BLUE CAST - 203 - SOLUTIONIST - Miko Underwood

SOLUTIONIST - Blue Cast X Fashion Impact Fund Series

Ep  203  - Miko Underwood 

Miko Underwood is the Founder / Designer of OAK & ACORN ~ Only for the Rebelles, the first sustainable brand in Harlem, NY.  A denim expert and innovator, with nearly twenty years of wash, product and brand development, Miko has become a leading voice in the sustainable denim space. She is committed to propelling the fashion industry into a more sustainable era where empowerment, cultural responsibility & accountability are at the forefront.  She is passionate in telling a more inclusive American Denim story by shining a light on the UNTOLD HISTORY of the Indigenous American and the enslaved Africans contributions that have shaped American manufacturing and American Denim. Miko noticed firsthand the devastating environmental effects of manufacturing denim, inspiring her to research and innovate sustainable alternatives. 

Her work in Denim has won her industry accolades & global recognition. 

OAK & ACORN her brand made history in Nordstrom as the first Black Designer Brand on the Designer 4th Floor in their New York City Flagship. 

OAK & ACORN ~ Only for the Rebelles has been listed as “Label to Watch” by The SPINOFF,  HIGHSNOBIETY and most recently by HYPEBAE.

In 2020, Miko founded The Denim Collective, an educational initiative to highlight the Black Community's contributions to the origins of American fashion - beginning with denim. She's also co-authored articles on the history of denim for the Zoe Report, two articles on Juneteenth for the Council of Fashion Designers of America & was featured in the Business of Fashion, Essence, Fashionista, Heddels, Refinery 29 , Levi's & Patagonia for her work.


@oakandacornofficial @THEDNMCOLLECTIVE
#oakandacornbrand #onlyfortherebelles #MikoUnderwood


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This Women’s History Month, the focus is on “Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” This theme intends to explore the healing and caring contributions of women in years past, as well as the frontline medical workers in the present.

Outside the realm of human health, women are also caring for the world’s well-being today by protecting the environment. In honor of Women’s History Month, Carved in Blue and the Fashion Impact Fund are joining forces to focus on the women making an impact now. Together, we are launching a podcast series on Blue Cast, dubbed “Solutionist,” centered on women driving sustainable innovation and developments in fashion.


“The Solutionist podcast series amplifies the leadership and representation of women entrepreneurs driving social, environmental and economic change in the fashion sector,” said Kerry Bannigan, executive director of Fashion Impact Fund. “Each advancing progress with a variety of solutions that the industry, and wider, can learn from, implement towards effective participation in system change and join for collaborative sector engagement.”

Each of the five Solutionist episodes will focus on one notable woman making a difference, in conversation with Lenzing’s Tricia Carey.  


“The five women in this series come from various aspects of the apparel industry with powerful determination and insight,” said Tricia. “Hearing their incredible stories brings a depth of passion to their work and the communities they support.”


BLUE CAST by TENCEL™ / CARVED IN BLUE®

A podcast series created by Tricia Carey from Lenzing’s TENCEL™ Denim team and Kerry Bannigan from Fashion Impact Fund.


Graphics, recording and editing by Mohsin Sajid and Sadia Rafique from ENDRIME® for TENCEL™ / CARVED IN BLUE®.

Find us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @carvedinblue. And get in touch denim@lenzing.com

https://carvedinblue.tencel.com/
https://www.youtube.com/c/bluelenz
https://bluecast.buzzsprout.com