Ciara and Russell, Travis Scott, and Law Roach Joined 160 Rising Stars for the Fashion Scholarship Fund Gala

After an introduction by Cosmopolitan and Seventeen editor in chief Willa Bennett—with Sienna and Future by her side—Ciara encouraged students to embrace challenges, noting that setbacks are often “just your beauty marks in the making.” Wilson echoed that sentiment through the lens of impact: “I think it first starts with showing people that your language matters and what you say to yourself and what you say to others matters,” the NFL star said. The couple also spoke about their work through their Why Not You Foundation as a route to tangible opportunities for young people.

Legendary designer and New York Fashion Week stalwart Tommy Hilfiger also appeared on the stage to introduce honoree Stefan Larsson, the chief executive officer of PVH Corp. And the night continued with KidSuper designer Colm Dillane, who shone a light on the four student finalists—Justin Le, Madison-Jade Bishop, Rylee Funfsinn, and Kuan Jackson—each of whom took the time to talk about their individual case studies, their backgrounds, inspiration, and intentions for their career.

Just when everyone thought the biggest shock of the night would be the announcement of the 2026 Chairman’s Award recipient, Travis Scott showed up on stage in a welcome surprise. (The rapper and producer also oversees The Cactus Jack Design Ethos Scholarship Program, which supports FSF scholarships.) His message to the up-and-comers? “Keep pushing the limits. Always put yourself out there. Even if you don’t trust your ideas, just go with your gut and you’ll figure it out.”

Amanda Smith, FSF board president and CEO of Fairchild Media Group, and designer Raul Lopez of Luar were tasked with revealing this year’s winner: Kuan Jackson, who will receive the $25,000 prize to further his career. The night culminated in an inspiring speech from Jackson to his peers: “This is not just my win. This is all of our win. True success requires time and patience. You have to ground yourself, and get right with your spirit, and get right with your mind. I want y’all to understand that you cannot lose, because every loss is a lesson learned. Together we win.”