Looks like we’re bringing Karma’s World into our world! Now young girls and pre-teens can tap into their inner Karma Grant thanks to a collaboration between The Fashion Institute of Technology’s DTech Lab, 9 Story Media Group, and rapper Ludacris’ entertainment media company Karma’s World Entertainment. Design students from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) are designing a 50-piece fashion-forward children’s streetwear collection for licensing partners to incorporate across a range of consumer categories, with the first products set to launch in late 2022.

Inspired by three-time NAACP nominated Netflix animated series, the collection will include jumpsuits, jackets, sweatsuits, dresses, swimsuits, and footwear. Collection designers include both current students and 2021
graduates from FIT’s Fashion Design program: Juliana Bui, Brianna Castillo, Jacob Desvarieux, Desiree DiCarlo, Hawwaa Ibrahim, Carly McBride, Jake Valliere, and Jada Wilkerson. “The opportunity to utilize my design skills and knowledge in a real-world setting allowed me to not only test what I had spent so much time and effort learning on a technical level at FIT, but it also allowed me to showcase my own creativity and ideas alongside other talented creatives,” student designer Ibrahim told Girls United.

“While I’ve had the opportunity in the past to design in real-world settings before, working on Karma provided me with a taste of how bigger companies go about critiquing and what they look for when producing clothing and/or accessories,” Ibrahim continued, “Karma also allowed me to collaborate on one of the biggest projects I’ve worked on thus far and also the most fun!”

Brandice Daniel, founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row and proud FIT alumna, served as the student advisor and series fashion consultant for the collaboration. Alongside FIT’s Footwear and Accessories Design Chair Sarah Mullins,
FIT’s Fashion Design Assistant Professor Lauren Zodel, and FIT Adjunct Instructor GreggWoodcock, Daniel also serves as the advisory council member of the recently launched Social Justice Center at FIT. “It was so amazing working with the 9story team. I advised on several different looks for Karma, which was so much fun. I gave feedback based on the current state of fashion and what young black girls are wearing today,” Daniel told Girls United about her role throughout the collaboration.

When asked by Girls United about the significance of a show like Karma’s World for young Black girls, Daniel noted how she didn’t see this type of representation in animated series when she was growing up, especially in lead roles. “When you see yourself on the screen like everyone else, you feel a sense of belonging and community. It’s imperative that young girls can see that at an early age,” Daniel shared. Now, according to Daniel, Karma Grant’s character serves as a role model to young girls while inspiring them to dream bigger than they’d ever imagined.

“It was so amazing working with the 9story team. I advised on several different looks for Karma, which was so much fun. I gave feedback based on the current state of fashion and what young black girls are wearing today,” Daniel continued. “Consumers can look forward to a comfortable and stylish collection. Some of my favorite pieces include the Flatbush Overalls, Rockaway Boot, and  Wakefield Sneaker. I hope that parents are proud that their children are part of a community that promotes creativity and individuality.”

Karma’s World has been nominated for three NAACP awards and a second season has been confirmed with new episodes coming to Netflix March 10, 2022. Karma’s World is available for streaming now on Netflix.

Photo Credit: Netflix