Travis Scott’s New Foundation Partners With Parsons to Create Fashion Design Program

November 19, 2020

DESIGNED BY SCOTT: In honor of the third annual “Travis Scott Day” in Houston, Travis Scott has launched the Cactus Jack Foundation to provide creative and educational resources for future generations.

The 29-year-old singer-songwriter was born in Houston and is committed to giving back to the city’s high schoolers. The organization’s first mission includes the introduction of the HBCU Waymon Webster Scholarship program. The foundation also has created a multiyear partnership with the city of Houston across parks and education. The alliance includes the unveiling of the Cactus Jack Gardens, a community-based agricultural program for the city’s elementary schools.

The fashion crowd and aspiring designers and marketers will be keen to learn of the multilevel partnership with The New School’s Parsons School of Design. In what is a first for any design school, Scott’s foundation is developing a fashion design program with Parsons. Through that venture, Parsons’ curriculum will be unrolled in Houston to provide design education to the city’s youth via My Brother’s Keeper, Houston. In addition, the certification program will be available to the younger set nationwide via special scholarships.

The partnership is designed to bring fashion education to help high school students, who have been traditionally underrepresented in creative discipline, according to Rachel Schreiber, executive dean at The New School’s Parsons School of Design.

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The scholarship initiative is named for Scott’s grandfather, who attended Prairie View A&M at the University of Texas. The effort is designed to cover college tuition costs for financially challenged young adults who have been affected by the pandemic. Scott personally selected students, who are currently enrolled at Morehouse College, Howard University, Texas Southern University, Grambling State University and Prairie View A&M, which is also his mother’s alma mater.

In recent months, several global talents like Virgil Abloh have been establishing educational opportunities in fashion and design for underrepresented communities that have not typically had opportunities.

The six-time Grammy nominee has been championing Houston in different ways in the past few years. In 2018, the musician hosted his successful Astroworld Festival at the NRG Park. The following year Mayor Sylvester Turner presented him with a key to the city, during the “Astroworld – Wish You Were Here” sold-out concert at the Toyota Center. (Non-Major League Baseball fans may like to know that Houston’s team is the Astros.)

A proven marketer with a massive social media following, Scott has 34.9 million followers on Instagram alone. He is recognized by some as Kylie Jenner’s partner and the father of his daughter, Stormi. The rapper’s style has attracted attention from designers and brands. Last year he modeled the Air Dior collection.

In September, the multitalented musician collaborated with McDonald’s for a limited run of apparel and special items. The collection was said to be a major triumph for the fast food chain, but a McDonald’s spokesman declined to share sales figures with WWD last fall.