Kickstarter has formed a Fashion Advisory Board bringing together four independent designers, Hillary Taymour of Collina Strada, Raul Lopez of Luar, Brandon Blackwood, and Recho Omondi of “The Cutting Room Floor,” to support independent fashion creators on the platform.

The board extends the Kickstarter Culture Fund, a $1 million pool the company launched in August to back independent creators in art, fashion, film and music. That fund marked the first Kickstarter has financed entirely on its own, departing from its usual campaign model by taking no equity, fully funding no single project and capping no fixed number of recipients. It instead makes direct financial contributions to live campaigns already underway.

Through the end of 2026, the four advisors will provide creator guidance, participate in media engagement and contribute shared content, according to Kickstarter. Their role is to raise visibility for independent fashion creators, connect them to industry networks and surface opportunities to apply for Culture Fund support, rather than to administer funding decisions directly.

“Independent designers are shaping culture, but often face challenges finding the resources and support to bring their ideas to life and build sustainable businesses,” said Everette Taylor, Kickstarter’s CEO. “The Kickstarter Fashion Advisory Board builds on our commitment through the Culture Fund by bringing experienced voices and meaningful connections into that journey. We want more original ideas to have the opportunity to break through, and more designers to have the support they need to build lasting businesses while retaining ownership.”

The board is the latest expression of Kickstarter’s “Power of Belief” brand campaign, which underpins the Culture Fund. “The Fashion Advisory Board brings our Power of Belief campaign to life through voices who understand what it takes to build independent fashion,” said Courtney Brown Warren, Kickstarter’s Chief Marketing Officer. “‘Power of Belief’ is rooted in the idea that creativity moves forward when people believe in each other. Building on the Culture Fund, these advisors bring guidance, perspective, and connections to help more designers find their community and bring their original visions to life.”

Taylor took over as CEO in 2022 during a revenue decline and has said Kickstarter would not commit to giving money away until it proved it could make money itself. The company has said 2025 was its best year on record and that 2026 is tracking roughly 40% ahead of that pace.

Creators working within the Culture Fund’s four core categories (art, fashion, film and music) can apply once their Kickstarter campaign is live or while a project page is in draft. The company said additional partners will launch dedicated funding initiatives under the Culture Fund in the coming months.

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