Urban Outfitters’ Summer Class 2021 Capsule Collection Was Designed By 5 HBCU Students
Here comes the future of fashion.
The cutest collection of apparel and lifestyle accessories just launched at Urban Outfitters, and it was all designed by college students. The Urban Outfitters Summer Class 2021 capsule collection was designed by five students from three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): Howard University, Clark Atlanta University, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The eye-catching collection is a culmination of their 10-week internship with Urban Outfitters and the UO Buying team, and proceeds from the Summer Class 2021 collection will be going to the students’ respective schools. Not to mention, this collection of lifestyle apparel is super trendy with plenty of pieces you’d definitely want to wear around campus.
The five interns from the Urban Outfitters Summer Class 2021 include Dacia Redmond, Jalen Bradford, and Jasmine Logan from Clark Atlanta University; U’lia Hargrove from North Carolina A&T State University; and Janae Claxton from Howard University. Along with the release of the new collection, Urban Outfitters also launched a new behind-the-scenes docuseries where you can get to know each one of the students as they share their experiences from the internship as well as their on-campus essentials, their future goals, and what lessons they’ve taken from their time in school.
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Urban Outfitters Summer Class 2021 Capsule Collection
Bradford, who is a fashion design and merchandising graduate from Clark Atlanta University reveals, “My school essentials always start with the bag.” In the 24-piece collection, available now on Urban Outfitters, you can find some super cute tote bags themed to each one of the HBCUs. The Clark Atlanta University Reign Tote Bag ($38) was specifically designed by Bradford, “inspired by the royal nature of HBCUs,” and perfect for carrying all your essentials to and from class. If darker colors are more your vibe, there’s this black Clark Atlanta University 1988 Tote Bag ($38) designed by Redmond with a vintage feel.
While the tote bags are necessary for your day-to-day at school, arguably the cutest and coziest items in the collection are the sweatshirts and sweatpants. Claxton designed this Howard University sweatshirt to represent HU’s Washington, D.C. roots with an homage to their school song on the back. It’s so easy to imagine yourself lounging in your dorm and wearing this piece with the matching sweatpants while studying for your next lecture. Since giving back “is at the forefront of [Claxton’s] career and personal goals,” having proceeds from these items go back to Howard University is also a win-win.
If you’re a big fan of the collection, you can also mix and match items. The Champion Clark Atlanta University Band Tour Sweatpants ($54) will look cute with any crewneck you have at home, or the matching Champion Clark Atlanta University Band Tour Long Sleeve Tee ($45). Both items in the collection were designed by Logan to display “the rich history of both Clark College and Atlanta University.”
North Carolina A&T State University’s Hargrove’s advice for any incoming freshmen is to “get out of your comfort zone and explore what you don’t know.” That could mean attending your dorm’s ice cream social or planning more game nights with your fellow freshmen. Something that could help with that are these super cute North Carolina A&T State University Playing Cards ($20), which were designed by Hargrove featuring “Black and Brown faces to emphasize the importance of N.C. A&T to Black Americans.”
These are just a few pieces from the Urban Outfitters Summer Class 2021 capsule collection, so make sure to check out the whole line to find something you really love. It’s also a nice glimpse into the future of fashion, and when the Summer Class 2021 is involved, you know it’s going to be good.
