About Founder & Director, Angela Medlin
“Supporting diverse creatives towards becoming confident in who they are and in their industry readiness is personally and professionally fulfilling. Giving brands visibility to (often) unseen talents and opening doors for those who are prepared for the opportunity is just the first step to evolving the product industry forward.”
Angela Medlin, a design leader, creative mentor, and problem solver, is changing the face(s)of the global product industry, literally.
Medlin’s design career extends across several iconic brands along the west coast and has accumulated an impressive portfolio as she re-imagined apparel for athletes and lifestyle apparel consumers over the course of three decades. Her passion for innovative, functional design has significantly contributed to the cumulative $300 billion success of the global active and outdoor industry that includes Nike/Jordan, Adidas, The North Face, Levi Strauss & Co., Eddie Bauer, Cross Colours, and others. Early on in her career, Medlin realized she represented less than 1% of people of color working as professional designers in the global apparel industry. In 2017, she effectively began to change this statistical reality by replacing discouragement with encouragement. Medlin decided to create what was missing - a professional certificate program, FAAS (aka Functional Apparel & Accessories Studio), that would serve to prepare creatives in ‘true to industry’ practices, elevate professional development, and emphasize the importance of diversity in design. As a result, the program has proven to be a much needed bridge between traditional design education and corporate design career opportunities. In just five years, the FAAS program has supported close to one hundred creatives into their first professional roles in the product creation industry. Through FAAS, Medlin partners with prominent product brands, professional thought leaders, and educational institutions, to close the gap between under-represented talents and professional opportunities in the product creation industry. This includes partnerships with Pensole Lewis Design & Business School, REI- Co-op, NCSU College of Design, Adidas SEED School, and a host of DEI advocates in the global apparel and footwear industry. Her ongoing goal is to open doors and solve problems innovatively through diverse collaboration. Medlin is, also, the founder of House Dogge, a modern pet product brand focused on nontoxic sustainable goods for dogs and their people. Proving again, design intelligence crosses all product boundaries.
Email hello@faasdesigncollab.com to learn more and share your interest in contributing to the growth of the next generation of diverse innovators.
