Big Sean Hosts Fireside Chat In Detroit Highlighting PepsiCo & Pensole Lewis College’s Focus On Black Cultural Innovation

Big Sean hosted a special event highlighting PepsiCo’s collaboration with Pensole Lewis College (PLC Detroit) at the Black Footwear Forum in Detroit on Friday, September 27, 2024.

Source: Courtesy / PepsiCo

The event featured the debut of PLC’s first-ever student capsule collection, showcasing Baiyinah Ings’ winning design.

Detroit native Big Sean led an inspiring fireside chat on design, mentorship, and the role of Black creatives in shaping the future of the industry, while Baiyinah Ings, the winner of PepsiCo’s four-week masterclass, unveiled an innovative showcase and capsule collection based on her award-winning designs which will be produced and sold on PLC Detroit’s website in November with PepsiCo support.

Source: Courtesy / PepsiCo

Attendees had the exclusive opportunity to view the debut of the award-winning designs in person and purchase the collection on campus.

“As an artist and designer born and raised in Detroit, I’m deeply inspired by PepsiCo’s commitment to nurturing Black design talent at PLC Detroit in the very city that shaped me,” said Big Sean. “Detroit has always been a wellspring of cultural innovation, and PLC Detroit, as the sole HBCU focused on design, is playing a vital role in cultivating that legacy. With the help of partners like PepsiCo, I’m honored to play a role in uplifting the incredible talent emerging from a city that’s constantly defying expectations.”

Source: Courtesy / PepsiCo

In 2023, PepsiCo announced a unique 3-year partnership with PLC Detroit aimed at increasing representation in the design industry by cultivating more Black designers and creating a pipeline for diverse perspectives to enter the field. As part of this initiative, PepsiCo’s Design team continues to provide valuable resources to the next generation of creatives, including apprenticeships for two PLC Detroit designers.

Source: Courtesy / PepsiCo

Earlier this year, twelve PLC Detroit students participated in a four-week masterclass hosted by PepsiCo Design + Innovation, designed to help students elevate their design skills in a real-world context. The masterclass focused on creating PLC’s first-ever student-designed merchandise collection with guidance and mentorship from PepsiCo designers. Each student designed a capsule collection consisting of four distinct pieces that encapsulate the essence of Pride, Legacy, and Culture, which are core values of PLC Detroit.

Source: Courtesy / PepsiCo

The capsule collection will be available for purchase online starting in November. Stay tuned for more updates on how PepsiCo and PLC are Amplifying Black Brilliance in design and innovation.