‘Karma’s World’ Designers Kick It With Ludacris

On August 10, “Kick It with Karma’s World” was held at legendary toy store FAO Schwarz. The all-day event was a chance for kids of all ages to engage in all things related to the Netflix series Karma’s World, including shopping, giveaways, interactive activations, and the show’s product line and soundtrack. Chris (Ludacris) Bridges, creator and executive producer of the series, joined the festivities, welcoming several of the FIT alumni who developed clothing designs for six of the dolls in the Karma’s World collection.

2021 FIT graduates Juliana Bui, Jake Valliere, and Desiree DiCarlo joined Bridges to chat about the new toy line and Karma’s excellent style. Current FIT student Jada Wilkerson joined the festivities as well.

“It was a really fulfilling experience being able to walk into a store and see a variety of Karma’s World dolls from Mattel that featured my designs,” said Valliere, an Accessories Design grad. “Knowing that people will be purchasing and using something I designed is one of the main reasons I decided to follow design as a career. Meeting @Ludacris and having him thank our team for our work felt really sincere. This is truly a milestone, being the first of my designs to reach the shelves.”

“Fashion plays a huge part in Karma’s World; it’s one of the many ways that Karma and her friends express themselves,” said Bridges. “When designing these pieces, it was important to us to partner with creatives who share our commitment to diversity. FIT has really gotten behind our story of empowerment by creating fashionable pieces that are authentic to the characters. I am so proud of what we have done together and I am thrilled that Mattel is featuring these designs in such a big way.”

The students who were designers selected for the project demonstrated distinctive points of view and the ability to capture, through fashion, the spirit of courageous and expressive young girls like Karma who dare to dream big. The design team comprised Bui, Brianna Castillo, Jacob Desvarieux, DiCarlo, Hawwaa Ibrahim, Carly McBride, Valliere, and Wilkerson. The FIT DTech Lab, a key component of the college’s Innovation Center, provided a high-impact learning environment for the team as they leveraged the creative ideas and fresh perspectives of talented students and faculty. 

FIT’s Footwear and Accessories Design Chair Sarah Mullins, Fashion Design Assistant Professor Lauren Zodel, and Adjunct Instructor Gregg Woodcock teamed up with alumna Brandice Daniel, founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row—an organization that supports emerging talent and provides a platform for designers of color— as an advisor to the students and series fashion consultant.

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