The LDNY Foundation will support young people from lower income communities in the UK, US and developing world gain entry into the creative industries and fulfill their potential whatever their background by providing: educational scholarships, SME grants and supporting a range of innovative and effective projects. Our aspiration is that over time this foundation will become a major force in harnessing and linking the raw creative talent of the “underprivileged”.
We have formed partnerships with Parsons in New York and London College of Fashion and will also endeavor to offer educational grants and scholarships to support young people from developing countries enter these two leading creative educational institutions in London and New York.
Our long term ambition is to build our own design education facility in Ghana and create the first world class fashion and design institute in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The registered office of the Charity will be in England and Wales with a small support team in New York.
The objectives of the Charity are for the public benefit to further such exclusively charitable purposes as the Trustees may in their discretion from time to time determine, including (but not limited to):
The LDNY Foundation will provide two forms of grants: educational scholarships and business training programms. We will also provide small business bursaries for upcoming creative entrepreneurs.
Foundation AIMS: To provide a pathway into the creative industries (with an initial focus on fashion) for young people from low income communities both from the UK and developing world.
Criteria
All applicants will undergo an ability selection process via our institutional partners.
The C-Line has formed an exclusive partnership with The London College of Fashion, Parsons New School in New York and The UN ITC (International Trade Centre). This first time collaboration will take form in a competition that will showcase winning designs by students from both LCF and Parsons interwoven with crafts by artisans from poor communities in the ITC’s Women and Trade Programme. The LDNY C-Line initiative will be fully integrated into both LCF and Parson’s curriculum thus becoming an annual competition that future Parsons and LCF students participate in.
The LDNY C-Line’s design driven collection will be uniquely inspired by artisans from places such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Mongolia, and Peru. The C-Line will also be ethically sourced and manufactured.
In addition to sourcing from these global artisans, LDNY C will create customized training programs that will support its partners to develop higher-quality and exceptional product that meets international luxury standards. The collection will comprise of seasonless timeless pieces that will be able to be sold and worn all year round.
The LDNY C-Line is about impeccably cut beautiful pieces that exemplify the best of new design and ethical manufacturing, while supporting the economic growth of poor communities around the world. The international success of this brand will also help accelerate a pioneering new philanthropic and educational model for luxury fashion. A model that supports education and sustainable poverty alleviation.
A SOCIAL impact fund would be set up to support students with their new ideas and to support local businesses showing innovation access capital. We would also seek to work in partnership with existing financial institutions and create an innovative social impact fund. 
In return for it's investment, the LDNY Fund would attain equity in each business it funds, profits will be invested back into the LDNY Foundation.
The LDNY Festival is a new month-long event that will bring New York to London and take London to New York. The LDNY Festival is set to be an annual celebration of the energy and talent of the two most exciting cities in the world: leaders in creativity, culture, entrepreneurism and originality. Profits from the LDNY Festival will go towards funding the LDNY Foundation.
The LDNY Foundation’s head offices will be based in the London Borough of Tottenham. We have unfortunately already seen the high cost of economic inactivity and lack of opportunity which manifested in the civil disturbances which have taken place in Tottenham. According to news reports, 10 pounds million in the borough of Haringey and 133 pounds million to the UK in total. We are sensitive to economic and social issues facing Tottenham and seek to create a company which supports individuals in the community yet will also attracts people from outside the community. Producing a rich mix of experiences, expertise and knowledge from people within Tottenham and further afield. We aim to produce a facility that will serve the community as well as the city. We are pleased to have support from the local MP the Rt Hon David Lammy.
"The profound problem Britain faces in the 21st Century is a workless core. It's right that some of the debate about the riots concentrates on character, concentrates on what we are seeing at the bottom end of society, which is a sustained generation of worklessness. The repercussions for a society of sustained unemployment among young people is horrific.
For every person on camera throwing stones there will be 1,000 others off camera rebuilding what has been destroyed. This is the Tottenham I was born in, the Tottenham I grew up in and that I live in. ”
Our best businesses will be offered affordable office space within the incubator for up to 1 year with start-up grants and support. Whilst based at our incubator, new enterprises will continue to benefit from assistance with securing capital and developing growth strategies. In turn alumni will be asked to offer internships to current students and business mentoring.
Sub Saharan Africa does not have a dedicated fashion institute; there are a small array universities that offer fashion degrees, however none of these are recognized by the international fashion industry. Burgeoning African design talent is left with no choice but to study abroad, an option only available for wealthy Africans thus leaving and a continent of untapped talent. In Ghana, Radford University has a Fashion Department that offers a B.A. in Fashion and is NAB (National Accreditation Board) accredited under the KNUST – Kwame Nkrumah University of Technology. The AIFD will incorporate Radford’s fashion department into it’s state of the art facility and expand it considerably by developing partner programmes with the best fashion educational institutions in London and New York. The AlFD will become the premier design innovation and education facility in Sub Saharan Africa and a leading initiative within the continent. Africa has long been associated with vibrant creativity, an institution such as ours will reinforce the message of excellence within the context of innovation and design.
Our proposal is to create an education facility that can produce successful design innovators and world fashion industry talent, much in the way of international design institutions such as Parsons School of Design or London College of Fashion. In order for Africa to reach financial prosperity, the continent needs to produce large numbers world beating individuals but in the field of innovation and business, fashion has a vital role to play in this.
The DNA Summit (Decide now Act) is not a talk shop; but rather a high level workshop that connects the best minds in the world. DNA is designed to progress from talk to action, to achieve concrete results, which can be shared and replicated.
The primary purpose of DNA is to bring together some of the most innovative minds in the world to generate ideas and initiatives that will effect lasting social change.
Conversation + Collaboration = CHANGE
WIE, which stands for Women, Inspiration and Enterprise launched its first symposium in New York City in 2010.
Our mission was to provide a platform for this generation’s women leaders to inspire and empower the next generation. Previous speakers include: Arianna Huffington, Donna Karan, Sarah Brown, Queen Rania, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Brooke Shields, Tyra Banks, Iman, Melinda Gates, Chelsea Handler, Marissa Meyer, Dame Vivienne Westwood and many more.
www.wienetwork.co.ukThe LDNY C-line will form a strategic partnership with Hangar Seven, Europe’s fastest growing creative agency.
About Hangar Seven: Hangar Seven is the UK’s fastest growing content creation business dedicated to the multi- channel world of today’s consumer. Hangar Seven is also one of the world’s leading production agencies and photography
studios, delivering premium multimedia solutions to over 60 countries worldwide for clients and agencies alike.
Hangar Seven will shoot and supply all of LDNY C-line’s online photography and some video content for 12 months free of charge. LDNY will also be based in Hangar Seven’s Old Street offices in London.
The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a subsidiary organization of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and provides trade-related technical assistance. Whereas the WTO mainly deals with the rules of international trade and UNCTAD with research and advocacy, ITC’s mandate is far more narrow as it is solely concerned with helping developing and transition economies to promote their exports. The pure focus on technical assistance is rare within the UN system as most other organizations that provide technical assistance usually engage in multiple areas and kinds of assistance.
ITC has its headquarters in Geneva and one field office in Mexico City.
www.intracen.org
The LDNY Foundation aims to run a streamlined efficient and fully transparent operation with a small team of fulltime staff that will execute its missions and objectives. Initial staff hires will comprise of three full times executives. These are:
If you wish to support the LDNY Foundation or simply learn more about our work; feel free to email us, we'd love to hear from you.
Contact: Info@Ldnyfoundation.org
If you wish to inquire about our grants process and the support we offer:
Contact: Reginald Amoah - Program Manager
