Nia Pennington (ISC, 2020) is familiar with the creative ideation process taught in the College of Communication and Information’s Department of Integrated Strategic Communication. However, she never anticipated that this process would lead to her work being featured in Athleta stores across the country.
After being the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Oregon’s Masters of Science Sports Product Design program, Pennington became a part of the first class of GAP fellows. GAP Inc., parent company to GAP, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta, hosts a design apprenticeship program to support and promote young and upcoming talent in the design industry. This program is built off a partnership with ICON360, a non-profit branch of Harlem’s Fashion Row, to support Black and other underrepresented designers in the fashion community.
“Being a part of that young cohort of people who come from similar backgrounds allowed us to learn from each other and navigate this space together,” Pennington told Business of Fashion.
Shortly after her fellowship with GAP Inc. ended, Pennington decided to pursue a career as an assistant designer for Athleta, one of the top-selling athleisure brands in the country, focusing on intimates and swimwear. In under a year of experience in this position, Pennington has had the opportunity to see her ideas come to life and displayed in stores.
In this role, Pennington’s hopes to foster space for more community representation in the sports fashion and apparel industry, empowering other professionals to forge their path.
“I hope to continue to pave a way for women like me to find their voice and community and tell their stories,”Pennington said.
Her recent recognition as a 2024 Sarah Bennett Holmes “30 under 30” award recipient highlights the magnitude of her work.
“Being a ‘30 under 30’ is a huge accomplishment because it shows you where you’re making an impact the most and for me any small impact, even if it’s one person, is enough for me,” Pennington said.
The Sarah Bennett Holmes “30 under 30” recognition was created to honor the contributions of University of Kentucky undergraduate and alumni women who have supported the university and the Commonwealth. This “30 under 30” category was introduced into the Sarah Bennett Holmes Awards for the first time this year.
This awards ceremony is held annually to honor the former Dean of Women, Sarah Bennett Holmes. During the depression, Holmes pioneered work programs for women to be able to support their families. Throughout her career, Holmes inspired and encouraged women to persevere throughout the hardships that they faced during their careers.
Pennington credits her time at UK in helping her network and build a community that has allowed her to build such a successful and impactful career.
“UK taught me how to adapt and find community,” Pennington said. “Building genuine connections was key to my future experience in helping others do the exact same thing.”