Beyond the Mirror – Equity, Innovation, and the Business of Beauty & Fashion

Asia Milia Ware is a beauty-obsessed Queens, New York native and Hampton University graduate. She’s likely wearing stiletto nails and has a fragrance combo on that you’ll definitely be asking about. She is the beauty editor at New York Magazine’s the Cut where you can find her backstage at fashion shows, on the road with luxury brands being immersed in product formulations or in front of the camera giving her raw, uncut beauty reviews. Her reporting blends beauty, culture, wellness and trends. Ware also writes and produces the column Why Is Your Skin So Good? at the Cut, a celebrity-based video series where girl chat meets getting real about beauty and philosophies behind self-care. 

Throughout her career she has worked for publications including Teen Vogue, InStyle Magazine, ESSENCE Magazine and more where she covered both fashion and beauty. Ware has also appeared as a television correspondent on Good Morning America, NBC and the Tamron Hall show covering the Met Gala and other fashion and beauty moments.

James is the Director of Community Affairs for the Andréa W. and Kenneth C. Frazier Family Foundation, where he champions inclusive leadership and empowerment. James is dedicated to driving equitable opportunity and transformative impact across business, fashion, and philanthropy. James builds ventures and platforms that unlock potential and expand access for under-resourced communities.

In partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and the Andréa W. and Kenneth C. Frazier Family Foundation, James launched the Empowered Vision Award. The award focuses on supporting emerging Black designers through a $100,000 financial grant and a year-long mentorship program valued at an additional $100,000. The initiative fosters innovation and promotes equity in the fashion industry while providing Black designers with essential resources to expand their brands and compete on a global stage. His work is rooted in the belief that business and social capital are catalysts for long-term value and sustainable growth.

James has prior experience as a luxury real estate broker for Compass and Douglas Elliman. His experience navigating complex markets sharpened his strategic approach to investment, partnership building, and long-term value creation.

As an alumnus of Lehigh University, James holds a BA in International Relations. In addition, James also spearheads the Frazier Scholarship at The Hun School of Princeton — a full-tuition scholarship created in support of students from under-resourced backgrounds — reflecting his belief that access to opportunity changes life trajectories.

Magnificent, exquisitely made shoes have captivated Kendall Reynolds ever since she could walk. The Chicago native has always had an unerring eye and intuitive affinity for superb craftsmanship and timeless design—even before she could articulate these concepts. Today, she is the CEO and Design Director of her namesake luxury brand, Kendall Miles Designs, which she started while still a senior at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. She received her BA in International Relations in 2016. After participating in three collection cycles, Kendall and her team committed to a direct-to-consumer business model that features seasonless, limited-edition drops of luxury footwear. She has recently added Saks Off Fifth as her first retail partner as she scales distribution to reach more “Muses” in her growing community of followers and consumers.

Kendall approaches the craft from an incomparable perspective, viewing her designs as works of art in their own right rather than mere accessories. It’s not necessarily fashion that intrigues her, but rather, the transformation that takes place when a woman slips into a much-longed for and utterly beautiful pair of shoes. She believes a pair of shoes, much more than any other article of clothing, is a form of communication. It represents a woman’s dreams and emotions. And the right pair can be transformative, “lending a woman individuality and changing her character, attitude and bearing as she walks.”

Kendall attended Ars Sutoria, the world-renowned university for shoe and bag design in the center of Milan. While there, she had intensive training in all technical aspects of shoe development, from design to construction. Her training has given her the specific knowledge necessary to combine avant-garde construction methods with time-honored, classic design in her creations for Kendall Miles Designs. She is committed to maintaining true couture standards, and hand sketches all creations herself. Additionally, all of Kendall Miles Designs footwear is handmade in Italy. 

At just 30, Kendall is already a standout in the shoe industry, receiving high praise from professionals in the field. Her company has generated significant gross revenues validating a solid corporate foundation.  The future is bright for building a company that will capture significant market share in the luxury fashion accessory category and represent diversity in an industry dominated by European fashion conglomerates.

Maloni Goss is a luxury executive and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience building and scaling global brands. She is currently Head of U.S. Insights at CHANEL, leading corporate strategy, consumer insights, and brand experience measurement. Previously, she has served as COO of emerging luxury brands such as Suno and Sherly Lowe Jewelry, and held senior leadership roles across sales, merchandising, and strategy at CHANEL, Ralph Lauren, and Gap Inc. Maloni is also the founder of La Fleur Sauvage, a wellness community curating retreats and experiences for women with full lives.

She serves on the FIT Foundation Board and is a member of The Links and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Maloni holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and is a proud alumna of Spelman College.