The Context:
UPS returned to New York Fashion Week for its third season with BIG MOTION: An HBCU Runway, reinforcing its role as a momentum-driving brand committed to advancing diverse-owned small businesses. In partnership with IPG and fashion leaders Shiona Turini, Kahlana Barfield Brown, and Alexander-Julian Gibbson, UPS awarded grants to three HBCU alumni designers—Undra Celeste, The BRAND Label, and Chelsea Grays—providing them with resources and a platform on one of fashion’s biggest stages.

Supported by paid and earned media, influencer and celebrity engagement, and a donation to Clark Atlanta University’s Closing the Gap initiative, the activation celebrated HBCU culture while authentically connecting UPS to the next generation of designers and creators. BIG MOTION symbolized the unstoppable momentum behind HBCU talent—mirroring UPS’s mission to empower small, diverse-owned businesses at scale.

The Ask:
Led the development and execution of an earned-first press and influencer strategy designed to support a multi-layered cultural moment—including UPS’s return to NYFW, the launch of a new grant cohort, designer storytelling, fashion-forward programming, and product integration—driving sustained momentum before, during, and after the runway show.

Oversaw agency and creative partners to deliver a three-pronged approach centered on intentional media curation, VIP press experiences, and a culturally aligned celebrity partner, La La Anthony—resulting in meaningful earned coverage and reinforcing UPS’s commitment to amplifying HBCU alumni creators and small businesses.