by The SPINOFF, HIGHSNOBIETY, HYPEBAE and most recently was highly recommended by Essence Magazine's, EssenceGu "Look to Shop" for BEYONCE's Cowboy Carter Tour.
In this episode, Miko takes us along her personal journey and shares who and what sparked fashion and denim design for her. She gives insights into the creative process of fashion design, the importance of sustainability, and how her passion for art & design has been a healing catalyst for spiritual, transformation and creative expression.
This insightful episode is deeply introspective and inspiring!
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