Velvet.Co, an AANHPI woman-owned international PR and marketing firm, and ÁWET New York, a black-owned fashion brand, partnered for the second year to present a dynamic AANHPI Heritage Month celebration and pop-up experience. Hosted at the ÁWET New York flagship store in NoHo, the weekend will spotlight creativity, identity, and advocacy across the AANHPI community.
This year’s philanthropic partner, Make Us Visible, is a grassroots nonprofit organization committed to combating anti-Asian American violence through education and community-building. A portion of proceeds from the weekend’s sales will directly benefit the organization’s advocacy efforts and curriculum-based initiatives.
The launch event on May 9th welcomed members of the press, influencers, and cultural tastemakers to preview exclusive collections from a wide range of AANHPI-owned designers, including abacaxi, VERAFIED, Ann Andelmann, NUNCHI, Taottao, Suzanne Rae, STAPLE, Jasmine Chong, Essex Harlan, WÀNGDA, Zemeta, ALIENANT, and Dear Alien, spanning from Korea to China to NYC.
AANHPI
Guests enjoyed drinks and bites from featured hospitality partners Drink Lunar, City Winery, SANZO, NAMI, Tenjaku Whiskey, Lost Horse Cafe, and EATGOOD NYC. Music was curated by DJ HANTI, with an on-site charm bar activation from Sage & Saber. The evening concluded with thoughtfully assembled gift bags containing items across fashion, fragrance, beauty, and wellness from VERAFIED, Biology Fragrances, Dr.Althea, LA MAIA, NOON, Simply This, Superegg, The Qi, and YUZU.
Remarks were delivered by Jenny Zheng (Founder, Velvet.Co), Áwet Woldegebriel (Founder, ÁWET New York), and Christine Dai Huang and Helen Suh Singson (Co-Directors, Make Us Visible NY), all emphasizing the urgent need for cultural empowerment, authentic representation, and collective community investment.
“As an AANHPI-owned agency, it means everything to us at Velvet to create platforms that empower our community,” said Jenny Zheng, Founder of Velvet.Co. “We’re honored to bring this event back for a second year—and to spotlight such a powerful group of AANHPI creatives who are reshaping the landscape of fashion and design. This celebration is for us, by us, and a reflection of the beauty that emerges when our voices are amplified.”
“Hosting the second annual celebration is about more than just fashion — it’s a declaration of who we are and what we stand for”, said Áwet Woldegebriel, Founder of ÁWET New York. “In these uncertain times, when so much feels unstable, we believe it’s more important than ever to create space for culture, creativity, and community to thrive. This gathering is our way of saying that consistency in purpose still matters — that showing up for one another, supporting diversity, and building platforms where underrepresented voices can lead is not a trend, but a responsibility. Last year, we planted the seed. This year, we’re watching it bloom — and we’re proud to offer a space where inclusive creativity can take root and flourish.”
About Velvet.Co
Founded by Jenny Zheng, Velvet.Co is a leading PR and marketing firm dedicated to connecting the world through art, fashion, lifestyle, and culture. Named one of the 100 Most Influential Chinese by Forbes China, Zheng leads a team focused on building global stories and brand platforms through strategic communications, partnerships, and creative activations. Notable clients and projects include NEIWAI, Segway, Suit Supply, Holzweiler, Christian Cowan, Jeremy Scott, Xiaomi, MOFT, HeyTea, Sandy Liang, Chagee, and Hästens.
About ÁWET New York
ÁWET New York was founded in 2020 by Áwet Woldegebriel, whose life journey from Eritrean refugee to creative entrepreneur inspired the brand’s mission: to create intentional fashion while empowering garment workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. ÁWET New York champions the power of storytelling through clothing and provides a cultural platform for purpose-driven design.
About Make Us Visible
Founded in January 2021, Make Us Visible empowers local communities to integrate Asian American contributions, experiences, and histories in K-12 classrooms. We see this work as a long-term preventive measure against future anti-Asian American bullying and violence. As a 100% volunteer-driven coalition, we have established 7 laws across 5 states over the last four years, with 25 state chapters. We have also developed a selection of free K-12 educational resources for nationwide distribution, including coloring books, lesson plans, digital picture books, curated book lists featuring over 1,800 titles, and a parent resource guide. All coloring books are produced in partnership with ADMERASIA, with our most recently created in collaboration with the National Park Service. All resources are available for free download on our website.
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