Cultivating Tomorrow: Afterpay Hosts Fashion Insiders to Discuss the Rise of Drop Culture
Panelists include Luke Fracher, co-founder of Round Two, and Bernie Gross, Creative Director for Extra Butter.
Among the buzz of New York Fashion Week, Afterpay will host a panel at Hypebeast’s 41 Division St. location on February 13th. Keeping the Afterpay Dropshop momentum in full swing, the conversation will bring together fashion tastemakers and insiders to discuss the rise of drop culture, how it has impacted the industry as a whole, and how it is even becoming more prominent in spaces beyond fashion and sneakers — extending into new, unexpected categories. As the drop landscape evolves, Afterpay’s goal through Dropshop is to help make the experience more inclusive.
The financial tech provider recently facilitated exclusive footwear drops with Jordan, making buzzy drop culture more accessible and breaking down the belief that limited quantity means limited access.
The panel will be moderated by Shavone Charles, a multifaceted creator and activist within the tech space. She has founded two community organizations to uplift women of color and marginalized communities within the tech, fashion, and art realms. She wears many hats and also creates music that further champions her identity.
Panelists will include Bernie Gross, Creative Director for Extra Butter, Christine Kapp of Afterpay, and Luke Fracher, co-founder of resale platform Round Two and owner of Luke’s NYC. Prior to working with Afterpay, Kapp held roles leading brand engagement for Moda Operandi and NET-A-PORTER, making her an expert in the retail industry and consumer trends.
Gross meshes his love of streetwear with retail strategy and can expand on the evolution of NYC’s fashion culture through the years. As an NYC native, he aims to educate younger generations about the power of streetwear and how it drives many other cultural moments and happenings in the city.
Fracher has over a decade of experience in sourcing coveted streetwear and vintage gems. He made waves within the resale industry with Round Two and now runs and operates his own vintage store in NYC’s Lower East Side. His experience in sourcing and curating has made him an authority on the ever-shifting nature of drop culture.
To learn more about Afterpay Dropshop, visit HBX.com.
